Patient Care Problem with an Impact on Budget as a Financial Management Issue

Patient Care Problem with an Impact on Budget as a Financial Management Issue

Inadequate breastfeeding support in the Mother-Baby Unit is a complex problem that has a substantial cost impact on several healthcare system entities, in addition to negatively affecting patient care. The financial resources of healthcare organizations, government healthcare programs, health insurance companies, and hospitals are all impacted by high rates of neonatal readmissions brought on by inadequate breastfeeding support. In this situation, nurse leaders are essential in addressing the issue, putting evidence-based strategies into action, and promoting the funding of programs that promote breastfeeding. Furthermore, sustaining high-quality care and financial stability depends on adherence to regulatory guidelines established by institutions like the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI).

An Analysis of the Role of the Nurse Leader in the Problem of Inadequate Breastfeeding Support

One of the most common patient care issues in the Mother-Baby Unit that affects the budget is the high readmission rates of newborns because of insufficient breastfeeding support. Exclusive breastfeeding dramatically lowers an infant’s risk of developing several ailments and improves general health (Mäkelä et al., 2023). Nevertheless, inadequate breastfeeding information and assistance provided to mothers in the unit has led to less-than-ideal breastfeeding rates, which in turn has raised the rate of readmissions for neonates. Not only do these readmissions endanger the health of the infants, but they also put a financial burden on the unit because readmission expenses are usually more than those of preventive care. The unit faces the financial management difficulty of balancing the long-term cost gains associated with lower readmission rates and the provision of extensive breastfeeding care, which may initially require greater resources.

To increase breastfeeding support in the Mother-Baby Unit, nurse leaders play a critical role in addressing this issue by implementing evidence-based approaches. Notably, nurse leaders must establish a culture of continuous improvement and give staff members continual training to increase their skills and expertise in breastfeeding assistance. In addition, nurse leaders might work with lactation consultants to create and carry out focused interventions, such as breastfeeding workshops, one-on-one counselling, and the formation of support groups for new mothers (Brinker, 2022). Furthermore, they can promote the funding of these programs, understanding that initial expenditures on breastfeeding education and assistance can result in large long-term cost savings by lowering the rate of newborn readmissions. Besides, nurse leaders can impact positive change, enhance patient outcomes, and support the Mother-Baby Unit’s financial stability.

Regulatory Policies and Agencies that Are Involved in the Identified Issue

The issue of inadequate breastfeeding support in the Mother-Baby Unit is subject to regulatory policies and oversight from various agencies. The US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is essential in setting policies and procedures for healthcare institutions, especially those about the care of expectant and nursing mothers (Aruah et al., 2023). Furthermore, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have launched the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI), which establishes global guidelines for maternity facilities to support the best practices for breastfeeding. Healthcare facilities must abide by these regulations since they impact accreditation and reimbursement. To deliver high-quality care and maintain regulatory compliance, nurse leaders in the Mother-Baby Unit must stay current on these rules and ensure that their breastfeeding support practices meet the requirements outlined by CMS and BFHI.

Organization Budgets that This Issue Would Impact

The problem of insufficient breastfeeding support in the Mother-Baby Unit would impact numerous important healthcare organizations’ budgets. First, greater rates of newborn readmissions brought on by inadequate breastfeeding support would have a direct impact on the hospital’s budget since they would increase resource usage, which would include more hospital stays and medical procedures. Second, since they pay for prolonged hospital stays and medical care brought on by neonatal readmissions, health insurance companies can suffer financial consequences. Thirdly, they may be impacted since Medicaid and other government healthcare programs frequently pay for the costs associated with birthing and newborn care. Lastly, since their initiatives to support breastfeeding education and assistance align with the larger objective of lowering healthcare costs related to avoidable complications, the budgets of nonprofit organizations and public health agencies that advocate for maternal and child health may be indirectly impacted. In addition to enhancing patient care, addressing the breastfeeding assistance issue may also favourably impact the financial future of these linked organizations.

A Description of How the Organization’s Budgets Would Be Impacted

The Mother-Baby Unit’s insufficient breastfeeding support would directly impact the hospital’s budget. Notably, rising readmission rates for neonates require longer and more involved hospital interventions, which drives up operating expenses (Stanfield et al., 2023). Also, the financial resources of the hospital would be strained by longer hospital stays, more medical procedures, and more personnel workload. In addition, fines about quality indicators and patient results, as determined by authorities and insurance companies, may also affect the hospital’s reimbursement rates and total spending plan.

The cost of the breastfeeding assistance issue would also fall on health insurance companies. Neonatal readmissions increase healthcare utilization, which leads to higher insurance plan claims and payouts. As a result, insurers may raise premiums for individuals and businesses to offset growing healthcare expenses. Medicaid and other government health programs, which pay for a large amount of birthing and neonatal care, would incur higher costs due to the increased demand for services from insufficient breastfeeding support. Therefore, this could put pressure on Medicaid finances, leaving less money available for other crucial healthcare initiatives.

Additionally, there may be secondary effects for public health organizations and nonprofit organizations that support mother and child health. These organizations frequently fund campaigns, educational projects, and assistance programs that support the best possible care for mothers and infants, including breastfeeding. Hospital policies that impede breastfeeding and cause needless readmissions of neonates may put a strain on these organizations’ finances while they work to address the wider public health ramifications of the issue. To summarize, the financial consequences of insufficient breastfeeding assistance ripple through hospital budgets, insurance plans, government health initiatives, and advocacy groups, highlighting the interdependence of different entities in the healthcare system.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Mother-Baby Unit’s insufficient breastfeeding support endangers the health of babies and places a financial strain on important healthcare organizations. Nonetheless, nurse leaders can promote positive change by applying evidence-based methods to improve breastfeeding support through effective leadership and cooperation with stakeholders. The involvement of international organizations like BFHI and regulatory agencies like the CMS emphasizes the significance of harmonizing methods with established standards. Besides, nurse leaders improve patient outcomes and the Mother-Baby Unit’s and the healthcare system’s long-term financial viability by tackling this issue with patient care and ensuring regulations are followed.

References

Aruah, D. E., Henshaw, Y., & Walsh-Childers, K. (2023). Tweets that matter: Exploring the solutions to maternal mortality in the United States discussed by advocacy organizations on Twitter. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(9), 5617. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20095617

Brinker, A. M. (2022). Breastfeeding education and support to improve breastfeeding retention. Mospace.umsystem.edu. https://mospace.umsystem.edu/xmlui/handle/10355/90221

Mäkelä, H., Axelin, A., Kolari, T., & Niela-Vilén, H. (2023). Exclusive breastfeeding, breastfeeding problems, and maternal breastfeeding attitudes before and after the baby-friendly hospital initiative: A quasi-experimental study. Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare, 35, 100806. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.srhc.2022.100806

Stanfield, K., Day, K., Clemente, S., & Coustasse, A. (2023). Neonatal abstinence syndrome: An update on the cost and length of stay associated with treatment during the hospital stay. Management Faculty Research. https://mds.marshall.edu/mgmt_faculty/248/

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In a Microsoft Word document of 4-5 pages formatted in APA style, describe a patient care problem with an impact on budget as a financial management issue in your workplace.
Provide a short analysis of the role of the nurse leader in this problem as described in the literature.

Patient Care Problem with an Impact on Budget as a Financial Management Issue

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Explain the regulatory agencies and policies that are involved in the issue.
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Identify which organizational budgets would be impacted by this issue.
Explain how the organizational budgets would be impacted.
Support your responses with a minimum of two peer-reviewed articles that discuss the issue you have identified.