The MHA 668 course has focused on the understanding of the role of
healthcare administrators in the development and implementation of quality
standards as part of the strategic planning process. This final paper requires
research and analysis of a case study focusing on various quality improvement
issues encountered by the healthcare administrator. The purpose of the assignment is to apply course concepts in the analysis and interpretation of situations in health administration.
o Students will select a case from one of the websites noted in week 2.
The case selected: Reducation of Turnaround Time in the Emergency Room Department
Students should avoid duplication of cases. Students must use the case submitted and agreed upon in Unit 2 unless approved by the instructor.
o In order to analyze a case study, one must examine closely the issues in which the healthcare agency is confronted. Most often, it may be necessary to read the case several times – once to grasp the overall picture of what is happening to the facility and then several times more to discover and grasp the specific problems.
o After reviewing the details of the case study, students should complete a
professional analysis paper.
o Requirements: 1,500 – 2,000 words, APA-compliant. The page length
requirement does not include the required title page and reference pages.
o Recommended paper format:
o Title page and page numbers
o Introduction – This section of the paper should provide background
information of the case. This includes a brief overview of the key facts of
the case. It may be necessary to use properly referenced sources to support
information in this section. This component of the paper should not be
lengthy but should contain enough information to create interest in the
case.
o Statement of the problem – Define the central issue. The paper should
include a concise statement of the major problem identified in the case.
Many cases will involve several issues or problems. Identify the most
important problems and separate them from the more trivial issues.
o Causes of the problem – This section provides a detailed analysis of the
causes of the problem identified. Students should clearly demonstrate the
use of course concepts in problem identification.
o Possible solutions – This section should detail a variety of solutions to the
problem in addition to the ones that may be mentioned in the case. Make
sure that the solution addresses the CAUSE of the problem. The analysis
should address what should be done, by whom, and in what sequence.
Students should also consider the pros and cons of all possible solutions.
o Recommendations and Conclusions – This section of the case analysis
process involves making recommendations based on your analysis.
Obviously, the quality of your recommendations is a direct result of the
thoroughness with which you prepared the case analysis. This section of
the analysis should tell why your solution and implementation will work.
A major objective of this section is to show how course concepts are
applied to reach a workable solution. The conclusions and
recommendations should be supported by references, course readings, and
lecture notes.
o Christian worldview – The last part of the paper should also address how
your Christian worldview perspective impacts or frames your ideas and
discussions related to the issues presented in the paper. This part of the
assignment should be 500-750 words in length (within the paper).
o Reference page – Your paper must be APA-compliant. Resources for
APA formatting are included in the Resources section of this module. You
should have a minimum of five references (not including The Holy Bible
which should not be listed on the reference page).
