Assignment Objectives

Execute and employ appropriate quantitative and qualitative techniques to manage and allocate human, fiscal, technological, informational, and other important resources.

Analyzing Health Care Decision Making

A number of quantitative methods are utilized to make decisions and recommendations in health care. Quantitative methods are used to analyze and predict the demand for patient services, to determine capital expenditures for facility and technology enhancements, and to guide the manager in implementing quality controls. Whether or not you are familiar with quantitative methodologies, as a manager, you are responsible for the outcomes of implementing the decision based on the method used.

Your agency or institution has noted a negative trend in profitability for a diagnostic imaging cost center over the past 4 quarters.

As a manager, you need to make some recommendations to take to your board of directors to reverse the negative trend. Your first priority is to find a quantitative method to help you in making decisions. Complete the following:

Choose a quantitative method (e.g., the decision tree model).

Describe the model that you are using.

Outline at least 4 proposed solutions to your board of directors, and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of each with regard to return on investment, break-even analysis, improvement in patient demand, improved patient safety and quality, and so forth.

Summarize how the decision-making method helped you make objective recommendations to your board of directors.