Presenting a Paper/Thesis

[HPMMajor]

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Hey Guys, I'm a current senior majoring in Health Policy and Management. For our senior seminar course, we need to write a 40 page thesis relating to an issue in the health care sector. My particular thesis coordinator, who has taught me in two past courses, has asked if I would like to present my paper to the New England Political Science Association. It will basically be me, 2 of my undergraduate classmates, and PhD candidates presenting our findings. Despite the high pressure, I realize that this is an opportunity I cannot pass up.

My teacher has asked that I send him my paper ideas to discuss research suggestions and relevant readings. I figured I would run my proposals by the SDN community and see if you had any suggestions.

1) The lack of standardization among Health Information Technology- I would probably begin the paper talking about the many benefits of E-Technology (Electronic health records, collaboration among providers, continuity of care, reduced administrative work, ect.) I would then shift to the problems about standardization (too many different platforms unable to communicate with each other- systems are basically useless outside their own internal organization)- I would then give examples- start small about how an individual is affected by the lack of standardization then move up and talk about how entire organizations are affected and then even broader, how the whole industry is affected (insurance companies)

2) Health Care for illegal immigrants

3) Disproportionate Share Hospitals

Any advice? Any other topics you think are interesting?

 

[docB]

1) The lack of standardization among Health Information Technology- I would probably begin the paper talking about the many benefits of E-Technology (Electronic health records, collaboration among providers, continuity of care, reduced administrative work, ect.) I would then shift to the problems about standardization (too many different platforms unable to communicate with each other- systems are basically useless outside their own internal organization)- I would then give examples- start small about how an individual is affected by the lack of standardization then move up and talk about how entire organizations are affected and then even broader, how the whole industry is affected (insurance companies)

2) Health Care for illegal immigrants

3) Disproportionate Share Hospitals

Any advice? Any other topics you think are interesting?

A quick point about the standardization of healthcare info. The two biggest obstacles to the creating of a widely accessable databank of healthcare info are privacy concerns and the different platforms used by each existing healthcare entity. The actual information is relatively standardized because medicine is standardized. Practically all of us document in the same way because it's taught that way. Chief complaint, HPI, ROS, meds, allergies, PMHx, SocHx, PE, Data, Impression/diagnosis, plan for initial visits, consults and SOAP notes for subsequent interactions. Procedure notes and diagnostic interpretations are also fairly standard. Even docs practicing in different regions working within different hospital systems are standardized across the industry.

BTW What's a "disproportionate share" hospital?

 

[HPMMajor]

Thanks for the response. Yes, privacy and confidentiality are huge issues we are going to need to deal with regarding the transmission and use of EHRs

Disproportionate Share Hospitals are medical facilities that treat a very high number of uninsured and Medicaid patients- basically hospitals who operate "in the red" because of their poor payer mix and expensive patients.