Hospital Operations
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Northeast Ohio is a global healthcare hub, drawing patients from across the country and around the world, and paving the way in medical research. And while there are many resources that contribute to the well-deserved acclaim garnered by Northeast Ohio’s healthcare industry, perhaps the most valuable resources are the human ones. This paper takes a look at the people who make up the regional hospital workforce, the delicate balance of workforce supply and demand, as well as other big-picture factors that influence our region’s hospital workforce.
(The Center for Health Affairs, June 2009)
As the largest sector of the healthcare workforce, nurses represent a key component of an effective healthcare delivery system. Yet the ability of the healthcare system to perform at peak capacity is threatened by a looming shortage of nurses that is expected to intensify in the future. Addressing the issue encompasses not just increasing the number of nurses in the workforce, but also ensuring sufficient faculty are available to train nursing students.
(The Center for Health Affairs, November 2007)
Quality improvement has long been a part of hospitals’ day-to-day operations. It is a cornerstone of every hospital’s mission, and they stake their reputations on their ability to provide quality care. In recent years, insurers have become more involved in healthcare decisions through the rise of managed care, and increasing expenditures have spurred interested parties – like employers who pay for health benefits – to become involved in initiatives to control expenses. As a result, the concept of healthcare quality assessment and improvement has begun to garner increased public attention.
(The Center for Health Affairs, April 2006)
Since 9/11, the issue of emergency preparedness has been near the forefront of politicians’ minds and in the public eye. That day brought the realization that the response systems in place at the time could easily be overwhelmed by an incident of such magnitude. As a result, since 2002 Congress has appropriated about $7 billion to be distributed through grants to communities across the nation, including here in Northeast Ohio, to help initiate a concerted effort to ensure they would be prepared for any type of disaster.
(The Center for Health Affairs, February 2008)