Executive Summary
Growth in Canada’s hospitality sector has been steadily increasing over the last several years. According to the country’s key performance metrics, change in the nation seems to be moderate but stable. In 2018, the OR reached 66 percent, the highest in the nation. This year’s highest RevPAR was $CAD107, up from the previous year’s $CAD102. Between 2012 and 2018, the average daily rate (ADR) rose significantly (Jayawardena, Sovani & MacDonald, 2017). Investors are drawn in by the rising numbers. The Canadian hospitality business is diverse and ever-evolving, including independently owned properties and national and international hotel brands and franchises. More than half of the rooms and keys available at chain hotels are occupied by independent establishments. Brands from throughout the world have a stronghold on the market here.
There are more than 2,500 hotels with brand names in Canada, with native Canadian brands accounting for 15% of the total inventory and foreign brands accounting for 85%. More than 2,500 branded hotels are dispersed throughout Canada, although most are located in the mid-and upper-middle-class categories. There is no difference in market share between the budget and economy category and the high-end hotels, including boutique and lifestyle brand hotels. Roughly 18 percent of the total supply are budget and economy hotels, while luxury hotels, including lifestyle and boutique hotels, account for around 7 percent (Jayawardena, Sovani & MacDonald, 2017). The hotel sector in Canada consists of both independent and branded hotels. An overwhelming majority of the market belongs to overseas brands. More hotels are owned and operated by Wyndham Worldwide than any other company in the United States. There are a variety of hotels around the country run by Choice Hotels Canada and Best Western International, too. Coast Hotels dominate the Canadian brand sector.
This research paper aims to develop market research on the hospitality industry in Canada, focusing on four main areas: market research, analysis, positioning, and recommendations. The market research will include the Porter five forces and PESTEL. Market analysis will consist of the market’s SWOT analysis, mainly focusing on opportunities and threats. The market positioning section will identify the best market positioning to succeed in the industry, target markets, value of a proposition, and the competitive advantage. Lastly, the recommendations section will cover the brand tone and brand color.
The Porter’s Five Forces of the Canadian Hospitality Industry
Threats of New Entrants
Entry into the Hotel & Motel market is very easy; nevertheless, the high capital needs and food standards make it unlikely that new entrants will succeed. Travel and tourism are intrinsically tied to the hospitality business (Burke & Hughes, 2018). Because of the current economic climate, the accommodation market in Downtown Montreal is likely to grow. It is expected that RevPAR (Revenue per available room) would rise. The level of new entrants is categorized as ‘Moderate’ by these economic metrics.
The Threat of Substitute Products
Customers in the hotel sector are picky when it comes to both pricing and quality. There is no substantial danger of alternative items in the hotel industry, but purchasers constantly look at pricing, performance, and service quality when making a purchase decision (Burke & Hughes, 2018). The decreased Canadian currency may boost the replacement danger level to ‘moderate’ as a tourist attraction.
Degree of Competitive Rivalry
In the hospitality business, there is a lot of rivalry amongst the current participants (companies). The number of rivals, the development of the industry, and the cost of switching are all important (Heroux, 2017). The overall attractiveness of the sector in terms of the competitive competition is ‘high’ because of the vast number of hotel chains and the steady economic development outlook.
Bargaining Power of Suppliers
The hospitality industry has a small number of suppliers. Property owners, developers, real estate companies, training service providers, and I.T. consultants make up most participants (Heroux, 2017). Moving to a different, more cost-effective provider is not difficult. A modest amount of negotiating leverage is expected for suppliers in the Canadian lodging sector, as RevPAR (Revenue per available room) is likely to rise due to improving economic circumstances in Canada and the United States.
Bargaining Power of Customers
The Downtown Lodging Market is predicted to gain from a healthy market environment. With the transformation of 1500 rooms into student accommodation, the occupancy rate and revenue are likely to improve with an average daily rate of $174 (Heroux, 2017). The hotel market in Quebec is projected to improve this year. Globally, there is an increase in both supply and demand. Customer control is strong, and customers may easily move to a rival. Consumer bargaining power is considered ‘high’ according to these major measures of customer behavior.
The PESTEL Analysis of the Canadian Hospitality Industry
Political Environment
As a founding member of the United Nations, Canada has considerable influence. Maintaining excellent ties with the world’s most powerful nation is a priority for the country. Furthermore, it supports solid connections with nations such as the United Kingdom, France, and many others throughout the globe (Prud’homme & Raymond, 2016). With a low crime rate and trustworthy police services, Canada presents a very excellent environment for businesses and tourists. Canada has an open business program that aims to modernize the government by producing a quicker, better, and more efficient government-to-business service. Therefore, the current government will create a regulatory framework that serves the interests of companies while still safeguarding the general public.
Economic Environment
Canada has several free trade agreements. A noteworthy example is the CETA it agreed with the E.U. in September 2017. This agreement will allow Canadians and E.U. citizens to export goods and services. Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. signed the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1994. Canada’s economy is a mature mix of both. Canada’s citizens and government make national economic choices (Prud’homme & Raymond, 2016). A few industries are both public and private. For investors looking to start a company, Canada’s GDP has grown and increased by an average of 2% over the last several years, which is good news. A 1.3 percent rise in economic output and a 1.2% increase in service output were recorded.
Social Environment
Canada’s population is diverse. Canada promotes immigration, and anyone with the necessary skills and experience may apply. Outside of English and French, the country’s two official languages, over 200 languages are spoken in Canada. Religious freedom is a constitutional right (Prud’homme & Raymond, 2016). Consequently, Canada is a favorite destination for expatriates of all faiths. Since most Canadians are aged and retiring, the population increase is not good for a restaurant and bar company. Alberta, for example, had a 5% rise in the number of retirees but a substantial decline in the number of immigrants.
Technological Environment
Significant development of the technology sector has increased in Canada’s technical skill pool. For a bar and restaurant company, Canada is the best country to operate digitally since, by 2026, technology occupations and disciplines will enjoy double-digit growth, including computer user technicians.
Environmental Issues
The awe-inspiring landscape attracts tourists from all over the globe. Many of Canada’s most popular tourist spots are within driving distance, including Niagara Falls, Banff, Rocky Mountains, Toronto, Vieux-Québec (Old Quebec), Whistler, Vancouver Island, and Gros Morne National Park in Quebec. Canada’s weather may be divided into two distinct seasons: the hot, humid summer and the cold, snowy winter (Prud’homme & Raymond, 2016). As with the rest of the northern hemisphere, Canada has a mild and rainy climate year-round. Every hour, Canada’s air quality health index is updated on the government’s website to monitor any indications of pollution. As a result, Canada has low levels of air pollution, making it an ideal location for businesses in the hospitality sector.
Legal Environment
Several governments and consumer service agencies in Canada have made it easier for companies to apply for licenses and permissions by issuing registrations and applications for various licenses and permits (Prud’homme & Raymond, 2016). So applying for a business permit or license may not be time-consuming or costly since the bodies are active and operational to guarantee that every new firm has its legal documentation available.
Market Analysis of the Canadian Hospitality Industry
SWOT Analysis
Opportunities
Since Canada is politically, economically, and legally stable, it is a good investment opportunity for foreign investors in the hospitality industry. The low dollar provides more bang for the buck, and the cost of debt is lower than in many other countries. Canada also has excellent air, sea, and road infrastructure (Murray et al., 2017). 98% of investors plan to expand their portfolio this year. Many in the hospitality sector are looking for the “COVID discount” of more than 20% that would allow them to acquire core and distressed assets that could be used in re-purposing initiatives based on the findings of Colliers International Group’s Global Capital Markets 2021 Investor Outlook survey.
Threats
The low oil price, interest rate reduction, and the strength of the U.S. currency all make Canadian hotel investments very volatile. Over the last several years, inflation has risen beyond 4% year-over-year, driven by the consequences of the economic crisis and supply-chain issues throughout the world (Murray et al., 2017). The supply chain challenges affecting ports and truckers are continuing and will continue to increase costs, despite the expected restoration to normal levels.
Market Positioning
Canada’s political, economic, and legal stability and the cheap currency give Canadians more bang for their buck, and the cost of financing is lower than in many other nations. Therefore, it is critical to examine competitiveness and overcome this barrier. Hotels and other hospitality establishments may consider developing positioning strategies, such as a competitor-based positioning plan, to remain competitive in the marketplace (Chand & Sharma, 2021). Using a competitor-based positioning strategy, the goal is to differentiate oneself from the competition. Companies use substantial differences in their marketing to distinguish their products or services from their competitors and make them seem more enticing and different. A unique item or service is created as a result of this.
Brands may also take cues from the tactics of their competitors. When it comes to positioning strategies, a large brand must appeal to a wide range of consumers. As a result, one ought to try to convert some of their customers by providing a comparable product with similar features and at the same price point. For example, the hotel can develop a music-filled theme in which it plays beautiful music centered on the concept of love to attract young couples and beat the competition. Rather than focusing on increasing revenue, this strategy will shift the hotel’s focus to providing better service to its guests (Chand & Sharma, 2021). Furthermore, the hotel may place a strong emphasis on embracing customers from various socio-economic backgrounds. The positioning statement will be a music-themed hotel that blends cutting-edge technology and embodies the ideals of the millennial age to provide guests with a one-of-a-kind accommodation experience.
Target Market
Among the major consumer market segments that the hotel wants to target are those based on demographics and behavior. As an example, age, gender, and income are all factors that may be utilized to segment the market. Instead of attempting to reach the whole market, the hotel will employ this strategy to concentrate its efforts on a specific portion of the people in the target market instead (De Lange & Dodds, 2017). According to the behavioral segmentation approach, consumers are classified based on their interactions with one or more brands. Overall, this is concerned with a certain customer’s purchasing habits and preferences. Suppose one wants to get the most out of my major client base, the so-called “tech-savvy generation,” including millennials. In that case, I propose that they use demographic segmentation to better target my marketing efforts. Since we live in a technologically advanced society, my generation is more educated in music and more aware of current music trends than prior generations. A love song is undoubtedly a possibility when it comes to musical genres. These dedicated couples form the majority of the target market, notwithstanding the challenges. If one includes love themes in their hotel’s messaging, guests will undoubtedly feel appreciated and valued. Thus, as a result of this expansion, the company’s brand equity will expand beyond national borders.
Final Recommendations
If I were to invest in the Canadian hospitality industry, my target market would be coupled, including the youth and the aged. The hotel will be music-based, focusing on love songs that will attract both the aged and the child. Furthermore, the hotel will incorporate modern technology with music to accommodate the two classes of clients. Since the country is politically, economically, and legally secure, competition will peak. I believe the combination of the music theme and modern technology will give the hotel a cutting-edge industry. The hotel will be customer-centric, offering quality services and the best customer care and support to its clients.
References
Burke, R. J., & Hughes, J. C. (Eds.). (2018). Handbook of Human Resource Management in the Tourism and Hospitality Industries. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Heroux, L. (2017). Comparative marketing strategies of fitness clubs in the United States and Canada. Economics World, 5(6), 529-538.
Kim, W. G., Choi, H. M., & Li, J. J. (2016). Antecedents and outcomes of migrant workers’ sociocultural adjustment in the hospitality industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 58, 1-12.
Prud’homme, B., & Raymond, L. (2016). Implementation of sustainable development practices in the hospitality industry: A case study of five Canadian hotels. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.
Jayawardena, C. C., Sovani, A., & MacDonald, A. (2017). State of the Canadian hospitality and tourism industry. Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes.
Murray, W. C., Elliot, S., Simmonds, K., Madeley, D., & Taller, M. (2017). Human resource challenges in Canada’s hospitality and tourism industry: Finding innovative solutions. Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes.
Chand, M., & Sharma, K. (2021). Management Accounting Practices in Indian and Canadian Hotel Industry: A Comparative Study. International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Systems, 14(2).
De Lange, D., & Dodds, R. (2017). Increasing sustainable tourism through social entrepreneurship. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.
The Ideological Differences Between The Beer And Snack Vendors On The Legalization Of Marijuana In California Free Essay
Introduction
In November 2016, California approved a ballot initiative that legalized the recreational use of Marijuana for adults over the age of 21 years under the state law famously known as proposition 64. This state law paved the way for the limited cultivation and the legal sale of Marijuana for medicinal and recreation purposes within California. Although a majority of the people passed it, the law had brought a contentious debate about the future implication of the legislation. This debate had a great rift between the advocates and the critics, where the advocates held the view that: the legalization would cause a reduction in the crime rate since people would stop the illegal sale of the commodity, raise tax revenue as the legalization would cause a rise in the demand of Marijuana and improve the public health sector. Whereas the critics thought that the law would spike an increase in crime rates, harm the public sectors due to the availability of weed to consumers leading to addiction. Apart from these reasons, some key investors viewed Marijuana as a threat to the monopoly profit they enjoyed in the local market. This was because Marijuana was seen as a new substitute that would trigger competition, hence a deflation in pricing some commodities such as beer and other recreational substances (Pascula,2010). This paper discusses why the beer distributors opposed the legalization of Marijuana in California, whereas the snack food vendors supported it, and the facts that prompted the differences in their ideological views.
Being high or drunk was a choice that most consumers had to face after the legalization of Marijuana for recreational purposes. Hence, the beer distributors viewed the initiative as a threat to the local markets’ monopoly profit. Due to the substitution of alcoholic drinks by marijuana smoking, most beer investors feared that the sale and distribution of Marijuana could adversely impact the demand for beer. Additionally, the law prohibited the beer distributors from selling both Marijuana and other recreational substances within the same premises (Barry,2018). This brought a stiff competition between beer and Marijuana, bringing to an end the monopoly profit enjoyed by the beer distributors over the years since Marijuana served the same recreational purposes as beer. As a result, beer distributors opposed the legalization of Marijuana in California.
Snack food vendors supported the initiative since they thought there was a direct link between recreational Marijuana and increased consumption of high-calorie foods. Although there was no formal evidence supporting the effects of Marijuana on a person’s appetite, there was an increase in snack food purchases after the recreational marijuana legalization. However, the snacking sprout decreased slightly for ice cream and chips, but not for cookies. This effect brought a tremendous profit to the snack food vendors prompting them to support the legislation since Marijuana acted as a compliment instead of a substitute to their commodities (Pascual,2010).
Conclusion
When California legalized the recreational use of Marijuana, the beer distributors were opposed to it while snack food vendors supported it. Each group believed that the changes would affect their investment in one way or the other. The beer distributors thought the legislation would cause a decrease in profit due to the monopolistic practices of the enterprise. The monopoly profit deflated due to the substitutional use of Marijuana. On the other hand, snack food vendors were on the front line to support it because it would increase the consumption of snacks, thus increasing the enterprise’s profit.
References
Barry, R. A., & Glantz, S. A. (2016). A public health analysis of two proposed marijuana legalization initiatives for the 2016 California ballot: creating the new tobacco industry.
Pacula, R. L. (2010). Examining the impact of marijuana legalization on marijuana consumption: Insights from the economics literature. Santa Monica: RAND Corporation.
The Impact Health Information Technology Will Have On The Future Of Public Policy And Statesmanship Free Writing Sample
Healthcare professionals and patients alike use the phrase “health information technology” (health IT) to refer to the electronic systems they employ to store, distribute, and analyze health information. Healthcare information technology (HIT) is the application of information processing utilizing computer hardware and software, which is concerned with storing and retrieving healthcare data and knowledge for communication and decision-making purposes. Information technology in health care includes anything from simple charting to more advanced decision support and connection with medical equipment. Human error may be reduced, clinical outcomes improved, care coordination streamlined, practice efficiency increased, and data collected over time can all be benefits of health information technology. With the technological advancements rampant in the 21st century, many organizations have embraced the use of information technology, and the health sector has not been left behind. As the world embraces the changes in technology, so do the different organizations in the different sectors all worldwide, as this helps them maintain their competitive advantage and remain relevant in the ever dynamic and competitive world. Public policy and statesmanship have also incorporated the use of health information technology, which will bring about several benefits in the future as different organizations strive to attain the best-concerning health information technology.
Part 1
The Organization: The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA)
AHIMA, The American Health Information Management Association is a worldwide, non-profit organization for those who work in the field of health information. Each year, more than one billion patient visits are handled by the professionals represented by AHIMA. It is the objective of AHIMA to guarantee that health information is accurate, comprehensive, and accessible to patients and providers, and it is what motivates the organization’s members and certified HI professionals to do their part (Alrahbi, et al. 2021). At the crossroads of healthcare, technology, and business, the company’s executives work in data integrity and information security roles globally. AHIMA has professionals, who support the use of electronic and paper-based medical information in corporate and clinical settings (Alrahbi, et al. 2021). The group’s mission is to strengthen the knowledge and abilities of health information professionals. Healthcare IT is significantly influenced by health informatics and data analytics. On top of that, the organization has a say in government policy (Alrahbi, et al. 2021).
Specific Program or Policy: Data Analytics and Informatics
Data analytics and informatics are essential to this new age of electronic health records (EHRs) and equally essential for the organization. Health data analytics and informatics workers that have the capacity and skillset to influence the quality, efficiency, and cost of treatment without ever treating a patient are in high demand and expected to fill the gaps in the organization (AHIMA, 2021). Data analytics and informatics are vital for the success of healthcare businesses. Healthcare companies must be able to manage, analyze, and understand data to determine the most effective methods to provide high-quality treatment. Even though some perceive analytics and informatics to be equivalent phrases, the two concepts and practices are separate (AHIMA, 2021). Quantitative and qualitative approaches are used in data analytics to find and examine patterns and trends in the data. Expert health data analysts can obtain, manage, analyze, interpret, and turn large amounts of data into reliable information that is fast, accurate, and consistent.
As AHIMA describes it, informatics is a collaborative activity that incorporates people, processes, and technology to develop and utilize reliable data for improved decision-making. To enhance healthcare delivery and patient outcomes, informatics makes use of data, information, and knowledge. Information technology (IT) is concerned with putting the findings of data analytics to use (Steinmann, et al. 2020). It is the job of health informatics specialists to utilize their technical expertise to assist in the creation of efficient systems for collecting, archiving, interpreting, and managing the data created while providing healthcare to patients (Steinmann, et al. 2020). As a result, health information technology systems (HIT systems) collect and utilize data from both internal and external sources, and these data are then used by data analysts to explain how an organization may enhance clinical care and decision-making.
How the Public Sector Administrator, CIO Uses IT
Chief Information Officers’ duties and responsibilities have changed throughout time as technology has progressed. As a CIO at AMIHA, one is in charge of managing the IT team, as well as the organization’s IT-related assets including software and hardware, and they are also in charge of strategic planning connected to computer systems and the network (Vest, et al. 2019). Since it is impossible to create a product without the use of technology, the CIO position is critical to the company’s success. An effective chief information officer (CIO) has a firm grasp of both technology and product development and can use that understanding to make key business choices. At AMIHA, the CIO serves as a vital link between the worlds of business and information technology. Reaffirming institutional and SMT commitment to technology by the appointment of an official Chief Information Officer (CIO) or by acknowledging comparable senior management in this capacity (Vest, et al. 2019). Having a deep awareness of the business demands of an institution, as well as an understanding of the needs of its users, is essential for a CIO here as this knowledge enables them to integrate IT into the system, which they will use throughout their work (Kruse, & Beane, 2018). The capacity and passion of the CIO to engage with and through the larger community of institutional management to achieve institutional goals distinguishes a CIO from the others. To meet institutional strategy, whether transformational, strategic, or operational, they can focus and mobilize technology (Vest, et al. 2019). In this regard, the CIO is highly knowledgeable in matters concerning IT in the organization, and they are in a better place to foresee the future impact of Health Information Technology, which will benefit both the employers, employees and the organization at large.
Part 2
Summary of Learning and Findings
The days of doing business as usual in the healthcare industry are over. Health care systems around the world struggle to keep up with the rising costs and varying levels of quality, despite the hard work of well-trained and well-intentioned clinicians. A multitude of incremental fixes, such as combating fraud and improving patient-consumer relations have failed to make much of a dent in the healthcare system’s spiraling costs. There needs to be an overhaul of the company’s strategy (Kruse, & Beane, 2018). Patients’ health and well-being are at the heart of value-based healthcare. It is time for the world to transition away from a physician-driven health care system and toward a patient-driven one that is focused on what people want and need. Instead of focusing on the number of patients seen, hospitalizations, procedures, and tests performed, it is essential to pay attention to the results they achieve. Another requirement is to replace the current disjointed healthcare delivery model, where providers in each community offer the same services, with a model that concentrates services for specific medical conditions in healthcare delivery organizations and the most appropriate locations to provide high-value health care (Kruse, et al. 2018). This is not a one-off event; rather, it is part of a larger plan referred to as the “value agenda”. It will necessitate a fundamental shift in the way health care is delivered, measured, and rewarded. Thousands of health care leaders and academic researchers around the world have worked to develop the tools needed to implement the value agenda, which are now being widely used by health care providers and other organizations. Toward value-based health care, the transition has already begun and is distinct for people to see the need for health information technology (Kruse, et al. 2018). There are still some organizations that are in the early stages of pilots and projects. Large-scale value agenda adjustments have been implemented by other organizations as well, leading to impressive gains in terms of results and efficiency, along with a rise in market share. Increasing the value of care is no longer a question. Value-based organizations face a formidable task in light of decades of entrenched interests and practices. From the inside out, this shift must take place. This collection of interdependent measures to increase value can only be implemented by healthcare providers and doctors, since the way medicine is performed ultimately determines its worth (Kruse, et al. 2018). In addition, every stakeholder in the health care system has an important role to play. Faster change is possible, and it will be beneficial for all parties involved, from patients and health plans to employers and suppliers.
From paper records to department-based systems to huge enterprise systems, healthcare data quality procedures are advancing. Electronic searches, comparative and shared databases, data repositories, and ongoing quality improvement are all now part of these procedures. To meet a variety of demands, HIM specialists are experts in gathering and categorizing data to support a wide range of issues such as the degree of sickness and meaningful usage (Moore, et al. 2020). By assuring the timely availability of data, managing its collection, and evaluating and reporting obtained data, HIM experts stimulate the use of data and nurture its usage. Information governance, data governance, and stewardship are becoming more important duties for HIM practitioners (Moore, et al. 2020). The growth of these sectors requires a combination of leadership, management, and IT abilities. For individuals who are willing to stay on top of the latest developments in healthcare, occupations such as clinical data manager, terminology asset manager, and health data analyst will remain in high demand.
Assessment for AHIMA’s Effectiveness of Management Information
Payment reform, health information exchange, and value-based purchasing efforts are just a few of the challenges facing healthcare leaders today. The common denominator in all of these challenges is making sure that data are accessible, shareable, and transferable. There has never been a greater need for information governance (IG) as electronic health records (EHRs) have been more widely employed in all healthcare settings. Strong information and data governance, stewardship, management, and evaluation are essential for dealing with these complex issues (Moore, et al. 2020). Data and information governance is based on eight basic concepts articulated by the AHIMA Information Governance Principles for Healthcare. The first one is accountability. This entails the identification or designation of a senior member, like in this case, the CIO, who will be responsible for developing and maintaining the program. Secondly, transparency will be ideal for documenting activities and processes related to the program, and they are easily accessible and available for review at any time by the stakeholders. Integrity is the third principle that AHIMA observes, whereby the systems should have evidence of trust in authentication, completion of information, accuracy, and timeliness. The programs are protected by confidential and private information from corruption, breach, and loss (Moore, et al. 2020). The programs comply with the federal, state, and local regulations, healthcare organizations’ procedures, and policies, ethical practices, and accrediting agencies’ standards. The sixth principle is accessibility, which means that data can be quickly and easily retrieved by those who are accountable and permitted. According to ethical and legal standards, information has a finite life expectancy that must be adhered to. Finally, the AHIMA disposal procedure guarantees that information is disposed of in an ethical and legal manner (Moore, et al. 2020). Safe, effective, and high-quality treatment can only be provided if patients’ health information can be properly secured and confirmed. There is a pressing need to guarantee that the information gathered via the use of health information technology is accurate. All information created or utilized in a healthcare institution must be of the highest quality, regardless of where it came from (Kavandi, & Jaana, 2020). To guarantee the accuracy, timeliness, relevance, validity, and completeness of the data, they must be collected. Data are everywhere in healthcare. Continuous quality improvement and strategic patient care advancement will be achieved via the utilization of data components inside companies, as well as benchmarking population health programs (Moore, et al. 2020). Progress and future projections within a healthcare institution are determined through the use of data components. The primary efforts of payment reform and quality measure reporting amplify the data requirements of a company. As new categorization and nomenclature systems get more precise and granular, they highlight the necessity of data qualities such as consistency, completeness, and correctness.
Part 3
Incorporating what was learned in the course
Early in the planning process, data quality measures must be introduced. When feasible, definitions and permissible values for data dictionaries should be based on standards. High-quality data is essential for meaningful data analysis. Data must be used in the proper context, and conclusions must be restricted to a similar population if the underlying data are valid. Thus, the medical business needs information and data governance procedures to handle the ever-increasing volume of electronic information and data (Huo, et al. 2019). Offshore data transfer involves governance and procedure compliance in addition to the gathering of relevant metrics. Information may be regulated utilizing the eight principles outlined above regardless of the variety in the healthcare business. The AHIMA HIM Core Model’s additional data-driven activities have a framework thanks to information governance, which establishes parameters based on organizational and compliance norms, processes, decision rights, and obligations. All health information is managed per applicable laws, rules, and standards, as well as the policies of the organization in which it is being used. Data should use security measures to secure itself to achieve data quality management (Kavandi, & Jaana, 2020). A secure audit trail should be maintained for all data communications, and confidential agreements with trustworthy partners should ensure that data is safeguarded at rest and in storage and backup settings. Function-based security, which limits access depending on the requirements of the user to carry out his or her role, should be implemented to help with this (Kavandi, & Jaana, 2020). There should be proper monitoring and encryption in place, as well as security measures in place to ensure the safety of devices. Protecting and ensuring ethical use of health information is the primary goal of HIM experts.
Insights and Recommendation
Defining a Mission
The first step in resolving any issue is to determine what the desired outcome is, as had been anticipated. There has been a lack of focus on the right aim in health care reform efforts, which has hampered progress. It has been a diversion to focus on narrow objectives like enhancing access to care, keeping expenses in check, and increasing profits (Fox, & Connolly, 2018). No one wants to get bad treatment or save costs at the cost of quality. In today’s healthcare environment, profit is not linked with the interests of patients since profits are generated by expanding the number of services, not by providing excellent outcomes (Fox, & Connolly, 2018). Providers as well as every other stakeholder in the health care industry must strive to improve patients’ quality of life, which is defined as their health outcomes and the cost of reaching those results. Improved results must be achieved without increasing expenses or decreasing costs without sacrificing outcomes. The inability to enhance value is a sure sign of failure.
Decide on the services that will be provided.
Integration begins by assessing what services can be efficiently delivered by a provider and deleting or decreasing service lines that cannot realistically reach high value. Providers in the community may have to leave or enter into partnerships in service areas that are more complicated, such as heart surgery or treatment of uncommon malignancies. In the case of university medical institutions, which have greater resources and personnel, this may entail reducing regular lines of service and developing affiliations or partnerships with lower-cost community doctors in the same areas of expertise (Chen et al. 2018). A change to a value-based delivery system would need reducing service lines, even though this has historically been an irregular act in health care, as institutions attempt to provide all they can for everyone.
Make sure each service is in the proper place
This is the third component of system integration: offering specific services in the areas where the value is most high. There should be a shift from teaching hospitals to lower-cost institutions for less difficult illnesses and regular care, with appropriate rates (Chen et al. 2018). Matching the skillsets and complexity required with the intensity resource of the location would not only save costs but also raise staff utilization and productivity, which is an enormous value improvement opportunity (Chen et al. 2018). Providers are often compensated for providing services in a hospital context, and academic medical centers sometimes pay much more for these services. High-priced venues are no longer the place to charge inflated costs for ordinary services.
Streamline care by integrating it across the board
Individual patient care is the last step in integrating the healthcare system. As care is distributed across several places, providers must learn how to connect the patient’s care across various locations. A single site is not required for repeating services, however, care should be directed by IPUs (Adepoju, & Opel, n.d). Those suffering from low back discomfort, for example, maybe evaluated by a spine IPU team in the city and, if necessary, have surgery there, but they could continue their physical treatment elsewhere. The IPU, on the other hand, oversees the whole care process, regardless of where the services are provided (Adepoju, & Opel, n.d). An efficient and cost-effective strategy to give multidisciplinary treatment is by incorporating mechanisms like assigning a single practitioner team captain to every patient and using standard scheduling and other procedures.
Develop a Technology Enabling Platform
A sixth component of the value agenda, a supporting information technology platform, enables the prior five components. As a result of this practice, health care IT systems have traditionally been divided into departments based on geography, service type, and data type (for instance, images). Frequently, IT systems obstruct rather than facilitate coordinated, interdisciplinary treatment. One cannot automate faulty service-delivery procedures since IT is merely a tool (Orzol, et al. 2018). There are several ways that an IT system may assist in bringing together the many components of an IPU and facilitating the implementation of innovative new payment and reimbursement models.
Six fundamental components are necessary for a value-enhancing IT platform. The first one is that patients are at the heart of everything. Patients are tracked throughout their treatment, from admission to discharge, testing to physical therapy, and all in between. Information about patients is aggregated rather than information about specific departments, divisions, or places (Yang, et al. 2021). Secondly, common data definitions are used. Standardization of terminology and fields of data for diagnostics, lab values, therapies, and other areas of care enables data to be analyzed, transferred and searched across the entire system since everyone is speaking the same language. Thirdly, patients’ medical records are all included in the system (Yang, et al. 2021). Everyone involved in a patient’s treatment gets access to all of the patient’s medical records, photos, chemo prescriptions, blood tests, and other data in one location (Gardner, et al. 2019). Additionally, every member of the healthcare team may view the patient’s medical records that cover patients and recommend doctors. Using a simple “stress test” inquiry, it is essential to establish whether visiting nurses and doctors can view each other’s notes in an IT system. In most cases, “no” is the correct response. Sharing information across various sorts of doctors, such as in IPUs, has to become a daily occurrence (Gardner, et al. 2019). Patients should also be able to schedule appointments, renew medicines, and interact with physicians using a single set of patient information in the correct medical record. Patient’s functional status and pain levels, for example, should be simple to ask about using this new technology (Orzol, et al. 2018). Lastly, the design of the system facilitates the extraction of data. Using natural language processing, data required to monitor patient-centered expenses and manage patient risk factors may be easily retrieved in systems focused on delivering better value to their users (Orzol, et al. 2018). Additionally, these systems allow patients to report results on their treatment, not just after their care is complete and not only while they are receiving it, to aid in improved clinical decision-making. Such data creation and extraction is still a major problem in even the most modern systems. As a consequence, monitoring results and expenses becomes more expensive than it should be.
As the world embraces technological advances, so should the different organizations in the diverse global economy. The health sector has incorporated technology in various angles, and at different degrees. The future of technology is bright, and its impact will be felt across all borders. Health Information Technology is an example of the technological advancements experienced, and the health sector is one of the sectors that will benefit from technology.
References
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