Patients deserve access to quality healthcare services. Individual needs are not always addressed locally. Moving to another location requires many resources. The issue of transportation and payment occurs. Older patients are vulnerable due to complications. Healthcare specialists should ensure continuity of care. Heeding guidelines and requirements is also important. Every patient deserves access to quality healthcare services within their vicinity. However, individual needs, such as cancer treatment, are not always addressed locally. Moving to another location requires many resources, including finances and mental endurance. The issue of transportation and payment often occurs, although it is less critical within a state. Older patients are vulnerable to any setting changes due to potential complications. Thus, healthcare specialists should ensure continuity of care within a local area. Heeding guidelines and requirements is also important, as it directly impacts patient outcomes and an organization’s reputation.
The patient is an Arizonian 70-year-old woman. She is from Gilbert, a flourishing town. The woman is diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She requires her ovaries to be removed. The surgery is likely to be high-risk. She will need a post-surgery recovery period. The question is Gilbert’s availability of services. The patient is an Arizonian 70-year-old woman from Gilbert, which is a flourishing town. The woman has ovarian cancer and requires her ovaries to be removed. The surgery is likely to be high-risk, considering the patient’s age, and she will need a post-surgery recovery period under professional watch (Kumar et al., 2016). The question is whether Gilbert has the services that will address her health problem.
Gilbert has several facilities addressing the needs. One is Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center. It guarantees comprehensive care and has surgeons. Another is Cancer Treatment Centers of America. It provides supportive care services throughout treatment. Sunrise Senior Living can offer respite care. It is possible to remain in Gilbert
Fortunately, Gilbert has several facilities potentially addressing the patient’s needs. The first one is Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, which guarantees comprehensive care and has an ovarian cancer surgeon (Banner Health, n.d.). Another setting is Gilbert’s Outpatient Care Center, which is affiliated with Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA). It provides supportive care services, but more intensive intervention, such as surgeries, is possible Goodyear (CTCA, n.d.). Sunrise Senior Living (n.d.) offers respite care after a hospital stay and has an emergency option. Overall, it is possible to remain in Gilbert for the treatment’s entirety.
Cancer Center does not mention Medicare support. It might be the only available option. Other settings do not treat ovarian cancer. The patient may apply for financial assistance. A very high probability of being denied. Moving to Goodyear’s hospital is another option. Regardless, the patient will have to pay. A potential payment challenge is the Cancer Center not accepting Medicare, which might be the only available option. Moreover, other settings in the area are not specialized in treating ovarian cancer. The patient may apply for financial assistance at the Center, but it is likely to be denied, depending on her insurance status. Moving to Goodyear’s hospital associated with CTCA is another option. Regardless, the patient will have to pay for her treatment somehow.
Two settings implement a full continuum of care. Thus, they compete for treating local patients. Small areas tend to rely on word-of-mouth. Settings refusing to follow guidelines become known. Meanwhile, diligently operating organizations acquire loyal patients. The quality should also match the pricing. An issue of patient safety and reputation. Two settings (Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center and the Outpatient Care Center) implement the full continuum of care. Thus, they compete for treating local patients, and small areas tend to rely on word-of-mouth. The settings that refuse to follow guidelines and requirements become known, and the consequences can vary from boycotting to legal procedures (Fatima et al., 2018). Meanwhile, organizations that diligently comply with the standard acquire loyal patients due to improved health outcomes (Fatima et al., 2018). The quality should also match the pricing, which is a national problem. Overall, being aware of guidelines and requirements is an issue of patient safety and collective reputation.
References
Banner Health. (n.d.). Ovarian cancer. Web.
Cancer Treatment Centers of America. (n.d.). Gilbert. Web.
Fatima, T., Malik, S. A., & Shabbir, A. (2018). Hospital healthcare service quality, patient satisfaction and loyalty: An investigation in context of private healthcare systems. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, 35(6), 1195-1214. Web.
Kumar, A., Janco, J. M., Mariani, A., Bakkum-Gamez, J. N., Langstraat, C. L., Weaver, A. L., McGree, M. A., & Cliby, W. A. (2016). Risk-prediction model of severe postoperative complications after primary debulking surgery for advanced ovarian cancer. Gynecologic Oncology, 140(1), 15–21. Web.
Sunrise Senior Living. (n.d.). Respite care. Web.