No one will argue the importance of quality, especially in health care, but the critical financial question is, what is the cost of added quality? If a hospital can take actions that will improve its quality score and realize an additional $1 million in payment, should it do so if it costs $2 million to […]

At Sacred Heart Hospital, the CNO went to a conference where he learned about a new mattress that could decrease pressure ulcers significantly. When he returned, he met with the wound nurse specialist and was told that she had wanted these types of mattresses for some time, but the cost was seen as prohibitive. The […]

A growing share of health insurance plans have high deductibles, so that an individual must spend up to $6,450 before insurance begins to pay for services. What problem(s) are these insurance plans trying to solve? Answer this question using economic terminology related to health insurance. For what reasons might these plans be successful? In what […]

Part 1: Nursing Surplus In 2011, it was reported that there was a surplus of registered nurses in many parts of California (Bates, Keane, & Spetz, 2011). Identify possible explanations of the emergence of a surplus. Bates, T., Keane, D., & Spetz, J. (2011). Survey of nurse employers in California, Fall 2010. San Francisco, CA: […]

Business concepts and business development are not routinely a part of nursing education at the undergraduate or graduate level. Business plans are vital if a business is to have a chance to succeed. Many talents of the advanced nurse practitioner are transferable to the development of a business plan. Assessing, identifying problems, developing interventions, implementing […]