Assignment:
This is a combined interview and short research paper. You are first required to interview a health care worker and ask them to identify and discuss solutions to a perceived health care issue in their field. Then, you will research and discuss this issue and proposed solutions.
The paper should be at least 850 words. Use APA or MLA Style for your paper format. For assistance with this, reference the Citation Style Guide developed for the Stafford Library.
Part I: Interview
This portion of Paper 1 will be a written report based on your interview of an individual who works in the health care system. (This person could be a direct caregiver, such as a physician, nurse, therapist, dentist, pharmacist, or chiropractor, or it could be someone who works as a medical secretary, hospital administrator, or in medical billing.) This interview can be accomplished either in person or by phone.
Clearly state the worker's job description, the type of facility or organization in which he or she works, a summary of his or her training and experience, whether her or she performs administrative duties or are involved in finances, and whether he or she provides direct patient care or works closely with other care professionals.
Elicit this individual's overall perceptions of and general satisfaction with our current health care system and the facility where they work. Ask him or her to identify a key issue or concern, either with our health care system or in his or her particular setting, and the solutions this worker would propose to address this particular issue.
Interview part is done
Alanna Falk is a Medical office manager for an endocrinologist. She has a bachelor's degree in business administration and is a trained medical assistant for over twenty years. She has direct contact with the three providers in her office as well as the patients on a daily basis. She performs the administrative aspect of the office and fills in where needed. Overall she enjoys her office but at times feel that it is overwhelming with the amount of patients and being her doctor is one of two in the area for this specialty. One problem that she is having is getting the patients to get onboard with the use of technology to simplify and reduce the amount of time spent filling paperwork out to include the cost in staff printing, ink and filing space.
This often delays the patients getting in the back office to see the physicians on time even after they are checked in on time and it throws the whole schedule off for the day. She would like to go paperless as possible and being that their scheduling team gets their information for the most part over the phone she would like to utilize tablets or a computer program that will help them become more efficient in the practice and maintain patient privacy.
Part II: Discussion
Elaborate and discuss the health care issue identified by your interviewee, demonstrating your understanding of both the problem raised and their proposed solution. Would the solutions proposed be feasible or effective? Research the issue and solution, and compare his or her perceptions to others', your own, and to information found during your research. In your analysis, indicate several health care issues that you believe are important and how you propose to address the problems.
Reference at least three outside sources in your discussion; your textbook may be one of those sources. The paper should be a minimum of 850 words in length.