Introduction
The need for long-term care is constantly rising due to the improvements in the healthcare business. As a result of the rise in demand for long-term care, numerous innovative techniques have emerged. Therefore, long-term care facilities have been created to offer presidents and patients ongoing access to high-quality nursing, rehabilitation, and restorative care and services. All prolonged care amenities, from hospices to permanent long-lasting care hospitals, inpatient behavioral health services, therapy facilities and nursing homes, are included in long-term care. The paper is meant to discuss two long-standing care facilities comprising VITAS and Genesis Health care.
The Role and Responsibilities of the Administration
Genesis HealthCare
Genesis HealthCare provides temporary and lasting care services in 400 institutions throughout 30 states. Long-term care, trained nursing, reintegration, and post-acute services are part of Genesis HealthCare’s multidisciplinary approach (Gaylis et al., 2021). Dialysis treatment, opening care, orthopaedical rehabilitation, and Alzheimer’s maintenance are also provided by the organization. To distribute the best probable care, doctors must preserve regular and actual lines of communication with their contemporaries in the health care industry and with their affected role. Gaylis et al. (2021) argue that improved results result from open and frequent communication between the doctor and the patient. Everything they handle is geared around making their customers happy when it comes to their purpose, vision, beliefs, and core values. The company understands that it would not be able to sustain itself without a talented workforce. There is a key importance on evolving the skills and devotion of the employees. It is committed to upholding high-principled values (Gaylis et al., 2021). Most checks and balances exist in the care sector, and fail to emphasize on quality.
VITAS Health care
VITAS Health care is a major player in the United States in terms of hospice care. Long-term care facilities run more than 40 clinic programs in at minimum 15 states. Therefore, it is a hospice and palliative care provider that serves patients across the country (Harris-Kojetin et al., 2019). Helpers, ordained priests, social workers, home health assistants, registered nurses, and doctors are all involved in providing the services. Besides, VITAS offers patients and their families emotional and spiritual therapy, medication, and home medical equipment. Various providers and services must work together to guarantee patient contentment and high-quality care (Garcia & Coutts, 2022). The engagement of pharmacy advisors, medication reconciliation, pharmacotherapy maximization, and the valuation of drug connections can contribute to better health results.
VITAS’ operations have benefited from scale economies due to the company’s development into new markets and locations. VITAS Hospice’s competitive advantage has been enhanced by the benefits of economies of scale (Garcia & Coutts, 2022). VITAS Hospice’s vast geographic coverage has been an increase in the number of patients registered in the nursing home facilities. It reports an regular daily survey of over 7,200 affected role across the country. In addition, VITAS Hospice is claimed to be the nation’s largest hospice care provider, which indicates that it has a significant edge in terms of market share and expansion. It has the advantage of reduced average costs per unit as a leading service provider in hospice care; thus, it can keep competitors at bay. The company is better positioned than its competitors to promote and advertise its products and solutions because of VITAS’s large market distribution. VITA’s health care is better situated to develop its sales because the widespread leadership plan in the administration profile (Harris-Kojetin et al., 2019). For example, VITA’s health care’s Department of Market Development and Sales can execute sales promotions with ease when it comes to marketing and sales.
VITAS Hospice supplies patients with both over-the-counter and prescription medications. On the other hand, pharmacists have been found to play an important part in providing high-quality hospice care to patients. The VITAS Hospice can better manage patients’ problems at the end of life by utilizing medication with pharmacists on the board (Garcia & Coutts, 2022). Pharmacists have a considerable impact on their profession, providing clinical, dispensing, and administrative services. As a result, better patient care could be provided by including pharmacists in the multidisciplinary VITAS Hospice teams. Thus, VITAS Hospice employs many staff members, from nurses and clergy to executive managers and pharmacists. All employees work for VITAS and receive a fair wage for their efforts (Harris-Kojetin et al., 2019). Over the years, it has generated earnings that have allowed it to continue operating.
Financing, Reimbursement, Quality and Cost Control
The VITAS Clinic organization has dramatically boosted its profit margins by expanding its geographic coverage across the country. The company has a lot of room for growth in domestic and international markets. A variety of tasks and responsibilities for the pharmacists at hospice facilities can be defined and standardized across providers to ensure high-quality care is provided to patients (Harris-Kojetin et al., 2019). Hospice quality standards are also being advocated to limit the issue of unwarranted medication administration in these facilities.
There are two major sources of funding for long-term care: Medicaid and Medicare, which the federal government provides. Long-term care services are supported and facilitated by Medicare, an acute-care program (Gaylis et al., 2021). Medicare’s trained-nursing capability and home-health paybacks focus on delivering competent care. As a cost-saving alternative to an extended hospital stay, Medicare benefits are intended to be used in conjunction with other forms of acute care. Using skilled-nursing facilities may become more expensive in the future because of Medicare’s strong incentive. Prospect payments may also be used to expedite the release of patients (Garcia & Coutts, 2022). Individuals with no assets and little income can receive and pay for healthcare under the Medicaid program. Medicaid covers the majority of the costs of most long-term care facilities. Even though most Medicaid participants are children and people from independent families, much of the money spent on long-term care for the disabled and elderly is spent on Medicaid (Harris-Kojetin et al., 2019). Long-term care services are reimbursed and covered differently in different states.
Key Public and Private Sources of Reimbursement Available and their Impacts
Genesis HealthCare
Chronically ill patients necessitate long-term care. Chronic infirmities make it impossible for these professionals to perform their everyday routines. Chronic impairment has a high chance of developing as one gets older. People above 65 tend to suffer from a chronic illness more than those under that age bracket (Gaylis et al., 2021). Since the older population is growing at an ever-increasing rate, the current healthcare system faces unprecedented challenges. The aged population’s care continues to be hindered by considerable impediments, resulting in a lack of optimal and needed care.
The elderly can experience matters in post-acute care because of mental, physical, or emotional limits. Therefore, several methods are important while handling the elderly. Thus, the competent nursing service is a critical aspect of post-acute geriatric care. It includes a wide range of services where the services all have one thing in common: they want to get patients out of the hospital and back to normal activities in the shortest time (Gaylis et al., 2021). Post-acute care is available to patients at Genesis HealthCare; thus, lasting care hospitals, inpatient reintegration facilities, and trained nursing amenities are part of Genesis Health care.
VITAS Health care
End-of-life care is provided to those diagnosed with a terminal illness and nearing death. A wide range of facilities is accessible in this program to contract with the body’s physical difficulties. Clinic care also emphases on the patient’s general comfort. Helpers and healthcare professionals give this end-of-life care (Garcia & Coutts, 2022). Hospice care aims to provide dignity, comfort, and peace of mind to those nearing the end of their lives. As a result, hospice care is provided to those who have a prognosis of six months or less to live and can no longer benefit from curative treatment. Patients with life-threatening conditions can, nonetheless, benefit from palliative care.
Doctors can continue to treat extremely ill patients hoping that they will recover. Palliative care is provided for these individuals in addition to curative treatment. Individuals get the medical attention they need because of their symptoms. As people near the end of their lives, hospice care is becoming an increasingly popular option. There are numerous places where clinic care can be offered, comprising of a hospital and a nursing home.
Ways of Controlling Quality and Cost
Staffing Levels
The human resources department must also deal with maintaining proper federal and state workforce levels. Certain positions in long-term care facilities have a minimum number of employees. When it comes to long-term care facilities, registered nurses must be present for eight continuous hours per day, whereas vocational nurses must be available 24 hours per day (Garcia & Coutts, 2022). Facilities must also conform to state-mandated staffing levels in addition to federal requirements.
Staffing Shortages
It is anticipated that the need for lasting care services will rise in the coming years. At least 70 million individuals, or more than double the existing population, will be 65 and older by 2030. Therefore, nursing home services and direct care are in high demand, resulting in millions of new jobs being created in the long-standing care industry (Harris-Kojetin et al., 2019). These positions would be hard to fill as there would be a shortage of care providers in most facilities.
Government and Private Resources in assisting Quality Improvement Programs
International factors such as economic groupings and intergovernmental partnerships can boost businesses’ global competitiveness. Economic ties between countries help facilitate free commerce. There are fewer trade obstacles due to economic linkages, allowing for the faster interchange of resources and outputs across national borders; businesses benefit from the economic links (Harris-Kojetin et al., 2019). It allows international corporations to take advantage of attractive expansion opportunities. For corporations, changes in country leadership could impact their ability to engage in their respective economies.
Demographic Forces
Business operations are greatly affected by shifts in the demography of the population. The market’s demand for goods and services is affected as society’s structure changes (Garcia & Coutts, 2022). Palliative care can be provided to children and adults due to the rising birth rate and longer life expectancy.
Political & Legal forces
Florida and other states’ Certificate of Need rules have dealt a serious blow to the VITA’s market competitiveness. Certificate of Need rules prevents healthcare institutions’ expansion without the government’s approval. In addition, the law mandates that healthcare facilities acquire new medical technology and provide new services (Gaylis et al., 2021). The CON restrictions were put in place to prevent medical providers from overspending on facilities and equipment, raising the cost of medical services. The statute is currently in effect in 36 states across the United States. Therefore, VITAS Hospice would face increased competition from other health care providers in other states that accept the Certificate of Need (Garcia & Coutts, 2022). A lack of compliance with CON regulations might substantially impact the company’s activities throughout all of the states of the US as it would face fierce competition from health care providers who offer similar services (Harris-Kojetin et al., 2019). A company’s capacity to expand into new markets, such as foreign economies, may benefit from cordial relations between the country’s governments.
Ethical Concerns
Higher education, social mobility, and health and lifestyle are only a few examples of the socio-cultural issues that affect business operations in the United States. People can earn more money if they have a high level of education. Good health and a longer life expectancy go hand in hand with affluence. In addition, a high salary makes it possible for individuals to obtain private health insurance and manage their medical bill payments (Garcia & Coutts, 2022). Hospice workers could better meet the needs of their patients if they had a better grasp of the socio-cultural context in which they live.
Changes Made in the Control Mechanism
Recruitment and Human Resource Matters in Both Facilities
Long-standing care amenities have well-documented deficiencies of qualified healthcare workers. Pharmacologists, dentists, psychoanalysts, medical specialists, and specialized nurses are just a few experts involved in lasting care (Gaylis et al., 2021). Human resources are present in various healthcare fields, including mental health, nutrition, and long-term care facilities. An extended care facility’s staff may comprise environmental services such as social workers, dieticians, and activity specialists such as nurses and nursing assistants (Harris-Kojetin et al., 2019). The need for lasting care services is growing in tandem with the aging population. As a result, long-term care facilities encounter various staffing and human resources problems.
Changes in the Long-Term Reimbursement
High Turnover
Long-term care workers are underpaid, underappreciated, and under-appreciated. Enduring care amenities have a high turnover rate, which poses various trials for human resources due to low retention and rapid turnover (Gaylis et al., 2021). There are several issues for the human resources department due to a high turnover rate, such as expensive training sessions, new interviews, and advertising and orientation costs.
Educating Diversity
As more people seek new experiences and opportunities, the workforce’s diversity has increased in recent years. Long-term care institutions have undergone a dramatic demographic shift, becoming more ethnically and linguistically diverse (Garcia & Coutts, 2022). Therefore, human resources are finding it problematic to educate affected role and workers about the increasing cultural understanding, ethnic diversity, cultural variations, and language hurdles they face in healthcare.
Changes Made to Accommodate Needs of Customers
Technological Forces and Changes
The pace of technological advancement is unrelenting as product and service demand is affected by technological change. A company can benefit from technological changes or an industry being threatened by them (Gaylis et al., 2021). Adopting cutting-edge technology increases a company’s chances of success in today’s market. A company’s ability to be competitive in today’s global market may be jeopardized if it cannot afford the latest technical breakthroughs and equipment.
Conclusion
VITAS Healthcare’s executive management consists of experts in palliative care, hospice care, healthcare, nursing, and industry leaders. Departmental operations are more efficient because of the organization’s leadership structure, which separates the tasks of each division. Besides, the Genesis HealthCare management team makes important decisions that form and control the business. The management has recently made verdicts around the distribution and expenditure of funds, recruiting, attainment of technology, and staff growth.
References
Garcia, C., & Coutts, C. (2022). Launching a Palliative Medicine Community Program in a Digital World (QI427). Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 63(5), 900.
Gaylis, F., Nasseri, R., Salmasi, A., Anderson, C., Mohedin, S., Prime, R., Swift R., Dato P., Cohen E., Catalona W., Topp R., Friedman L., & Kane, C. (2021). Implementing continuous quality improvement in an integrated community urology practice: lessons learned. Urology, 153, 139-146.
Harris-Kojetin, L. D., Sengupta, M., Lendon, J. P., Rome, V., Valverde, R., & Caffrey, C. (2019). Long-term care providers and services users in the United States, 2015-2016.