How Hospital Mergers Affect Patient Care
Members of the healthcare field are always taking new and risky measures to cure sickness and guarantee the health of men, women, and children. Patient care is the single most important aspect of medical practice, but sometimes decisions can lead to larger problems. From a prescription for an unnecessary antidepressant to an upgrade in medical equipment, patients may experience several irritating changes, but one action, in particular, may result in even more inconvenience on part of these people.
Hospital mergers appear to be convenient choices for healthcare professionals and patients alike, but the fact of the matter is that the patients can pay dearly. In some cases, health insurance might not be enough to cover a test, surgery, or hospital stay, which can result in severe repercussions.
So, how severe is this problem? Let’s take a look at the double-edged sword of hospital mergers and find out some more information.
A Mixed Bag of Opportunities and Disappointments
As stated before, hospital mergers are a double-edged sword. On one side of the argument, some hospital administrators have argued that combining hospital networks increases the effectiveness of the workforce, allows for improvements in patient care, and permit patient access to formerly inaccessible and large-scale equipment.
Based on this argument, you can see why hospital mergers appear to be a good idea, but the fact of the matter is that some economists are worried about this consolidation process for several reasons:
- Mergers can decrease the quality of medical procedures, ultimately impeding patient care.
- Patient rights face difficulties if secular and religious-based hospitals merge.
- Doctors may order the re-admission of newborns and cardiac patients due to short-term hospital stays.
- Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals may struggle to care for the large influx of patients.
Do Mergers Offer Any Positive Outcomes
So, can these mergers offer any benefits for patients? As indicated in the previous section, hospital mergers can and do create a number of positive outcomes for men, women, and children:
- Decreasing yearly expenses by $5.8 million (a 25% drop)
- Offering more innovative testing and treatment
- Creating an opportunity for stronger patient-doctor relationships
Personal Injury Lawyer in New York
We rely on doctors to help us through our smallest and most severe health issues throughout our lifetimes. Whether people are suffering from chronic illnesses or dealing with the common cold, our healthcare providers are here to make sure we are as healthy as possible. However, the human body is extremely vulnerable to the smallest error. In the case of a botched surgery or misdiagnosis, patients can suffer even more pain than before, leading to disastrous consequences.
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