Hcs 539 Healthcare Analysis Paper
Healthcare Analysis
Carol Bloomfield
HCS/539
December 8, 2014
Andrea Linder
Healthcare Analysis
The mission of the Veterans Health Administration (VAMC) in Chillicothe, Ohio is to provide exceptional care and to be the provider of choice for all Veterans (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2013). It is necessary for the leaders of the VAMC to have an active marketing and business plan to increase the number of veterans served. Marketing and planning are essential to having resources to meet the future needs of the organization. One planning method to use is the use of the “4 P’s” of marketing. The four P’s consist of price, placement, product and promotion all of which are essential for organizations to evaluate when planning. This paper reviews how the “4 P’s” evaluation of the VAMC can improve the delivery of services to veterans.
The VAMC will need to consider the product offered by the VAMC and compare it to what the customer desires and needs. The brand of the delivery of health care services is in the “ICARE model” which is the motto for VAMC. In the ICARE model stands for I= integrity, C= commitment, A= advocacy, R= respect that reflects the culture and the goals of service delivery at VAMC. The mission and ethics of the VAMC are to delivery respectful care to those that have served our country. The use of the …show more content…
mission and ICARE is a branding that can be useful in marketing services to veterans.
The place the VAMC delivers patient care is at the main campus and in six Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCS). “The VAMC treats approximately 22,000 veterans a year,” said Hepker, the director of the VAMC (Berman, 2014). There is at least 44,000 veterans in the 12 counties that receive care from the VAMC. These numbers show a large gap between the potential customers and those that choose to receive care at the VAMC. The gap is an area to investigate to why those veterans do not choose to receive care at the VAMC. It is important to examine data related to the demographics of those choosing to and not to receive care at the VAMC facilities. The VAMC offers diversity in services from inpatient, outpatient, extended term care, mental health, medical, specialty as well as other programs. The VAMC has vocational rehabilitation, substance abuse, and homeless veteran programs as well.
The location includes up to 14 counties in southern Ohio and northern Kentucky. There is a large diversity of veterans employed in manufacturing, farming, government, retired and unemployed. These counties include some of the poorest counties in Ohio. The diverse needs of Veterans range from treatment for substance abuse to chronic illness. The majority are from single-family homes (Ohio Research Office, 2014). The counties in the VAMC service area ranks poorly in county health rankings for Ohio. The healthcare rank reviews high school graduations percentages, access to healthy foods, obesity, smoking and other health risks. The poor rankings can lead to premature death, inadequate meeting of health needs and lack of access to health care. Southern Ohio culture is one that may have an Appalachian theme to it. It is important to individualize the service to Veterans, as Appalachian culture is one that does not focus on a task, but individuals. Many times, it is difficult for these individual to have a confrontation but to will talk to friends related to care. Family members and roles are more distinct in this cultures and family is involved in decisions making related to health services. Family involvement may lead to increase in compliance with the Veterans plan of care. Marketing to not just the Veterans but to families of available services may increase the number of Veterans seeking treatments in the VAMC facilities. There are increases of alcohol and drug abuse in the counties. Substance abuse is growing in southern Ohio, and many veterans are seeking treatments. The VAMC will need to review the programs with resources availability and where allocating is projected.
The target marketing audience for the VAMC facility is divers from age, income, family history and location. There are medium cities to very rural communities that seek care. There are professional veterans who have insurance and homeless veterans that present with all their belongings. The mean salary range of citizens in the counties served is from $22, 487 to $32,101 (Ohio Research Office, 2014). Two of the counties receiving our healthcare services have unemployment rates above 7% (Ohio Research Office, 2014). The majority of Veterans are non-Hispanic white, but the younger the age, the more diversity ethnicity is noted (Lee & Beckhusen, 2012). The race and culture of the Veterans served are important when planning future service needs. The mean income for veteran receiving care is between $50,000 and $99,000. The income diversity makes our services are unique from homeless veterans to those with a middle-income background. The diversity is just part of the psychographics of our customers. In the following let, we further explore this to improve our understanding of our target market.
The median age of male veterans that receives care is 64 and does not is 53 (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2014). Veterans over the age of 60 are more likely to use VAMC then younger veterans. Veterans that served during the Vietnam Era were the highest percentage using the VAMC to receive healthcare (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2014). The health of male veterans showed increases in psychological distress, in chronic illness, work limitations (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). One area of increase in concern for veterans relates to the adjustment from active duty to civilian life. There is an increase in the suicide rate of veterans under the age of 30 and over the age of 50 in the last five years (Shane III, 2014). Older veterans are at a change in their life from full-time employment to retirement. The transition and changes can equal a stressful time when memories may surface and cause psychological distress.
Between 2005 and 2012, there was a 27% increase in the use of the VAMC by female veterans. There is an increase in the number of female veterans seeking care at VAMC. Female veterans have different characteristics than many male veterans. Female veterans are more likely to have higher education, minority, and younger (Lee & Beckhusen, 2012). Female veterans have particular needs related to women’s health. Female veterans have a higher percentage exposed to military sexual trauma. Employees will receive training to improve meeting the needs of female veterans. Female veteran are four times as likely to become homeless compared to male veterans. It is important to have special services available to meet the needs of women veterans.
The price of our product is complicated as the budget approval is by congress. Veterans who seek care at the VAMC provide insurance information. Their care is billed to private insurance but not to Medicare or Medicaid. Veterans may be a called upon to pay co-pays for visits and medications based on the reason for visit and income guidelines. Veterans treatment for service-connected conditions are reimbursed for travel to and from appointments. The Veterans Health Administration spends approximately $5,000 per patient per year to provide care (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2013). It is important to continue to utilize process excellence to review ways to improve efficiency and quality. Veterans will have an increase in choice from of where and who to receive care from. The VAMC product needs to reflect a saving for veterans. The product provided by the VAMC delivers access and high quality services for veterans.
VAMC price is unique as we are accountable to the public, congress, and veterans. Health care reform is changing the delivery healthcare. The expectation is on the quality of care provided and holding organizations accountable for their product. The VAMC receives accreditation by multiple organizations from The Joint Commission, Long-term care, mental health and Office of Inspector General. The basis of the budget for each facility is in relation ton the number of Veterans that receive primary care at the facility. It is important to have Veterans enrolled on a primary care team and not just in the emergency room. VAMC by increasing the Veterans on primary care teams increases the budget and dollars for the facility.
Promotion of our product is included in the above discussion. Due to the large diversity of ages, there are many different places and ways to promote our services. There are multiple agencies to collaborate with to reach veterans. The VAMC has an outreach vehicle that is set up to enroll veterans in primary care. Collaborating with churches, community health organizations, and veteran organizations are ways to reach veterans and build alliances. The largest health care organization is Adena Regional Medical Center (ARMC). Promotion of our services in their organization can allow their referral of veterans to our facility. Collaborating with facilities will work in the opposite direction as we can have contracts to refer patients for services we lack. For example, we do not provide heart catheterization. When patients present with positive findings for a heart attack, the VAMC has a contract to send the patients directly to ARMC.
The increase in the use of technology allows the promotion on radio, newspapers, internet and many different avenues VAMC has a Facebook page where Veterans may comment on care received. The VAMC has a home page for Veterans seeking information. VAMC has Veteran Day programs and works in close collaboration with veteran organizations. Other community organizations we network with is homeless shelters, churches, food and clothing banks, and local business. One thing unique is that we have vocational rehab and substance abuse rehab that includes assisting with employment. Local colleges are another area where promotion of our services. There are 10 to 12 counties to promote our many services.
The culture of Veterans is to support one another. Veterans who are satisfied with their care will tell other Veterans. It is important to be active in the communities to allow the culture of our facility to be seen. Community involvement improves the communication of our brand of ICARE to citizens and veterans. Community awareness and being active in community functions is a win-win for both sides. For example, if a soldier is killed the representatives of the organization can help by providing food for the memorial. Volunteering for food or clothing drive, working in a soup kitchen or a blood drive for Veterans is another way the VAMC can support local communities. It is important for leaders and employees to be an example of the culture of the VAMC in the community.
The VAMC is the part of the largest health care organization in the United States.
The VAMC serves some of the poorest counties in the state of Ohio. Learning who are customers are, what needs they desire, and where they desire to receive it is important to have a successful business and marketing plan. Marketing and serving Veterans in southern Ohio will look different from other locations. For the VAMC success, it is important to know the “4 P’s” of our business and have a keen understanding of our customers. Successful marketing to our customers will lead to increase in the number of Veterans choosing our facilities for care
delivery.
References:
Berman, D. (2014, July 8). Lawmakers tour Chillicothe VA for front-line view. Retrieved from Steve Stivers 112th Congress: http://stivers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=388107
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012, August). The Health of Male Veteran and Nonveterans Aged 25-64: United States 2007-2010. Retrieved from rs for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db101.htm
Lee, J., & Beckhusen, J. (2012). Veterans ' Racial and Ethinic Compostion and Place of Birth: 2011. Washington D.C.: United States Census Bureau.
Ohio Research Office. (2014). Ohio County Indicators. Columbus: Ohio Research Office.
Shane III, L. (2014, January 9). Report: Suicide rate spikes among young veterans. Retrieved from Stars and Stripes: http://www.stripes.com/report-suicide-rate-spikes-among-young-veterans-1.261283
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2013, March 13). About VA. Retrieved from U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: http://www.va.gov/about_va/vahistory.asp
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2014). Unique Veteran Users Report FY 2012. Washington D.C.: National Center for Veteras Analysis and Statistics.
Carol Bloomfield
HCS/539
December 8, 2014
Andrea Linder
Healthcare Analysis
The mission of the Veterans Health Administration (VAMC) in Chillicothe, Ohio is to provide exceptional care and to be the provider of choice for all Veterans (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2013). It is necessary for the leaders of the VAMC to have an active marketing and business plan to increase the number of veterans served. Marketing and planning are essential to having resources to meet the future needs of the organization. One planning method to use is the use of the “4 P’s” of marketing. The four P’s consist of price, placement, product and promotion all of which are essential for organizations to evaluate when planning. This paper reviews how the “4 P’s” evaluation of the VAMC can improve the delivery of services to veterans.
The VAMC will need to consider the product offered by the VAMC and compare it to what the customer desires and needs. The brand of the delivery of health care services is in the “ICARE model” which is the motto for VAMC. In the ICARE model stands for I= integrity, C= commitment, A= advocacy, R= respect that reflects the culture and the goals of service delivery at VAMC. The mission and ethics of the VAMC are to delivery respectful care to those that have served our country. The use of the …show more content…
mission and ICARE is a branding that can be useful in marketing services to veterans.
The place the VAMC delivers patient care is at the main campus and in six Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCS). “The VAMC treats approximately 22,000 veterans a year,” said Hepker, the director of the VAMC (Berman, 2014). There is at least 44,000 veterans in the 12 counties that receive care from the VAMC. These numbers show a large gap between the potential customers and those that choose to receive care at the VAMC. The gap is an area to investigate to why those veterans do not choose to receive care at the VAMC. It is important to examine data related to the demographics of those choosing to and not to receive care at the VAMC facilities. The VAMC offers diversity in services from inpatient, outpatient, extended term care, mental health, medical, specialty as well as other programs. The VAMC has vocational rehabilitation, substance abuse, and homeless veteran programs as well.
The location includes up to 14 counties in southern Ohio and northern Kentucky. There is a large diversity of veterans employed in manufacturing, farming, government, retired and unemployed. These counties include some of the poorest counties in Ohio. The diverse needs of Veterans range from treatment for substance abuse to chronic illness. The majority are from single-family homes (Ohio Research Office, 2014). The counties in the VAMC service area ranks poorly in county health rankings for Ohio. The healthcare rank reviews high school graduations percentages, access to healthy foods, obesity, smoking and other health risks. The poor rankings can lead to premature death, inadequate meeting of health needs and lack of access to health care. Southern Ohio culture is one that may have an Appalachian theme to it. It is important to individualize the service to Veterans, as Appalachian culture is one that does not focus on a task, but individuals. Many times, it is difficult for these individual to have a confrontation but to will talk to friends related to care. Family members and roles are more distinct in this cultures and family is involved in decisions making related to health services. Family involvement may lead to increase in compliance with the Veterans plan of care. Marketing to not just the Veterans but to families of available services may increase the number of Veterans seeking treatments in the VAMC facilities. There are increases of alcohol and drug abuse in the counties. Substance abuse is growing in southern Ohio, and many veterans are seeking treatments. The VAMC will need to review the programs with resources availability and where allocating is projected.
The target marketing audience for the VAMC facility is divers from age, income, family history and location. There are medium cities to very rural communities that seek care. There are professional veterans who have insurance and homeless veterans that present with all their belongings. The mean salary range of citizens in the counties served is from $22, 487 to $32,101 (Ohio Research Office, 2014). Two of the counties receiving our healthcare services have unemployment rates above 7% (Ohio Research Office, 2014). The majority of Veterans are non-Hispanic white, but the younger the age, the more diversity ethnicity is noted (Lee & Beckhusen, 2012). The race and culture of the Veterans served are important when planning future service needs. The mean income for veteran receiving care is between $50,000 and $99,000. The income diversity makes our services are unique from homeless veterans to those with a middle-income background. The diversity is just part of the psychographics of our customers. In the following let, we further explore this to improve our understanding of our target market.
The median age of male veterans that receives care is 64 and does not is 53 (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2014). Veterans over the age of 60 are more likely to use VAMC then younger veterans. Veterans that served during the Vietnam Era were the highest percentage using the VAMC to receive healthcare (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2014). The health of male veterans showed increases in psychological distress, in chronic illness, work limitations (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). One area of increase in concern for veterans relates to the adjustment from active duty to civilian life. There is an increase in the suicide rate of veterans under the age of 30 and over the age of 50 in the last five years (Shane III, 2014). Older veterans are at a change in their life from full-time employment to retirement. The transition and changes can equal a stressful time when memories may surface and cause psychological distress.
Between 2005 and 2012, there was a 27% increase in the use of the VAMC by female veterans. There is an increase in the number of female veterans seeking care at VAMC. Female veterans have different characteristics than many male veterans. Female veterans are more likely to have higher education, minority, and younger (Lee & Beckhusen, 2012). Female veterans have particular needs related to women’s health. Female veterans have a higher percentage exposed to military sexual trauma. Employees will receive training to improve meeting the needs of female veterans. Female veteran are four times as likely to become homeless compared to male veterans. It is important to have special services available to meet the needs of women veterans.
The price of our product is complicated as the budget approval is by congress. Veterans who seek care at the VAMC provide insurance information. Their care is billed to private insurance but not to Medicare or Medicaid. Veterans may be a called upon to pay co-pays for visits and medications based on the reason for visit and income guidelines. Veterans treatment for service-connected conditions are reimbursed for travel to and from appointments. The Veterans Health Administration spends approximately $5,000 per patient per year to provide care (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2013). It is important to continue to utilize process excellence to review ways to improve efficiency and quality. Veterans will have an increase in choice from of where and who to receive care from. The VAMC product needs to reflect a saving for veterans. The product provided by the VAMC delivers access and high quality services for veterans.
VAMC price is unique as we are accountable to the public, congress, and veterans. Health care reform is changing the delivery healthcare. The expectation is on the quality of care provided and holding organizations accountable for their product. The VAMC receives accreditation by multiple organizations from The Joint Commission, Long-term care, mental health and Office of Inspector General. The basis of the budget for each facility is in relation ton the number of Veterans that receive primary care at the facility. It is important to have Veterans enrolled on a primary care team and not just in the emergency room. VAMC by increasing the Veterans on primary care teams increases the budget and dollars for the facility.
Promotion of our product is included in the above discussion. Due to the large diversity of ages, there are many different places and ways to promote our services. There are multiple agencies to collaborate with to reach veterans. The VAMC has an outreach vehicle that is set up to enroll veterans in primary care. Collaborating with churches, community health organizations, and veteran organizations are ways to reach veterans and build alliances. The largest health care organization is Adena Regional Medical Center (ARMC). Promotion of our services in their organization can allow their referral of veterans to our facility. Collaborating with facilities will work in the opposite direction as we can have contracts to refer patients for services we lack. For example, we do not provide heart catheterization. When patients present with positive findings for a heart attack, the VAMC has a contract to send the patients directly to ARMC.
The increase in the use of technology allows the promotion on radio, newspapers, internet and many different avenues VAMC has a Facebook page where Veterans may comment on care received. The VAMC has a home page for Veterans seeking information. VAMC has Veteran Day programs and works in close collaboration with veteran organizations. Other community organizations we network with is homeless shelters, churches, food and clothing banks, and local business. One thing unique is that we have vocational rehab and substance abuse rehab that includes assisting with employment. Local colleges are another area where promotion of our services. There are 10 to 12 counties to promote our many services.
The culture of Veterans is to support one another. Veterans who are satisfied with their care will tell other Veterans. It is important to be active in the communities to allow the culture of our facility to be seen. Community involvement improves the communication of our brand of ICARE to citizens and veterans. Community awareness and being active in community functions is a win-win for both sides. For example, if a soldier is killed the representatives of the organization can help by providing food for the memorial. Volunteering for food or clothing drive, working in a soup kitchen or a blood drive for Veterans is another way the VAMC can support local communities. It is important for leaders and employees to be an example of the culture of the VAMC in the community.
The VAMC is the part of the largest health care organization in the United States.
The VAMC serves some of the poorest counties in the state of Ohio. Learning who are customers are, what needs they desire, and where they desire to receive it is important to have a successful business and marketing plan. Marketing and serving Veterans in southern Ohio will look different from other locations. For the VAMC success, it is important to know the “4 P’s” of our business and have a keen understanding of our customers. Successful marketing to our customers will lead to increase in the number of Veterans choosing our facilities for care
delivery.
References:
Berman, D. (2014, July 8). Lawmakers tour Chillicothe VA for front-line view. Retrieved from Steve Stivers 112th Congress: http://stivers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=388107
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012, August). The Health of Male Veteran and Nonveterans Aged 25-64: United States 2007-2010. Retrieved from rs for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db101.htm
Lee, J., & Beckhusen, J. (2012). Veterans ' Racial and Ethinic Compostion and Place of Birth: 2011. Washington D.C.: United States Census Bureau.
Ohio Research Office. (2014). Ohio County Indicators. Columbus: Ohio Research Office.
Shane III, L. (2014, January 9). Report: Suicide rate spikes among young veterans. Retrieved from Stars and Stripes: http://www.stripes.com/report-suicide-rate-spikes-among-young-veterans-1.261283
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2013, March 13). About VA. Retrieved from U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: http://www.va.gov/about_va/vahistory.asp
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2014). Unique Veteran Users Report FY 2012. Washington D.C.: National Center for Veteras Analysis and Statistics.