course project: critical analysis of a u.s. healthcare challenge

This HSM420 Course Project provides you with an opportunity to select one important health insurance, managed care, or healthcare reform challenge (or problem to solve) and analyze it in greater depth in a written format.

The paper should critically analyze the issues related to your topic within the context of the current healthcare environment, and also considering future directions in U.S. medical care. Web references, books, and professional journal articles should be considered as references. And don’t overlook the DeVry Online Library as an important source of information for your paper!

• Your Course Project should be 7–10 pages in length, with 10-point font, and double-spaced. Include a cover page, table of contents, introduction, body of the report, summary/conclusion, and works cited.
• Even though this is not a scientific writing assignment, and is mostly creative in nature, references are still very important. At least six authoritative outside references are required. These should be listed on the last page, titled Works Cited.
• Appropriate citations are required.
• All DeVry University policies are in effect, including the plagiarism policy.
• Papers are due during Week 7 of this course.
• Any questions about this paper may be discussed in the weekly Q & A Discussion topic.
• This Course Project is worth 320 total points and will be graded on quality of research topic, quality of paper information, use of citations, grammar, and sentence structure.
• At least 6-8 credible resources with a retrieved from so I know where it came from.

• Pros and Cons of Managed Care in America

• Challenges in Managing Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs)

• Challenges in Managing Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs)

• Problems in Network Contracting for Managed Care

• Legal Issues Associated With Managed Care Contracting

• Challenges in Utilization and Case Management in Managed Care

• Approaches to Disease Management in Managed Care

• Managing Quality Improvement in Managed Care

• Achieving Effective Marketing and Sales in Managed Care

• Achieving and Maintaining Accreditation in Managed Care

• Preventing Fraud and Abuse in Managed Care

• Complying With State and Federal Regulation of Managed Care

• Problems in Medicare Managed Care

• Problems in Medicaid Managed Care

• Effective Information Systems in Managed Care

• Challenges in Patient Relations for Managed Care

• Challenges in Provider Relations for Managed Care

NOTE: Other topics related to course content and TCOs are acceptable, but only as approved in advance by your professor.

The Course Project is worth 370 points (50 for the Course Project topic, 100 for the Course Project outline, 170 for the final Course Project, and 50 for the Peer Review).

Topic (Week 2): 50 points
It is expected that you will provide a focused topic, including a statement of the key challenges or problems currently associated with the topic in America.

Outline (Week 5): 100 points

It is expected that the outline be submitted in a formal outline format as demonstrated below. Your outline should show enough detail to demonstrate that you have begun thinking about the organization of your paper and the research required into the topic. After your outline, please submit a listing of the sources you have already identified for your paper.

1. Each Roman numeral should be a main section of the paper.
1. Subpoint
1. Details of Subpoint
1. Details Related to the Subpoint
2. Subpoint

Final Course Project (Week 7): 170 points

It is expected that the final version of your Course Project will be 7–10 pages in length, with 6–8 sources identified.

APA in-text citation is required in addition to listing all of your sources on a works cited page at the end of the document. Your grade will be affected if you do not cite or identify your sources correctly.

Peer Review (Week 8): 50 Points

After you have submitted your project in Week 7, you will then attach your final project to a discussion posting in Week 8. Please make sure to do this as early as possible. You will then find two other projects to review in the Week 8 Discussion and submit your critiques in a discussion post.

Your final Course Project must include the following sections in addition to a cover page and table of contents. It may also include other sections if you deem it necessary and appropriate.

1. Introduction
2. Background
3. Define the Challenges and Problems Associated With Your Topic
4. Review of the Literature
5. Challenges/Problems Analysis
6. Recommend Solutions
7. Implementation of Solutions
8. Justification
9. Summary and Conclusion
10. Works Cited

The following are the best practices in preparing this paper.

1. Cover Page—Include who you prepared the paper for, who prepared it, and the date.
2. Table of Contents—List the main ideas and section of your paper and the pages in which they are located. The illustrations should be included separately.
3. Introduction—Use a header on your paper. This will indicate you are introducing your paper.

The purpose of an introduction or opening:

1. Introduce the subject and why the subject is important.
2. Preview the main ideas and the order in which they will be covered.
3. Establish a tone of the document.

Include in the introduction a reason for the audience to read the paper. Also, include an overview of what you are going to cover in your paper and the importance of the material. (This should include or introduce the questions you are asked to answer on each assignment.)

• Body of Your Report—Use a header titled with the name of your project. Example: “The Development of Hotel X—A World Class Resort.” Then proceed to break out the main ideas. State the main ideas, state major points in each idea, and provide evidence. Break out each main idea you will use in the body of your paper. Show some type of division, such as separate sections that are labeled; separate groups of paragraphs; or headers. You would include the information you found during your research and investigation. Sections for the HSM420 Course Project are as follows.
• Background
• Define the Challenges and problems associated with your topic
• Review of the literature
• Challenges/problems analysis
• Recommended solutions
• Implementation of solutions
• Justification
• Summary and Conclusion—Summarizing is similar to paraphrasing but presents the gist of the material in fewer words than the original. An effective summary identifies the main ideas and major support points from the body of your report. Minor details are left out. Summarize the benefits of the ideas and how they affect the industry.
• Work Cited—Use the citation format as specified in the Syllabus.

Additional hints on preparing the best possible project are below.

1. Apply a three-step process of writing: plan, write, and complete.
2. Prepare an outline of your research paper before you go forward.
3. Complete a first draft, and then go back to edit, evaluate, and make any changes required.
4. Use visual communication to further clarify and support the written part of your report. You could use example graphs, diagrams, photographs, flowcharts, maps, drawings, animation, video clips, pictograms, tables, and Gantt charts.