NRS 451 Health Organization Evaluation

NRS 451 Health Organization Evaluation

NRS 451 Health Organization Evaluation

Health Organization Evaluation

Healthcare organizations encounter multiple challenges in management of public health and delivery of quality care services to patients and diverse health populations. Imperatively, they must develop organizational cultures and creates strategic plans that will help them navigate the ever-transforming healthcare sectors and make informed decisions on the best practices, interventions, and approaches to take to improve overall care quality and attain patient satisfaction (Dearing, 2018). The purpose of this paper is to present an assessment of Kaiser Permanente as one of the leading health networks in the country and propose a strategic plan that will ensure its readiness in meeting the health care needs of American citizens in the next ten years.

Description of Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente was established in 1945 and considered one of the leading non-for-profit health entity in the United States. According to its website, the organization operates in eight states and the District of Columbia (D.C) and serves over 13 million individuals or members. The organization provides holistic or total care for its members and patients guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group that comprises of physicians, specialists, and teams of caregivers across its different facilities (Kaiser Permanente, 2022). The organization asserts that its medical and caring teams are empowered and get support from leading technological advances in health industry and tools that allow them to promote health, develop programs for disease prevention, offer state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-leading management of chronic diseases.

Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and health equity as well as improving community health. With a mission focuses on provision of high-quality, affordable care and improvement of health of its members and the communities that it serves, Kaiser Permanente health system is one that closes the critical gap in service provision for millions of Americans that it serves across the nation. Kaiser Permanente employs over 211,000 experts and healthcare providers in its 39 hospitals and over 380 medical units and offices (Kaiser Permanente, 2022b). The organization has conducted over 4,000 research studies to help it meet the needs of its members and the communities that it serves.

Readiness to Meet Needs of its Members, Patients and Communities

Kaiser Permanente is one of the leading health care organizations that conducts several research studies on a host of issues that impact communities and health populations. The organization’s main focus areas include prevention and primary health, health education and care management, especially for chronic conditions. The organization’s focus on chronic conditions through its programs on cardiovascular diseases and cancer, hypertension and diabetes have led to a significant reduction of mortality among patients served and allowed communities to embrace primary health interventions to reduce their susceptibility and chances of getting such conditions (Kaiser Permanente, 2020; Cooke, 2018). Further, the organization is dedicated to the care of its members and communities’ needs through focusing on social and environment issues that create barriers to healthcare services’ access with the aim of attaining positive health outcomes. The organization shows its readiness in management of chronic conditions through its holistic programs that comprise of state-of-the-art treatment, specialized interventions, and ongoing monitoring to assist individuals live well.

Kaiser Permanente is one of the healthcare systems that conducts a progressive Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) every three years through collection of data that includes online surveys and public data to identity existing health needs of its members and the communities that it serves. The information provides the systems with data and robust partnerships to develop improvement goals and implement changes required in the community (Kaiser Permanente, 2022). The report also offers data on the required investment and planning designed to support economic opportunities within the community.

The economic needs of members and communities served by Kaiser Permanente are essential as they allow them to have resources to access health insurance and services. consequently, Kaiser Permanente partners with different organizations in the community, public health advocates, leaders, and governments at local, state, and even federal levels to ensure that these communities have economic endeavors and activities (Kaiser Permanente, 2020). Further, Kaiser partners with these entities to incorporate values, considerations and improve the health status among the different communities and develop policies on a host of health issues. Kaiser Permanente has always issued reports on the different ways to deal with social and economic determinants of health.

Strategic Plan on Network Growth, Nurse Staffing, Resource Management and Patient Satisfaction

The demand for healthcare will continue to rise due to an aging population and increased prevalence of emerging and reemerging infectious diseases like the Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) as well as occurrence of natural disasters and public health emergencies (Helbig, 2018). Therefore, Kaiser Permanente should focus on expansion of its network, ensure that it has adequate nurse staffing levels and optimal management of its resources and improving patient satisfaction.

Expansion of the network and increasing the influence of the organization on the American healthcare and the communities it serves should one of its core goals. Imperatively, Kaiser Permanente should continue to develop partnerships with other providers, communities and government agencies while expanding its research efforts. The organization should focus on a multidisciplinary approach in management of public health issues, and leverage the increased use of technologies like telemedicine and telehealth to reach rural populations (Cooke, 2018). Based on its research studies, it should expand its network through collaborations with physician offices and recognizing the critical role that nurses play in healthcare provision.

The issue of low staffing levels is likely to occur and the organizations should develop strategies like increased recruitment and retention, especially of new nurses, education of new staff members and supporting their efforts to advance their education (Dearing, 2018). The organization can develop a program where it targets nursing students at different levels to ensure that it has sufficient nursing staff levels. The management of resources, including human resources, in the organization requires effective models that focus on optimization and cost reduction approaches to offer quality services as it expands. The organization can enhance patient satisfaction through increased levels of nursing staff who will offer quality care services, especially preventive and primary care approaches through patient and community education and health awareness to manage chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension.

Potential Issues in Organizational Culture and Effects on Strategic Plan

Overcrowding in emergency rooms and long waiting time can have an effect on the strategic plan leading to reduce levels of patient satisfaction and experience. Such issues leas to negative outcomes that include potential complications and increased cost of care for patients due to the added need for testing and prolonged stays in hospitals. Staffing shortage can be the main cause of such issues as witnessed in California where over 4,000 mental health employees of Kaiser Permanente went on strike (Klivans & Leitsinger, 2019). The implication is that many affected patients had adverse outcomes and complications due to delayed mental health treatment because of the strike and the high nurse-to-patient ratios. Some of the implications of this delay include potential relapse, increased morbidity and mortality.

Kaiser Permanente can deal with these issues through increased nursing numbers and leveraging technology through implementation of telemedicine and telehealth for its mental health patients. Using technology increases the ability of the organization to offer quality services to many patients in different settings, right from its inpatient to its outpatient as well as those at home with chronic conditions. The use of technology reduces the cost of care, leads to efficiency and effectiveness of the system and lowers admissions, transfers and readmissions while allowing patient to have self-care management and interventions to improve their overall health outcomes.

Assessment Description