Discussion Questions

Discussion 1: The idea that value depends on consumers' preferences is often considered radical. Analyze the economic theories that are relevant to the provision of health services, and comment on how one or two specific model(s) might explain the framework or context of patient/consumer preference with regard to the health care services they have experienced.

Discussion 2: Imagine that you are a manager running a unit in a rehabilitation center. Up to this point, your primary population of payers has been elderly patients who come into the center for physical therapy. Recently, there has been a demographic shift in the community. A large number of your primary population has moved out of the area or died, which has caused a shift in your revenues. You have been tasked by your director to illustrate the cost and revenue numbers relative to insurance payouts to ensure that your cost does not exceed your revenue. Create an initial post in which you communicate how the potential payer mix relates economically to changing demographics in your given community. What potential solutions would you suggest to your director that might overcome the demographic shift? Analyze economic theories that are relevant to your provision of services and identify one theory that might apply to this specific situation.