Health Care Change Paper

Individual Project Part 3: Evaluate the Risks to the Organization

Name

HCS 531

October 21,2008

Instructors name

Individual Project Part 3: Evaluate the Risks to the Organization

The Shands Hospital at the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida, it is a private, not for profit organization that specializes in tertiary care for critically ill patients. During part one and two of the this individual project, the Shands health care system was discussed in much detail in relation to its mission, structure, community position, and the potential impact on that organization because of the increased uninsured hospital stays, increased emergency room (ER) admissions of the uninsured, and the increase in mental health and substance abuse admissions of the uninsured population (Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, 2009). During part three of this project the increasing rate of the uninsured and underinsured population will be evaluated to determine the associated risks to the organization, and how to implement initiatives to meet these risks.

The increasing risk to the Shands health care system will not increase substantially if the rate of the uninsured, and underinsured population continues to grow at 2-3% over the next five years. This is because of two reasons. One, the uninsured patients are either treated in the emergency room or they are admitted into the hospital. Even if the intake of uninsured patients increased in the emergency room by 2-3%, there will not be an increase in risk because Shands is capable of supporting the service whether the patient can pay or not. On the other hand, when uninsured patients are admitted they have to make a down payment called an advanced payment. This payment is adjusted according to the charitable funds available within the Shands health care system. When there are no available funds, this advance can be increased to such an extent that it covers the entire estimated cost of treatment,...