Read the following chapters from your course text, Introduction to Health Care Management (2nd ed.):
a. Chapter 8: Information Technology
i. This chapter provides an overview of IT systems and the challenges to clinical system adoption.
b. Chapter 9: Financing Health Care and Health Insurance
i. This chapter provides an overview of the overall costs of health care, how it is financed, how insurance works, gaps that exist in insurance covered, and a brief summary of the role of the healthcare manager.
c. Chapter 10: Managing Costs and Revenues
i. This chapter provides a general overview of the various components of financial management within healthcare organizations. Concepts presented include the major objectives of financial management, tax status options for healthcare organization, revenue and expenses, and budgeting
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Discussion 1- Health Insurance Benefits

Managers need to understand the impact on the financial viability of a health service organization for providing care to the uninsured or underinsured. Review the following case scenario and answer the discussion questions.

Joe Smith is a 27- year-old Caucasian male who works two part-time jobs for two different construction companies. Joe has been having dizzy spells off and on for the past two months. While driving to work one day, he loses consciousness and is involved in a motor vehicle accident. Joe is admitted to your not-for-profit hospital with a broken leg and multiple lacerations.

Answer the following questions:
1. Does Mr. Smith fit the typical profile for an uninsured person in the United States? Justify your answer.
2. How will your hospital most likely be reimbursed for Mr. Smith’s medical care?
3. During the recent economic downturn, your community has experienced unemployment rates of approximately 9%. What can be done to mitigate the effects of the financial impact to your organization?

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Discussion 2- Managing Financial Budgets

Health care financial management is complex and an effective health care administrator must understand what makes up the foundation to financial operations. This includes: health insurance (private and social) and reimbursements, private vs. not-for profit entities, costs and expenditures, capital, materials management, and budgeting.

1. Outline and discuss the major categories of reimbursements and costs in a health care organization. How do they influence each other?
2. In addition, how do expenses and revenues affect the specific types of budgets outlined?

References
Buchbinder, S. B. & Shanks, N. H. (2011). Introduction to health care management (2nd ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. ISBN: 9780763790868.

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