Assignment Problem: An isolated rural community-based hospital committee faces severe financial challenges and difficulty recruiting physicians. A committee has been formed to explore the option of becoming part of a large faith-based health system to get out of the personnel and financial difficulties. The two largest faith-based hospital systems in the United States are run by the Seventh-day Adventist (Protestant) Church and the Roman Catholic Church. These large health systems have enjoyed success in negotiations with HMOs, insurance companies and medical equipment companies, as well as a larger pool of physicians. It is understood that the present employees of your hospital would keep their jobs if there was a merger, except for senior management.
You have been selected to serve as a member of the exploration committee. You have familiarized yourself with the teachings of the Adventist church regarding (a) Sabbath observance and (b) dietary restrictions which would be implemented in the food offered to patients and in the hospital cafeteria. And you have familiarized yourself with the teachings of the Catholic church regarding reproductive procedures and therapies-e.g which would be implemented in any Catholic hospital.
You also have tried to find out any positive impact from becoming a Christian hospital on the staff, the patients, and the hospital environment.
Describe the changes that would likely be made in your community hospital on the services offered to the community if it was absorbed into a regional Roman Catholic healthcare system. Also estimate the impact of these changes on the present employees of the hospital.