Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Benefits Of The 340b Drug Discount Program, Jarrett Gerlach, Sarah Mcsweeney, Angela Swearingen, Nitesh Patil, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

Introduction: The 340B Drug Discount Program required drug manufacturers provide discounted outpatient drugs to healthcare organizations which serve vulnerable patient populations to allow these institutions to offer more services to more people. As the 340B program expanded, controversy has centered on which entities have benefited from the program. Many healthcare organizations sold 340B drugs to well-insured patients at full price, and thus have been financially rewarded. Amendments to the program have permitted 340B providers to utilize contract pharmacies to dispense 340B medication, which has furthered the debate over which stakeholders are benefiting from the program.

Purpose of the Study: The …

Continuing Development Of An All Payer Health Care System In Maryland, David P. Paul Iii, Taeko Matsumoto, Alberto Coustasse, Lama Mohammed Bakhamis, Mary Lynn Harshbarger

Management Faculty Research

The state of Maryland, in collaboration with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, developed the first all-payer system model in the U.S. in 1971, and some 35 years later in response to financial pressures, modernized this program. The focus of the modernized program was to improve overall per capita expenditure, quality of care, and the outcome of Marylanders’ health.

This study showed positive change in moving its healthcare delivery model from volume-driven care to value-driven coordinated care. Maryland hospitals have changed their mindsets to achieve the Triple Aim of cost reduction, health improvement, and quality of care improvement for the …

Is The Nationwide Health Information Network Feasible?, Tyler Godby, Christian Gomes, Jazmine Valle, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN) use in healthcare facilities was examined for utilization and efficacy, although the advantages are abundant, healthcare facilities have been reluctant to adopt it due to associated costs. The purpose of this study was to analyze the feasibility of a U.S NHIN by exploring and determining the benefits of and assessing the barriers to its implementation. The results of this study suggest that implementation and utilization of NHIN by healthcare industry stakeholders leads to an increased quality of patient care, increased patient-provider communication, and cost savings opportunities. Increased quality of care is achieved by reducing adverse …

West Virginia Nursing Homes: Are They Up To The Standard?, Guillermo Madero Md, Shirley M. Neitch Md

Internal Medicine

Quality measurement and performance monitoring are under continuous assessment in Nursing Homes (NH). Through this research project we assess the quality of care provided in the NH in the state of West Virginia by publicly accessible quality measurements. The methodology for this research study was through the retrieval of data from the Nursing Home Compare website in which a total of 80 NH were located and analyzed. The results demonstrate that more than 50% of NH in West Virginia are at or above the national average when compared using the Five Star Rating System by CMS, in overall rating (59%), …

Financial Advantages Of Hospitals’ Relationships With Accountable Care Organizations, David P. Paul Iii, Rodrigo Carmago, Thaisa Carmago, Stacie Deslich, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

Accountable care organizations are groups of providers who agree to accept the responsibility for elevating the health status of a defined group of patients, with the goal of enabling people to take charge of their health and enroll in shared decision-making with providers. The large initial investment required (estimated at $1.8 million) to develop an ACO implies that the participation of large health care organizations, especially hospitals and health systems, is required for success. Findings of the study suggest that ACOs based in a larger hospital organizations are more likely to meet CMS criteria for formation because of financial and …

How Could, Should, And Would Physicians Use Facebook With Patients, Joy Peluchette, Katherine Karl, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

After reviewing the benefits and risks of social media, we examine online discussion boards to determine the thoughts of physicians and patients regarding the use of Facebook to communicate with one another about health-related issues. Of the 290 comments analyzed, we found 42 percent were opposed to physicians using Facebook. Additionally, most (51.7 were opposed to physicians being Facebook “friends” with patients. Most opponents expressed concerns about privacy and the need to maintain professional boundaries in the physician-patient relationship. We provide suggestions for how healthcare administrators can effectively manage their social media presence and provide assistance to physicians.

Massachusetts Health Care Reform: Is It Working?, Joshua Mcadoo, Julian Irving, Stacie Deslich, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

Before 2006, Massachusetts had more than 500 000 residents who lacked health insurance. Governor Mitt Romney enacted landmark legislation requiring all residents to obtain health insurance. Also, the legislation established a health insurance exchange for the purpose of broadening the choices of insurance plans made available to individuals in the state. The purpose of this research was to assess the Massachusetts health care reform in terms of access, cost, and sustainability. The methodology used was a literature review from 2006 to 2013; a total of 43 references were used. Health reform resulted in additional overall state spending of $2.42 billion …

Medical Tourism And International Healthcare Options, David Conley, Andrew Sikula Sr., William Willis, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

Medical tourism has evolved from traveling to the United States (U.S.) and a select few other countries, such as India and Thailand, to a global trend in affordable alternative healthcare. Medical tourism in the U.S. and in other countries has evolved because of cost and lengthy waiting periods. Some insurance companies are marketing kidney transplants and joint replacements through medical choice programs in order to save overall expense. As an economical approach to controlling rising health care costs in the U.S., medical tourism is becoming a valid alternative.

Is Uncompensated Care Affecting Quality Assurance Of Rural Hospitals?, Doohee Lee, Chris Dixon, Paul Kruszynski, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

Healthcare disparities in rural areas remain significant in the U.S. healthcare industry. Uncompensated care makes healthcare disparities in rural areas worse and rural hospitals are unfavorably positioned to compete with urban hospitals in the economic downturn marketplace. How uncompensated care affects quality care among rural hospitals has been lightly investigated. As many rural residents experience difficulty accessing high quality care and the importance of establishing quality care practice standards in a rural setting, we conducted a systematic literature review to identify some quality care barriers and opportunities, suggested strategies to strengthen the position of rural hospitals in response to uncompensated …

The Case Of South African And Chilean Health Systems: Comparison Of Financial, Economic And Health Indicators, Alberto Coustasse, Peter Hilsenrath, Patricio Silva Rojas

Management Faculty Research

The purpose of this study is to identify similarities and differences between healthcare systems of South Africa and Chile. The World Health Report 2000, the Human Development Index, and financial indicators were used for comparison. Chile showed better performance than South Africa in most of the measures used. Significant progress has been made in South Africa, bringing better education, healthcare and housing to the deprived black majority. However, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, weighs heavily on health indicators. Chile decentralized its health services and implemented economic reforms during the 1980's and has had steady improvement in its healthcare indicators. Finally, these counties …

Comparative Cost Analysis Of Crrt In Icu/Ccu Patients Undergoing Cardiovascular Surgery Vs. Other Procedures At A Texas Hospital, Tejaswi Belavadi, Alberto Coustasse, Douglas Mains, Antonio A. Rene

Management Faculty Research

The purpose of this study was to conduct a comparative analysis of hospital costs incurred by patients undergoing Cardiovascular Surgery (CVS) and patients undergoing other medical procedures who received Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT) in a teaching hospital. A total of 117 patients were identified through review of medical charts for the period of January 1999 to August 2002. Twenty one percent of them were identified having CVS. Eighty-eight percent of the CVS patients admitted to the ICU for CRRT died compared to 67% for non-CVS patients (p=0.047). Average actual costs of hospitalization were $47,225 for CVS patients and $51,724 …

Physician Incentives: Managed Care And Ethics, Douglas A. Mains, Alberto Coustasse, Kristine Lykens

Management Faculty Research

The authors review the principle features of the managed care system in an effort to understand the ethical assumptions inherent in managed care. The interrelationships among physician incentives, responsibilities of patients and the physician-patient relationship are examined in light of the ethical concerns identified in the managed care system. The managed care system creates ethical tensions for those who influence the allocation of scare resources. Managed care's administrative controls have increasingly changed the doctor-patient relationship to the businessperson-consumer relationship. Managed care goals of quality and access demand that physicians be both patient advocate and organizational advocate, even though these roles …