Avera Health is a non-profit health organization that spans across a number of US states such as South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Iowa. This healthcare system was founded in 1897 by two religious orders – the Presentation Sisters of Aberdeen and the Benedictine Sisters of Yankton (Avera Health, 2017a). This organization’s main goal is to provide healthcare services to regions with limited reach to hospitals and medical assistance.
Many rural and underdeveloped areas do not have the ability to visit a physical hospital or find a specific professional. To allow every person access to medical attention, Avera Health provides not only on-sight but also virtual care. It is one of the most advanced telehealth services with the use of interactive technology, which helps patients to access the services from a variety of medical specialists without spending time and money on traveling (Avera Health, 2017b).
Moreover, Avera Health has physical hospitals, treatment centers, hospices, health insuring agencies and other medical facilities. However, although the technological advances seem to distinguish this organization from others, it is still important to analyze the preparedness of this organization to serve its patients in the next decades. This paper aims to assess the readiness of the Avera Health organization for the upcoming future and create a strategic plan, which may help the owners to address such topics as network growth, resource management, nurse staffing, and overall patient satisfaction.
Evaluation of the Organization
Avera Health offers a broad range of care practices, which makes it one of the biggest health care providers in the states of its operation (Avera Health, 2017a). The main mission of this organization is “to make a positive impact in the lives and health of persons and communities by providing quality services guided by Christian values” (Avera Health, 2017a). The main specializations of Avera Health include women’s health, pregnancy, cancer, primary care, behavioral health, and orthopedics. Medical professionals of this organization work of the local level as well as through the means of the Internet.
According to the website of the health organization, the accessibility of the services is rather developed, as the company provides services through physical locations, an official website, and a smartphone application. The marketing campaigns of Avera Health are centered on the topics of overall well-being, mindfulness, and sustained healthy habits (Avera Health, 2017a).
Readiness for the Future
The robust telehealth system employed at Avera health distinguishes it from other health organizations. Such a developed system, which includes various means of online communication between patients and medical professionals, significantly affects the way people may view this organization’s quality of service. With a growing trend in online accessibility, Avera Health presents its telehealth services as a viable alternative for old medical practices.
According to Hofmeyer et al. (2016), the implementation of telehealth can significantly influence not only the health of the patients but also reduce the costs connected to transferring patients and their hospitalization. The researchers use the systems of Avera Health as an example, highlighting that Avera’s approach is largely based on the demographic of the rural areas. Thus, the organization has a strong motivation for implementing this particular plan into action.
The reach of the organization is limited to a number of states. The network of Avera Health facilities spans across rural and urban areas with the focus on remote locations, which may not be covered by other health care providers. This approach allows the organization to avoid competition and become a primary health provider for many communities. However, because the locations of physical hospitals can be removed from urban areas as well, it may be hard for the company to recruit highly experienced and skilled personnel successfully. Moreover, the religious basis of the organization may also restrict some hiring opportunities for the organization.
To attract future employees, Avera Health offers a range of benefits for its staff members, including competitive pay, health benefits, and income protection (Avera Health, 2017b). Avera Health’s strategy seems to be prepared to address the needs of the patients in the next decade. However, some improvements can be proposed in order to widen the reach of the company and increase patient satisfaction.
Strategic Plan
Avera Health has an established network of hospitals and other medical facilities throughout multiple states, which allows it to have a wide reach and serve many communities. Moreover, the telehealth system of the organization provides patients with services in small rural towns, which may not have needed specialists available. The strategy of the organization should stay focused on the rural areas, as it is the main group of regions that may not have adequate healthcare. According to Smith et al. (2016), the correct allocation of priorities can significantly impact the outcome of their implementation. Resources of the company should also be taken into account.
The telehealth programs may significantly reduce the use of physical medical facilities and reduce the costs of medical equipment. Thus, by continuing to prioritize small towns with limited healthcare and telehealth, Avera Health’s services should remain highly requested.
To counter the growing understaffing problem that troubles many hospitals, Avera Health should continue to implement a variety of techniques as well as present new ways of attracting future professionals (Avera Health, 2017b). First of all, Avera offers multiple nursing student internship programs that may help new nurses to use their skills and knowledge and begin their careers. However, these opportunities are rather limited to a small number of locations, which may be inconvenient for some students. Providing more opportunities for nursing students and recent graduates should resolve the problem of nurse staffing.
Moreover, it is important for the staff to have an adequate level of readiness to work with computers and the telehealth system of Avera Health. According to Saleh, Khodor, Alameddine, and Baroud (2016), employees’ preparedness to work with eHealth systems is essential to improving the state of telehealth in hospitals. Creating a course for students to see the advantages of telehealth and learn to use these systems may not only attract new employees but also encourage some individuals to propose new improvements to the program. Such a course can be adapted for patients as well, which will improve the clients’ awareness and satisfaction. Although the organization seems to implement patient feedback on their website, new ways of assessing customer satisfaction should always be monitored and considered.
Conclusion
Avera Health is an organization with a well-developed mission and strategic plan. The course of the company is clearly focused on the future of the medical field and its continued improvement. However, the organization’s directors should remember to continue developing the systems that make their company so successful. Focusing on the rural areas, improving the state of the telehealth systems, and empowering and educating new staff as well as patients will allow Avera Health to stay in demand.
References
Avera Health. (2017a). About Avera Health. Web.
Avera Health. (2017b). For health care professionals. Web.
Hofmeyer, J., Leider, J. P., Satorius, J., Tanenbaum, E., Basel, D., & Knudson, A. (2016). Implementation of telemedicine consultation to assess unplanned transfers in rural long-term care facilities, 2012–2015: A pilot study. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 17(11), 1006-1010.
Saleh, S., Khodor, R., Alameddine, M., & Baroud, M. (2016). Readiness of healthcare providers for eHealth: The case from primary healthcare centers in Lebanon. BMC health services research, 16(1), 644.
Smith, N., Mitton, C., Dowling, L., Hiltz, M. A., Campbell, M., & Gujar, S. A. (2016). Introducing new priority setting and resource allocation processes in a Canadian healthcare organization: A case study analysis informed by multiple streams theory. International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 5(1), 23-31.