Mr. Smith has Diabetes Answered
Question 1: Reflect on the following case study.Mr. Smith has diabetes. He should be controlling his blood glucose levels carefully, but he has not been testing himself. He has missed his last two doctor’s appointments, but no one has contacted him to reschedule. Lately, his feet have been hurting him, and he has a sore under his right foot. He wants to get this sore checked out, but he is not sure where to go. He calls his doctor’s office, but he only reaches voicemail and does not leave a message. He thinks about going to the emergency department (ED), but none of his children are available to give him a lift there. Finally, he calls 911 and an ambulance comes to his house and takes him to the ED. In the ED, Mr. Smith’s blood glucose is high and his hemoglobin A1C is 10. This is a measure that his diabetes control has been poor for the past few months. He is admitted to the hospital for intravenous antibiotics for an infection on his foot and for better control of his diabetes. After several days, it is apparent that his foot is not going to heal, since the infection is too deep. He sees a surgeon who recommends amputation of the infected foot. Following his surgery, he spends two weeks recovering in the hospital before being ready to be transferred to a rehabilitation facility. Unfortunately, his insurance company will not pay for inpatient rehabilitation, so he must stay in the hospital for another two weeks. When he finally goes home, a caregiver comes to his home twice a day to make sure he is changing his bandage, and to measure his blood glucose and adjust his insulin. After a week, his insurance company stops paying for this help, and he is on his own again. He does not return to the clinic for a recheck, and unfortunately, the site of his amputation becomes infected. He must return to the ED where he is again admitted to the hospital for an infection, IV antibiotics, and for diabetes control.
Mr. Smith’s patient journey is marked by instances of inefficiency and waste. Guided by what you have learned about US healthcare in Unit 1’s notes, and the e-learning activity in this unit, describe at least three instances in Mr. Smith’s patient journey that represent waste and inefficient service. Why, in your opinion, did these instances occur, and what could have been done better to ensure quality care and the efficient use of health-care funds? Do the following to draft your response for each instance:Identify the instance of waste.
Describe the cause of this instance of waste.
Propose a solution to curb or counteract this form of waste.
Your participation in this week’s small group discussion forum should support you to respond to this question. You answer should be between 280 and 320 words in length.
Question 2: You are a reporter for a large British newspaper that is tasked with explaining the issues with the current health-care system in the US. Specifically, you need to describe how healthcare is financed and administered in the US through a discussion of health insurance coverage and the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The point of this is not to take a position on what is best, but to demonstrate your understanding of the concepts linked to universal healthcare, and the challenges to delivering universal healthcare in the US.
Answer the following questions to draft your response:
How is healthcare financed in the US? Outline the main insurers. Who pays for this insurance?
What did the ACA seek to address?
What are the benefits or challenges of the ACA?
Your written submission should take the format of a news article or a blog post (i.e., one body of text, separated into paragraphs, instead of numbered responses to the questions listed above). Your submission should reflect your ability to synthesize information and deliver a concise piece of writing. You answer should be between 280 and 320 words in length.