Executive Brief- Proposing a New Initiative

Executive Brief- Proposing a New Initiative

Adoption of telehealth at Bristol Hospice-Miami Dade, LLC.

Hospices are an important healthcare provider in the country’s health system. Their role in the system is to care for individuals suffering from terminal illnesses such as cancer. While their role does not include curing these patients, the quality of care that they offer to the patients is critical. Bristol Hospice is one such entity that is entrusted with caring for at least 83 percent of patients with terminal illnesses at home and 15 percent who reside in assisted living facilities (Medicare.gov, 2021). The facility’s current rating stands at 77.4 percent for Death is imminent visits. Its provision of emotional and physical care to the patients is rated 98.6 percent. This rating exceeds the national average, which is 88.7 percent. It means that the facility demonstrates active involvement in the process of making end-of-life decisions with its patients. The facility’s ranking in the seven Hospice Item Set (HIS) measures is above 50 percent; based on these rankings, Bristol Hospice offers outstanding care to its patients (Medicare.gov, 2021).

However, every profit-making organization has the responsibility to constantly improve its offerings for continued relevance in the market. This means that Bristol Hospice should improve its delivery of care to its patients both at home and in other facilities. Adoption of telehealth is recommended due to its potential to stoke client satisfaction. The current COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increased uptake of telehealth among care providers. To catalyze the process, the White House put out an executive order that instructed the country’s Department of Health & Human Services to identify the actions that could be made permanent (Vossel, 2020). Senior citizens, who make up most of the clients who need hospice care, are receptive to telehealth, especially if their doctors recommend it. According to a survey conducted by American Well, senior citizens demonstrate a need and appreciation for convenience, are comfortable with technology, and could use it for the management of chronic pain or renewal of prescriptions. At least 61 percent of those aged between 55 and 64 years are willing to use telehealth, while 52 percent of those aged 65 years and above demonstrate similar willingness (American Well, 2019). Doctors highlight that there are challenges to adopting telehealth. However, if a patient can type, they can engage caregivers via telehealth platforms easily (Vossel, 2020).

In the case of hospice care, receiving care rapidly can create a major difference in the patient’s health. Pain management is one of the services that Bristol Hospice offers. Reducing or managing pain is important in ensuring that the patient’s quality of life improves. A hospice patient would be more comforted if they knew that care is only a click away, regardless of the physical position. In addition, patients have the chance to involve their loved ones in the process of receiving care through three-way video calls that are HIPAA compliant, making the process less isolating (Vossel, 2020). According to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, the adoption of telehealth could improve the patient’s access to care, cut down the cost of care, reduce or eliminate travel time to patients’ locations, increase the patient/family’s satisfaction, and lead to better health outcomes (Hatcher, 2020). Since Bristol Hospice has most of its patients in their homes, it is important to adopt telehealth for the improvement of patient care quality and save on costs.

Economic Factors of Supply and Demand

According to McKinsey & Company, Telehealth use has increased at the rate of 50 percent during the first quarter of 2020. Following the pandemic, telehealth trends have exhibited a stabilization rate of thirty-eight times more than they did prior to COVID-19 (Hatcher, 2020). The rate of willingness to use telehealth is 61 and 52 percent, respectively, for ages 55 and 64 and those above 65 years (American Well, 2019). The main motivation is the convenience and time-saving that the platform offers. Investment in telehealth was found to realize a cost saving of at least 11 percent. The estimated return on the investment is $3.3 for each dollar that is submitted to the program (Charleson, 2021). Furthermore, the number of Medicare visits that were conducted on a telehealth platform grew 63-fold. This number reached 52.7 million in 2020 from 840,000 in 2019 (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2021). This data shows that the demand for telehealth services is growing exponentially. The supply is growing equally since patients’ access to care from the platforms has grown since hospitals and other healthcare facilities have made investments. Therefore, the growth in usage indicates significant growth in supply.

The market’s readiness and demand for telehealth services are reasonable. The statistics indicate the value that senior citizens attach to convenience and speedy services. In the case of Bristol Hospice, the need to cater to their home patients conveniently and effectively confirms the viability of adopting telehealth. In addition, managing chronic pain without having to be physically present is a convenient and lifesaving opportunity (Webb, Hurley, & Gentry, 2021). The improvement of care quality that patients can reap from telehealth services from the hospice center will benefit not only the facility and patients but also their families. In addition, the current pandemic raises the need to utilize technological advancements to enable social distancing and reduce the spread of opportunities. Therefore, Bristol Hospice should adopt telehealth for the benefit of both the patients and the facility.

References

American Well. (2019). Telehealth Index: 2019 Consumer Survey.

Charleson, K. (2021). Telehealth statistics and telemedicine trends 2021.

Hatcher, T. L. (2020). Telehealth in Hospice: Providing Care, Comfort, and Counseling From Afar.

Medicare.gov. (2021). Hospice Agency. Retrieved from Medicare.gov: https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare/details/hospice/101558?city=Florida%20City&state=FL&zipcode=#ProviderDetailsConditionsTreated

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2021). New HHS Study Shows 63-Fold Increase in Medicare Telehealth Utilization During the Pandemic. Retrieved from https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2021/12/03/new-hhs-study-shows-63-fold-increase-in-medicare-telehealth-utilization-during-pandemic.html

Vossel, H. (2020). Rise of Hospice Telehealth Can Stoke Patient Satisfaction. Retrieved from https://hospicenews.com/2020/08/19/rise-of-hospice-telehealth-can-stoke-patient-satisfaction/

Webb, M., Hurley, S. L., & Gentry, J. (2021). Best Practices for Using Telehealth in Hospice and Palliative Care. J Hosp Palliat Nurs., 23(3), 277-285. doi:10.1097/

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Research an economic opportunity available within your healthcare setting that will provide ethical and culturally equitable improvements to the quality of care. Then, write a 2-4 page proposal for an initiative to take advantage of that opportunity, supported with economic data and an analysis of the prospective benefits.

Executive Brief- Proposing a New Initiative

Research an economic opportunity within your health care setting—at both micro (departmental, neighborhood) and macro (organizational, community) levels—that you believe will provide ethical and culturally equitable improvements to the quality of care. Then, propose an initiative to take advantage of that opportunity. Support your proposal with economic data (sector growth, supply versus demand, cost versus reimbursement, et cetera) and an analysis of the prospective benefits for your department and for the organization overall.
Such economic opportunities might include offering a new service line, working to improve a service line already offered, retiring an outdated or unprofitable service line, or any other initiative you believe will be of benefit to your organization in the short and long term. One example is a recently launched partnership with a local bicycle-sharing company. Your organization partners with them to host healthy community events that offer free screenings for early detection of various health issues. Free screenings help fulfill some of your organization’s preventive and healthy lifestyle initiatives while also potentially driving referrals to other services provided by your organization.