D223 – Performance Assessment 1: Analysis of U Health Hospital

Student Name

Western Governors University

D223 Healthcare Policy and Economics

Prof. Name:

Date

A. Examination of a Healthcare Organization

A1. Which Healthcare Organization Was Selected from the American Hospital Directory (AHD) Website?

The healthcare institution chosen for this analysis is the University of Utah Health Hospital, located in Salt Lake City, Utah.

A2. Why Is This Healthcare Organization Significant?

This hospital holds personal and professional significance for me. It is a Level 1 trauma center within my county, making it a critical healthcare provider in my community. Additionally, it is the hospital where I delivered both of my children and receive my ongoing medical care. Professionally, I have been employed at University of Utah Health for eight years, which gives me a unique perspective on its operations and values.

A3. What Type of Facility Is University of Utah Health Hospital?

The University of Utah Health Hospital functions as a short-term acute care facility offering a broad spectrum of clinical services. These include:

Cardiovascular services
Emergency services
Neurosciences
Oncology
Organ transplant
Orthopedics
Surgery
Wound care
Psychiatric services
Rehabilitation services
Radiology
Special care

As a major teaching hospital, it is a member of the Council of Teaching Hospitals and Health Systems (COTH), reinforcing its role in education and research.

A3a. What Is the Facility’s Type of Control?

This hospital is a governmental, state-operated institution. This classification means the hospital offers healthcare services privately while being directly reimbursed by the government for these services. Being government-controlled also provides access to government-funded research opportunities and grants, allowing the hospital to expand services beyond profitability to serve public health needs.

A4. How Is the Hospital’s Overall Quality Rated?

According to Medicare (2023), the University of Utah Health Hospital has earned a 5-star overall rating, indicating superior performance compared to other hospitals. This rating is based on seven key categories:

Quality Category	Description
Mortality	Death rates for certain conditions
Safety of Care	Preventing harm and medical errors
Readmission Rates	Rates at which patients return for additional care
Patient Experience	Patient feedback on their care experience
Timeliness of Care	Speed and efficiency of care delivery
Effectiveness of Care	How well treatments achieve desired outcomes
Efficient Use of Imaging	Appropriate use of diagnostic imaging

Hospitals scoring 4 or 5 stars consistently outperform many others, reflecting high standards in clinical and operational domains.

A4a. What Other Quality Data Are Available?

Additional quality insights are provided by the Joint Commission, which accredits hospitals that meet rigorous performance and safety standards. Achieving this accreditation confirms the hospital’s commitment to quality and patient safety.

A5. How Does the Organization Reflect Ethical Practices?

The mission of University of Utah Health emphasizes improving public health and quality of life through leadership in education, research, and clinical care (University of Utah Health Care, 2023). Staff members are accountable for adhering to institutional policies, compliance programs, and applicable laws, including HIPAA, which ensures patient data privacy. The hospital also offers many government-funded services that are not financially profitable but essential for community health, reflecting an ethical commitment to care beyond financial gain.

A6. What Role Do Nurses Play in Value-Based Care (VBC)?

Nurses are critical in ensuring the financial and clinical success of value-based care models. They contribute by:

Preventing medical waste (e.g., avoiding duplicate lab tests)
Ensuring accurate billing and appropriate use of resources
Reducing hospital-acquired infections through rigorous hand hygiene

By aligning clinical practice with these principles, nurses help maximize patient outcomes while controlling costs.

A7. How Can the Facility Improve Value-Based Care Delivery?

Enhancing patient-centered care is a key strategy for improving value-based care delivery. By focusing on the patient’s needs and preferences, the hospital can ensure higher quality care, better reimbursement rates, and increased patient satisfaction.

B. Financial Comparison of Healthcare Organizations

B1. How Does University of Utah Health Compare Financially to Nearby Facilities?

A comparison was made between the University of Utah Health Hospital and Intermountain Medical Center, another Level 1 trauma center in Utah. Both are short-term acute care facilities but differ in control and mission:

Financial Metric	University of Utah Health (Governmental)	Intermountain Medical Center (Nonprofit)
Gross Patient Revenue	95.8%	99.6%
Non-Patient Revenue	4.2%	0.4%
Net Income	4.0%	5.7%

University of Utah Health’s governmental model incorporates more non-patient revenue, reflecting government funding and grants, while Intermountain, as a nonprofit, focuses heavily on patient care revenue.

B2. Which Facility Aligns More Closely with Equitable Patient-Centered Care?

University of Utah Health aligns more closely with equitable, patient-centered care due to its obligations to meet tax exemption criteria that require providing comprehensive services to the local population. Nonprofit hospitals like Intermountain Medical Center typically adopt localized strategies to address the economic and social needs of their communities (Crowley et al., 2021).

B3. What Sources Can Inform Organizational Transformation?

Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS): Measures patient satisfaction and care quality from the patient’s perspective.
Total Performance Score: Financial data across multiple domains that directly impacts reimbursement, reflecting organizational effectiveness in delivering value-based care.

References

American Hospital Directory. (2021). Free Profile. Retrieved from https://www.ahd.com/

American Hospital Directory. (2023a). University of Utah Hospital. Retrieved from https://www.ahd.com/free_profile.php?hcfa_id=8dbfa09fa7b5759d676224e37b5448bf&ek=eb078f2153cf6ec6e43027bd169ea969

American Hospital Directory. (2023b). Intermountain Medical Center. Retrieved from https://www.ahd.com/free_profile.php?hcfa_id=80a9fd0ec186c833427e04d9a8f5db99&ek=9e3536910d7d556c9605af1344ea5b15

Crowley, R., Atiq, O., Hilden, D., Beachy, M., Brislen, H., Curry, W., Dhinghra, M., Engel, L., Henry, T., Hollon, M., Mathew, S., Shoushrari, C., Southworth, M., & Tan, M. (2023, June 18). Financial profit in medicine: A position paper from the American College of Physicians. Annals of Internal Medicine. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34487452