United HealthcareCase Study
In the USA, there exist many health care organizations, whose motivation is to provide medical services to the large consumer base. A notable health care organization that has a long-standing and reputable heritage of providing health care coverage and medical benefit services to the citizens of the USA is the United Healthcare. It is one of the two divisions of the UnitedHealth Group, the other being Optum, a company for providing information and technology-enabled health services. The parent company (UnitedHealth Group) ensures consumers have healthy lives and support health care systems. That said, the United Healthcare has several aims for the American community that are noteworthy. They include but not limited to the improvement of the quality and effectiveness of the medical services, enhance the access to health care services through health coverage plans and provision of products and services that are affordable (United Healthcare, 2015). In light of these background details about United Healthcare, it is important to note in passing that the essence of this discussion is a thorough scrutiny of this entity, with the aim of establishing its readiness in addressing the health care needs of the USA persons and strategic plan in the next ten years to come. Central to the strategic plan are issues such as network growth, nursing staff, patient satisfaction and human resource management.
Readiness of United Healthcare
` In analyzing United Healthcare’s preparedness to meet the health care needs of the USA community in the next decade, it is prudent to point various aspects of its operations. Firstly, this health care organization has made strides in its operations through the integration of technology. Technology is an important element that determines the adaptability of any company in the provisions of services (Niles, 2013). Thus, the utilization of the same in the form of United Healthcare online service places them at pole position of meeting the ever-changing medical needs of the USA persons in the days to come.
Secondly, United Healthcare has also shown positive signs of adapting to the needs of the consumers through its invention and innovation of new products and services. For instance, as per now, its range of product and services is serving close to 70 million of the American population (United Healthcare, 2015). However, this number is subject to increase in the days to come and therefore strengthening this practice is of the essence in ensuring it meets the expectation of the consumers. Its devotion to making new products and services will make healthcare more affordable in the future days. With such affordability of the health services, it is beyond doubt that this will enhance the accessibility of health care services for the USA fraternity. Consequently, meeting their medical needs is inevitable.
Furthermore, United Healthcare is also well prepared to face the uncertain future days through its involvement in research initiatives. According to Remme and his colleagues (2010), research is central to the success of any entity as it facilitates the identification of gaps and the solutions to that will improve its future operations. Similarly, this organization’s commitment to this cause is no coincidence. Such is the case since it shows its awareness of the importance of identifying the future health care needs of its consumers.
Lastly, the institution also demonstrates its readiness to meeting the increasing medical needs of its clients through its extensive network of health care professionals. Approximately, it has 595000 doctors and other medical personnel, 80,000 dentists and occupies 4965 hospitals (United Healthcare, 2015). With this number bound to increase as days go by, the health organization is characteristic of an institution that has prepared itself for future needs of its consumer base.
Strategic Plan
Comprehensive understanding of the strategic plan of the United Healthcare organization entails various issues. They include network growth, nursing staff, patient satisfaction and human resource management. With information about these elements, one is on course to understand the suitability of this entity’s strategic plan.
Network Growth
As things stand, the United Healthcare network consists of 595000 doctors and other medical personnel, 80,000 dentists and occupies 4965 hospitals (United Healthcare, 2015). Such a number depicts its strong commitment to providing affordable care to its consumers. That said, it is essential to analyze its potential to maintain this number or even increase the figure to improve its services further.
Central to improving its network within the USA are the partnerships that the United Healthcare has been making in the recent past. For instance, currently, it has alliances with Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare and Medica which increasing the range of services provided by this health care organization. The two companies among many more increases the services furnished by this entity (United Healthcare, 2015). Consequently, with this identified relationship together with other much more, it is clear that United Healthcare Organization is tirelessly working towards increasing its area of operations.
Nurse Staffing
Concerning the issue of nursing staffing, the United Healthcare has a mechanism in place that will come handy for the future management of nurses. The robust program goes by the name of Center for Nursing Advancement (CNA). The role of this program is to train, teach and mentor its nurses on how to get past challenges of the profession while providing the highest quality of care (United Healthcare, 2015). Thus, this program ensures that the nursing staffs can keep up with the future demands through the frequent updates that they give to them.
Also, this institution has a high chance of nurse retention through its motivating factors. Niles, (2013) is of the opinion that such factors are of the essence in ensuring that their staff remain motivated and thereby retain their places at the workplace. Example befitting of these motivators in the United Healthcare include but not limited to competitive benefits, travel allowances, flexible work schedule, and bonuses. With such measures in place, it is beyond doubt that United Healthcare is strategic regarding ensuring that the nursing staffs are available to meet its objective in the next decade.
Patient Satisfaction
In medicine, patient satisfaction forms the base onto which one assesses the quality of services provided (Al-Abri & Al-Balushi, 2014). As such, every healthcare organization should thus have a mechanism in place that they can determine the satisfaction rates. Similarly, the United Healthcare is no exception, as it possesses a scoring system that evaluates the services provided in its online platform. Also, in the same platform, the customers send their complaints about poorly provided services (United Healthcare, 2015). Having a rating system of this kind is essential, as it will enable the company to determine the satisfaction level of its clients and areas that it ought to improve as it provides the services to its consumers.
Resource Management
The entity is doing well given its strong control of the vast array of resources. According to Niles, (2013), the one should have arrangements for managing the resources of the company to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. The same is on exhibition by the United Healthcare as it has a robust system that is devoted to the generation of new products using the right technology. Additionally, it has measures in place to ensure that the management of key players. A case in point is the good relationship it shares with its employees. Clearly, with such strategies, it is indisputable that this entity is suitably adapted to manage its resources in the days to come.
Conclusion
In closure, indeed it is beyond doubt that United Healthcare organization is best prepared to the demands of the future. Such is the case given its present strategies of a secure network, nursing staff, patient satisfaction and resource management. Thus, the entity must continue working in the same direction if they are to have the best chance of maintaining its status as a leading company.
References
Al-Abri, R. & Al-Balushi, A. (2014). Patient Satisfaction Survey as a Tool Towards Quality Improvement. Oman Medical Journal, 29(1), 3-7. http://dx.doi.org/10.5001/omj.2014.02
Niles, N. J. (2013). Basic concepts of health care human resource management. Burlington, Mass: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Remme, J., Adam, T., Becerra-Posada, F., D’Arcangues, C., Devlin, M., & Gardner, C. et al. (2010).Defining Research to Improve Health Systems.Plos Medicine, 7(11), e1001000.http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001000
United Healthcare, (2015).UnitedHealthcare Online.Unitedhealthcareonline.com. Retrieved 1 December 2016, from https://www.unitedhealthcareonline.com/b2c/CmaAction.do?channelId=6518c7958f5fa010VgnVCM100000c520720a
