NUR 2058 DQ Agencies and Who They Serve
NUR 2058 DQ Agencies and Who They Serve
For this discussion, review the various healthcare settings in your reading (such as hospital, community health center, etc.) and select one. Once selected, research the internet to identify a facility that represents your selected healthcare delivery setting. Review their website and determine:
Location and size
Mission and values
Accreditation and awards
How long they have been serving their target population
Whether they are part of a system or a single institution
Are they for profit or not-for profit
The target populations they serve
The clinical and client services they provide
The type of staff who work in the setting
Contributions to the community
In a two to three paragraph discussion post, identify key aspects of the selected healthcare setting, how their mission and values compare with the services they provide and their target populations, the type of staff who work there, any special or unique aspects of
the healthcare setting, and your impression of the healthcare setting after reviewing their website. You don’t need to identify the name of the healthcare setting just the type.
The U.S. health care infrastructure is a complex system of facilities, insurance plans, professionals, technologies, and more. Health care administrators look after the core facility types: hospitals, outpatient clinics, long-term care facilities, clinical labs, and hospices. These facilities collaborate to deliver high-quality health care to patients and communities.
Hospital
Hospitals primarily provide diagnostic and treatment services to patients who require intensive or immediate care. Most hospitals are in-patient facilities, requiring patients to stay under the supervision of specialized health care professionals until discharged.
Hospitals are generally classified by the type of ownership, treatment, facility size, and length of a patient’s stay. The majority of them are nonprofits, typically governed by a regional health authority.
Most people are familiar with a general hospital, which admits patients for all types of medical conditions. Depending on a patient’s diagnosis, a general hospital may refer him or her to an acute care hospital, such as a cancer treatment, children’s, or maternity hospital, or to a member of the hospital’s outpatient facility network.
Outpatient Clinic
An outpatient clinic or facility is often for patients who need short-term care and can recover at home. Hospitals refer discharged patients to a network of outpatient clinics that specialize in services for ongoing conditions such as weight loss, drug or alcohol rehabilitation, and physical therapy.
Outpatient clinics are typically more convenient and affordable for patients as well. Day surgery centers, urgent care clinics, and specialty clinics are often in close proximity to a patient’s home, providing easier access to high-quality, non-emergency care.
Long-Term Care Facility
Long-term care facilities support people with short-term recovery, ongoing health conditions, or disabilities. They are designed to help patients complete daily activities as safely and as independently as possible.
According to a recent survey by Genworth, 7 in 10 people will require long-term care in their lifetime. Depending on their health, patients can receive in-home care through homemaker services or a home health aide. Community and assisted living facilities care for seniors who are still relatively independent, while nursing home facilities care for patients who need full-time care.
Clinical Lab
A clinical laboratory, or lab, completes diagnostic tests ordered by physicians and primary care providers. Using biological specimens, such as blood, urine, or saliva, medical technicians run tests to help diagnose, treat, and monitor a patient’s health.
Clinical lab facilities can be organized by function or test specialization. General clinical labs run common tests, while other labs, such as cancer clinics, run disease-specific tests. Test specialization facilities run diagnostic tests for a certain field, such as public health or hematology.
Hospice
Hospice is another type of health care facility. A hospice facility cares for the terminally ill or people nearing the end of life. Typically, hospice care is for patients who have no more than six months to live. A team of professionals, such as physicians, nurses, spiritual advisors, and counselors, supports both the patient and the patient’s family during the transition.
Depending on the care required and cost, hospice services can be accessed in a hospice facility, at the patient’s home, in long-term facilities, or in the hospital.