Assignment task:
How to respond to this discussion Healthcare and Methodist Hospital: How does it compare? Using Medicare's site to compare hospitals and see how they rank. I live in Houston, so I am close to the Texas Medical Center, with Methodist Hospital as a major hospital available to me. Sugar Land Methodist is a location even closer to me. How do they rate? The hospitals rank unsurprisingly well. Houston Methodist is ranked with 5 out of 5 stars! (Medicaid, n. d.). Sugar Land Methodist is ranked 4 out of 5! According to ratings by U.S. News & World Reports, the Houston Methodist Hospital is ranked among the best in Texas and in Houston. In various ratings like patient care and outcomes, they are doing very well. Sugar Land Methodist is comparable and in the top 10 for best hospitals in Texas. (U.S. News & World Reports, n. d.). Health Costs and Care Aside from ratings affecting how we as consumers, including myself, may choose a healthcare provider or locale, the issue is cost. What happens when costs outweigh a person's ability to pay? Will they avoid healthcare or pursue alternatives? Already we see in recent Gallup poll data that a record high percentage, 38%. (Brenan, 2023) of Americans as of 2022 have postponed medical treatment due to cost. According to the Baker Institute, average outpatient costs for other major Houston hospitals are $2,548 for CHI St. Luke's Hospital system, $2,370 for the Houston Methodist Hospital system, and HCA hospitals generally a little lower at $2,024. (Ho, & Li, 2024). At those high prices, I would not be able afford a hospital stay with my insurance let alone without. Someone without insurance would pay more for care they need. A hospital bill would send me into medical debt, which is already a problem in the United States. As of 2021, already 15% of adult households have medical debt. (Amin et al., 2024). Alarming data exists in regards to Americans and healthcare costs and access. More equitable care is needed, but let us discuss the findings. The access to health is not uniform. According to the National Health Interview Survey NHIS data of 2022, reports how 1 in 4 adults (28%) delayed healthcare due to costs. This is a burdensome finding meaning that some adults are not able to afford care. Hispanic adults are in worse health and generally both avoid procedures due to costs, and are more likely to be uninsured. (Amin et al. 2024). Over half of adults worry of healthcare bills if they are sick or in an accident. Even when an adult is insured, they may still delay care as seen from most of surveyed by the NHIS having insurance at 90%. (Armin et al., 2024). Care is seen less as a right and more of a commodity with the high costs and expensive premiums that are paid for insurance: and that is assuming an individual is insured. CAM Alternatives and Price? Alternatives in medicine may offer a cheaper upfront cost. If care is continually delayed where conventional medicine is needed, health could deteriorate, especially if the underserved are already forgoing care. For some conditions, the adjourning treatments may help in conjunction with conventional care like: acupuncture for migraine, stress-management for cancer patients, and potassium-rich diets tor cardiac patients. (Caspi et al, 2005). Staying mindful of one's health with preventive practices and staying under the care of a physician can help. Massage therapy for muscle pain, physical activity for general wellness, vitamins to supplement what may be lacking, and meditation and yoga for the mind and body are all examples of alternative practices that may be beneficial when used with traditional medicine. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) can have great health benefits in comparison to costs, but with anecdotal evidence, more research is needed. Want Online Tutoring?