In the light of working towards a healthier prosperous nation, United Healthcare group has initiated efforts geared at ensuring that it offers a comprehensive medical cover for all the American citizens, catering for over 70 million people worldwide (United Healthcare, 2016). The United Healthcare group works at ensuring that patients have quick access to the various health practitioners across the nation which ends up being life changing. The institution collaborates with different organizations to make sure that they have a functional cover for their employees. Further, there is an individualized medical scheme for the people who may lack employer insurance and a free plan that caters for the less privileged people in the society. Through its concerted efforts with various health stakeholders, the organization has implemented programs that oversee the well-being of the people in the next decade. The company has also implemented strategic plans that will actively deal with the network growth, patient satisfaction, nurse staffing and human resource management.
Wellbeing of the People in the Next Decade
Dr. You is an initiative of the company that seeks to campaign on the concept of self-care. Most of the illnesses that people acquire could be preventable if only they were aware of how to take better care of themselves (Allen, Cappelletto & Siegel, 2012). Dr. You program aims at empowering individuals and making them adopt better lifestyles, which will ensure that they age gracefully. The plan entails having some free online classes that teach people about personal care, fitness program and even how to manage certain health conditions. After each lesson, the participants are encouraged to take tests that assess their understanding of the concept learned in class. The country is slowly having a boom in the millennial generation turning over 65years, and the company has appreciated the need to help them adopt good care in their old age because most of them are prone to chronic illnesses. The insurance firm provides individualized care to various conditions such as diabetes and ensures that the patients have affordable access to their drugs thus regulating their blood sugar levels.
The company has put in plans to make sure that people are keener on their health and thus reduce the instances of drug prescriptions going forward. One of the strategies that the company has put in place is the provision of financial incentives to people who follow strict health régimes. The company seeks to ensure that there will be quick access to the medical practitioners by digitizing everything and thus ensure that they can be located quickly by the patients. The group will thus ensure that all the hospitals have gone electronic, and thus information about patients can be accessed quickly, meaning that any doctor would be in a position to treat a recurring condition by looking at the history. The health care seeks to encourage people to purchase their insurance cover based on their results and the specific objectives they seek to meet (Docteur & Berenson, 2009). The scheduled health and wellness programs will also ensure that the organization prevents the occurrence of chronic diseases and even treat the emerging cases on time.
Dealing with Network Growth
The company has joined efforts with more health practitioners and ensuring that they even reach people from the remote areas. By partnering with Cisco, the company can link patients to their doctors when physical visits are impossible. The plan, in this case, ensures that doctors virtually examine the patients and prescribe the best medicines. The company has plans that will make sure that more people access the insurance coverage and at a cheaper cost. The overall aim is to ensure that all the citizens are covered, and everyone has access to proper medical aid (Sekhri, 2000). Partnering with the top hospitals has also provided that patients get to see medical personnel when they are in need without having to wait in long queues or rescheduling their visits.
Patient Satisfaction
The nurse call center is perhaps the best initiative for the company. Through the call center, people can locate different health practitioners. Further, the time it takes to call back is less than 30 seconds. On the call line, one can easily access a nurse who can answer all the health queries with clear advice on whether it would be better to see a doctor or not. The call center can guide several patients on the nearest health centers from their location and further assess whether they have the medication that the patients need. The services offered to the patients are patient focused, and the cover has established plans to ensure that the patients foster a close relationship with the doctors.
In this case, service delivery ceases from being an on-moment experience, but rather a relationship which guides the patient into living a better, healthier life. Often, the company has partnered with new hospitals to ensure that they can meet the needs of their extensive network of customers and thus enhance their satisfaction. The company makes a timely payment to the hospitals for all the services offered which in turn ensures that the patients are given first class service when they visit. The insurance scheme is also bundled to meet different health needs and thus applicable to individual customers (Jaffe, et. al, 2006). The use of information technology is also a step forward in harnessing customer satisfaction because they can access all the information they need online and thus make better-informed health decisions.
Nurse Staffing and Resource Management
Having adequate nursing is a requirement for any nation that seeks to stay healthy. The organization has set up a nursing line that ensures that patients can get quick access to concerning any medical aid (Roehr, 2013). Moreover, the company ensures that all the medical staff is well compensated, which ensures that there is staff retention that consequently benefits the patients in the long run. Nurses spend most of their time with patients than any other healthcare provider, which means that they play an imperative role in enhancing the wellbeing of the patients. The maintenance of a motivated workforce plays an essential role in improving the quality of services provided. The organization has been able to develop effective resource management that has ensured balance and efficient operations of the organization. Proper management of the resources within the company has enabled it to tailor the insurance scheme and manage to make timely payments to the medical practitioners.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the United Healthcare group has received positive accreditation due to its ability to meet various customer needs and address concerns on time. Catering for one’s health should be a personal initiative, something that has been enhanced by Dr.You plan. The company’s strategy of digitizing all services will ensure that customer records are accessible, and patients are treated from different places. Additionally, partnering with Cisco to provide real-time consultations to patients in remote areas is a great way towards working for a healthy nation. The health care sector has faced numerous challenges in the US and any organization introducing new strategies that will enhance the provision of such care will play reap significantly, which places United Health Care at a vantage position.
References
Allen, E. P., Cappelletto, W., & Siegel, S. (2012). The impact of state Medicaid reform on vulnerable populations needing long-term care services and supports: An analysis of Florida, Illinois, and New Jersey. NAELA Journal, 8(2).
Docteur, E., & Berenson, R. A. (2009). How Does the Quality of Health Care Compare Internationally?. Timely Analysis of Immediate Health Policy Issues, a series of policy briefs produced by the Urban Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Health Insurance Plans for Individuals & Families, Employers, Medicare | UnitedHealthcare. (2016). Uhc.com. Retrieved 2 July 2016, from https://www.uhc.com/
Jaffe, R., Nash, R., Ash, R., Schwartz, N., Corish, R., & Born, T. et al. (2006). Healthcare transparency: opportunity or mirage. Journal Of Mgmt Development, 25(10), 981-995. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/02621710610708603
Roehr, B. (2013). What healthcare reform means for rural America. BMJ, 347(aug27 1), f5093-f5093. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.f5093
Sekhri, N. K. (2000). Managed care: the US experience. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 78(6), 830-844.
