HCM549 WS5 Questions

1. What is the main source of funding in the U.S. for health care services?

Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance are the main sources of funding for the U.S. healthcare services.

2. What are some of the factors that affect the health status of people? Include at least two access (to health services) related factors and two non-access (to health services) related factors.

There are multiple factors that affect the health status of people and attaining access can be difficult due to income disparity, lack of health insurance coverage and lack of available locations particularly when people are living in rural areas.

Two non-access related factors would include lack of transportation for individuals to seek care or even being too ill to travel to seek care.

3. In what ways can good leadership and management control health care costs?

Excellent leaders drive accountability and efficiencies that result in controlled costs in the healthcare environment. Good leaders provide accurate and timely communication, clear expectations, attainable and incentive-driven goals resulting in controlled costs due to a well-managed environment in which to provide care.

4. How are quality issues affecting facilities?

Many facilities are financially stressed and facilities are in need of improvements that management are unable to make due to lack of funding. In addition, providing care equals high expense for supplies and equipment as well as surgical instruments are very expensive. Quality decreases when hospital facilities are unable to maintain the infrastructure and maintain inventory of supplies and equipment.

5. Name at least three of the six types of legislation that govern a health care system.

1) Authorizing or enabling legislation to provide governmental authority to carry out a program or an activity.
2)