There are different types of healthcare organizations across the United States that are known to assist patients at different levels. The types of healthcare organizations selected are hospitals and Ambulatory surgical centers. Healthcare facilities offer a service to their clients via a continuum of care and appear to be more charged for service-based as contrary to client-based organizations (Chen et al., 2020). The essay compares and contrasts two types of healthcare organizations.
Hospital
A hospital involves a critical catch-all healthcare organization and its services may differ greatly based on its location and size, even though the hospital’s main objective is to save people’s lives. An accredited hospital administrative structure comprises a governing board that depicts, the society, and an executive committee accountable for patient care tasks, and is backed by standing committees, together with the hospital management department comprising the chief administrator and many assistants. Typically, hospitals have a broad array of departments that may be loosely divided into intensive care units (ICUs) and non-intensive care units (Chen et al., 2020). The ICU handles emergencies and the most crucial injuries and illnesses.
Consequently, patients suffering from imminently life-ending issues go to ICUs, while non-intensive care units comprise things such as surgeries, childbirth, step-down for those patients who have received treatment in ICU, and rehabilitation. Generally, a majority of hospital beds might be categorized as non-intensive care (Khullar et al., 2020). Most hospitals provide a wide variety of patient services comprising scheduled surgeries, emergency care, diagnostic testing, patient education, laboratory work, labor and delivery services, blood services, and radiology or X-ray services.
Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC)
An ASC healthcare organization care setting permits patients to get specific surgical procedures outside the hospital environment. The center is focused on offering same-day medical care comprising preventive and diagnostic procedures. ASC provides outpatient experience with more convenient option to hospital-based outpatient processes. The healthcare setting often provides surgeries at a reduced cost as compared to the hospital. The typical administrative structure of an ASC is the amalgamation of management and ownership duties, which are the incorporation of both the business and clinical factors of running an ASC (Dexter & Epstein, 2020). The key clients of ASC are hospitals or physicians, hence, the need to understand these customers to succeed.
Further, the center does not offer clinic hours or diagnostic services, but it takes patients who have been referred for surgery by a physician or hospital. The center is designed to be all business matters in terms of surgical care. Surgeries performed at ASC comprise ophthalmology procedures, for example, cataract removal, LASIK, and glaucoma treatment (Quaty & Berkenstock, 2020). In addition, ASC also deals with Ear, nose, and throat procedures, for instance, sinus surgery, and tonsil removal.
Compare/Contrast Hospital and ASC
Digital Health Technologies
Digital healthcare or health concept comprises ideas from the intersection between healthcare and technology. The use of technology in hospitals has offered them advanced equipment and tools to enhance patient care. For example, with the application of electronic health records (EHRs), doctors can easily access the complete patient’s medical histories and established a well-informed decision on medication for the patient (Lee & Yoon, 2021). In addition, doctors may even utilize medical apps to spot potential medical faults and assist patients safely. Further, smart technologies in healthcare are transforming how patients are treated with remote care, telehealth, and health monitoring technologies that connect patients and physicians (Raven, 2020). Embracing Health Information Technology (HIT) substantially has enhanced the way ASCs do business, permitting them to reduce redundancies, improve efficiencies, and take care of patients effectively.
Conclusion
The two healthcare organizations selected are a hospital and an ambulatory surgery center. The organization operates in different environments using a unique administrative structure. Further, the services offered in hospitals are distinct from those provided in ASC. However, these two healthcare organizations present some similarities in their form of external and internal stakeholders and internal and external forces. In addition, organizations have embraced the use of modern digital health technologies to support their healthcare service delivery.
References
Chen, S., Zhang, Z., Yang, J., Wang, J., Zhai, X., Bärnighausen, T., & Wang, C. (2020). Fangcang shelter hospitals: A novel concept for responding to public health emergencies. The Lancet, 395(10232), 1305-1314. Web.
Dexter, F., & Epstein, R. H. (2020). Erratum for: Strategies for daily operating room management of ambulatory surgery centers following resolution of the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Clinical Anesthesia, 66, 109936. Web.
Khullar, D., Bond, A. M., & Schpero, W. L. (2020). COVID-19 and the financial health of US hospitals. JAMA, 323(21), 2127. Web.
Lee, D., & Yoon, S. N. (2021). Application of artificial intelligence-based technologies in the healthcare industry: Opportunities and challenges. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(1), 271. Web.
Quaty, J., & Berkenstock, M. K. (2020). Identifying operating room delays for the first case in an ophthalmic ambulatory surgery center. Perioperative Care and Operating Room Management, 21(1), 100107. Web.
Raven, R. (2020). Embracing digital technology in the ASC. Web.