week 2 assigment 6900/Improving Population Health—Letter to the Editor
There are mechanisms in place that are used to improve population health, including (1) health statuses and outcomes, (2) determinant factors, and (3) interventions
that address determinant factors and improve outcomes (Joshi et al., 2014 p. 549). How health care is provided and how it can be improved is the focus of this
assignment, which lends itself to a perfect opportunity for you to put your analysis skills into practice. The Learning Resources section this week provides you with
data from the patient experience of care that also sheds light on expectations that have and have not been met. The Healthy People 2020 data provides measurements and
goals for health care into the future, along with reasons for achieving those goals.
For this Assignment, you will read a scenario, analyze an existing problem using the data/resources provided, and make recommendations to address the issues.
To prepare:
Review all Learning Resources for the week that relate to improving population health
The Assignment:
Read the following scenario:
The community of Springfield (population approximately 100,000) is made up of hardworking, mostly older, factory laborers who contributed to both the city and county
growth from the late 1950s through early 2005. Since the plant closed, many of the former workers have little to look forward to. There are few jobs available and they
are now aging; most are 60 years of age or older.
The Memorial Hospital has been in existence since the mid-1950s and has several primary care physicians and nurse practitioners, a couple of general surgeons, and one
cardiologist, but no cardiac surgeons.
Many nurses are recruited from the nearby community college, and the hospital serves as the facility for clinical rounds in their education.
The community is pretty sedentary, with the exception of an occasional game of horseshoes. Cigarette smoking is prominent.
Serious concerns surround the continued existence of the hospital because many residents seek and obtain health care services elsewhere.
Compare the population of this city to other problem areas using the Healthy People sources. The town’s population is approximately 100,000, making the comparison
fairly straightforward.
Using the information provided in the scenario and the:
HCAHPS Data and Healthy People 2020 Data
From this week’s Learning Resources, write a 2-page Letter to the Editor of the local paper that includes:
An evaluation of the issues that would be the focus on need for quality improvement
An analysis of existing problems/issues based on data/resources provided
2 or 3 recommended strategies to address each quality improvement issue
Note: Your Assignment must be written in standard edited English. Be sure to support your work with at least five high-quality references, including two from peer-
reviewed journals. Refer to the Essential Guide to APA Style for Walden Students to ensure that your in-text citations and reference list are correct. This Assignment
will be graded using this rubric: Week 2 Assignment Rubric (PDF). Your Assignment should show effective application of triangulation of content and resources in your
conclusion and recommendations.
learning resources
Required Readings
Joshi, M. S., Ransom, E. R., Nash, D. B., & Ransom, S. B. (Eds.). (2014). The healthcare quality book: Vision, strategy, and tools (3rd ed.). Chicago, IL: Health
Administration Press.
Chapter 1, “Healthcare Quality and the Patient” (pp. 3–30)
Healthy People 2020. (n.d.a). 2020 topics and objectives. Retrieved from http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives
Healthy People 2020. (n.d.c). How to use DATA2020. Retrieved from http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/How-to-Use-DATA2020
Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.hcahpsonline.org/home.aspx
Press Ganey. (n.d.). HCAHPS regulatory survey. Retrieved from http://www.pressganey.com/solutions/service-a-to-z/hcahps-regulatory-survey
U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Hospital compare. Retrieved from http://www.medicare.gov/hospitalcompare/search.html
Document: HCAHPS Data and Healthy People 2020 Data (PDF)
This document contains data needed to successfully complete the Assignment this week, including HCAHPS survey data and Healthy People 2020 statistics.
Required Media
McGregor, A. (2014). Why medicine often has dangerous side effects for women [Video file]. Retrieved from
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 15 minutes.
