Houston University Hospital’s Healthcare Delivery Systems
Introduction
This organization has aimed at achieving better health outcomes and administering cost-effective services to patients. As a result, it has extended its outreach and the capacity to host more patients in the hospital. Moreover, increased acquisition of facilities has been perceived to be significant for numerous reasons. For instance, this has fostered the delivery of comprehensive health care services to the patients within and far from the hospital. Vividly, the University General Hospital is diversified and integrated its services to enhance multispecialty in delivering healthcare services.
Current health care delivery structure
As a result, this has extended its outreach and the capacity to host more patients in the hospital. Moreover, the changes in the structure have fostered the delivery of comprehensive health care services to the patients within and far from the hospital. In this case, it is also possible for the health personnel to deliver patient-oriented services that are timely and comprehensive (Marktrire, 2011). Certainly, these services are effective and competitive as compared to other healthcare delivery systems in Texas.
The extensive transaction with external entrepreneurs has enabled the hospital to administer cost-effective services to patients (Marktrire, 2011). This has also enhanced in acquiring acute facilities from the market that are significant in rendering services to patients. An example of modifications in the hospital structures involves, the hospital out-patient department has been expanded to foster extensive regional networking in delivering services to its host. Needless to say, the organization has expanded and improved the senior facilities.
Comparison with other healthcare delivery systems
Nevertheless, the University General Hospital has remained top in healthcare delivery. Precisely, this has been attributed to the fact that the organization is much focused on providing high quality and cost-effective services in all regions in the world (Becker’s Hospital Review, 2011). Such services include general acute care, ambulatory services, senior facilities, and diagnostic imaging services. Moreover, this hospital has been driven by long-term innovations that have improved the quality of healthcare services.
Effects of licensing and regulatory factors
In many instances, the United States government holds the responsibility to regulate and monitor services delivered to patients by health professionals (Svorny, 2008). This ensures that every health organization has to obtain a license from the government. On the same note, the government also regulates the type of healthcare services that each organization should deliver to patients. In this case, researchers argue that licensing and regulatory policies incline to protect healthcare providers than patients.
Changes concerning licensing and regulatory factors
The government has increased mobility in the workforce by recognizing numerous qualifications (Bemezal et al, 1999). There has been an elimination of super-requirements in education thus making healthcare providers specialize in levels of expertise that suit them. This has enhanced that even the less-skilled physicians can perform less expensive tasks. Such changes need to be considered even in the future to enhance the healthy wellbeing of patients and also promote workforce flexibility.
What national trends are affecting competition and pricing initiatives?
This implies that national factors should be closely observed to check their impact on the competition and pricing of healthcare services in health organizations. For instance, the government should consolidate services in hospitals and control the market monopoly to ensure that there is no unnecessary competition for health service delivery in the country. In line with this, the incentives given to healthcare delivery systems should be substantial to ensure that the pricing is controlled to a minimum rate.
National trends affecting competition and pricing
These factors affect the way healthcare systems set their prices and how they deliver the services. In this case, if the financial incentives from insurance agents are favorable, then the prices will be reduced. Ample national conditions trigger competition among healthcare providers to attract more hosts. However, when the national factors are not favorable competition lowers since not many healthcare providers will be willing to take such risky investments (Bemezal et al., 1999).
What quality indicators affect pricing at the local level?
There are quality indicators that affect pricing at the local level in the healthcare delivery system. In most cases, when the above indicators are present in a healthcare delivery system, patients are likely to stick to them (Becker’s Hospital Review, 2011). In line with this, this will make those organizations competitive and thus prices will go up to respond to the high demand. Contrastingly, organizations that lack such indicators are perceived to have low quality and cheap services.
Conclusion
Meanwhile, the government has adjusted its regulations and licensing factors thus making healthcare services to be cost-effective for patients. Moreover, national factors such as government policies and market forces have been reformed making it better to control the pricing and competition within the market. Besides this, the organization has strategic links with other healthcare providers such as world-renowned professionals making it possible to administer modern healthcare services to hosts and in-patients.
Reference list
Becker’s Hospital Review. (2011). America’s 50 Best Hospitals. Web.
Bemezal, A. et al. (1999). Price competition and Hospital cost Growth in the United States. Journal of Health Economics.8(3), 23-43.
Marktrire. (2011). University General Health System, Inc. Acquires Free-Standing Emergency Room in Houston Area. Web.
Svorry, S.(2008). Medical licensing: an Obstacle to affordable, Quality Care. Web.