Atrium Health Hospital Network Research Paper

Atrium health is a leading, not-for-profit hospital network, which was formally known as Carolinas healthcare system. It operates freestanding emergency departments, hospitals, urgent care centers, and medical practices in North Carolina and South Carolina (Atrium Health, 2019). Atrium health is the legal Charlotte-Mecklenburg hospital authority that operates as an independent entity. This paper summarizes key details of this organization, performs a SWOTT analysis, analyzes its current mission statement, and proposes a revised version.

Summary of Atrium Health

Atrium health is a leading provider of full-spectrum medical services to communities in North Carolina and South Carolina. Examples of specialized treatments offered include plastic surgery, surgery, transplant, trauma care, pulmonary medicine, and urology (Atrium Health, 2019). It primarily serves patients (customers) of all ages with various conditions, including cancer, diabetes, eating disorders, heart disorders, infectious diseases, and kidney problems. It also treats victims of domestic violence and people in need of genetic risk counseling. The organization delivers its services through a network of entities that includes hospitals, academic medical centers, physician practices, rehabilitation centers, surgical centers, and nursing homes.

SWOTT Analysis

Strengths

1. Advanced equipment that aid in the treatment of different health problems, such as digital mammography machine and PET/CT (Atrium Health, 2019).
2. All imagery and pathology services are done under one roof limiting movements of medics and specialists from one building to another.
3. Advanced infrastructure and better delivery of services.
4. The organization has experts that have specialized in different fields of treatment.
5. The hospital offers affordable prices to their facilities, services, and products.

Weaknesses

1. The organization is new in the market, which is a disadvantage because it is unknown by most patients. It is also likely to face competition from established providers.
2. Atrium has a limited national presence. It must partner with associates to boost its coverage.
3. The provider’s pricing strategy is not the best. It makes its services and products less competitive in the market (Rege, 2018).
4. The organization faces difficulties in management since they offer their services in a wide range of networks.
5. There are limited business lines in the markets that Atrium operates.

Opportunities

1. The organization has had an incremental improvement in health technology. Thus, the entity is poised to advance technologically, which will allow it to compete effectively in the market.
2. Atrium health has an opportunity to improve its products in the area of pharmacogenomics.
3. The organization can expand to new markets in the US where its services are needed.
4. Universal coverage options will increase the number of healthcare consumers.

Threats

1. Rapid changes in insurance plans, limiting coverage for some conditions.
2. The government has imposed strict reimbursement policies and penalties for not meeting quality targets under the value-driven system.
3. Unfavorable shifts in demography have increased people with complex healthcare needs.
4. Increased competition in the market from other organizations.
5. The economic slowdown, which reduces healthcare utilization rates.

Trends

1. The emergence of electronic medical records and genetic-based diagnostics will affect Atrium’s approach to the treatment of chronic diseases, such as cancer.
2. Patient engagement is increasingly being emphasized. Providers, such as Atrium Health, will have to adopt digital technologies, for example, wearable monitoring tools and social media, for better involvement of their clients in clinical decisions (Rege, 2018).
3. Hospitals are investing in innovations to ensure patient-centered care. For example, Canary Health uses a remote disease management tool to improve outcomes of diabetic patients (Deloitte, 2019).

Analysis of Mission Statement

Atrium health primarily serves North and South Carolina by improving their health through advanced treatments, latest products, and patient education. According to Atrium Health (2019), the organization’s mission statement is to “improve health, elevate hope, and advance healing for all” (para. 3). Core to its purpose are the values of commitment, integrity, teamwork, and being caring.

Customers

From the mission statement, Atrium serves everyone, irrespective of race, gender, age, religion, or sexual orientation. It offers a broad range of services relevant to different population groups. The aim is to cater for diverse healthcare needs.

Product/Service

Consistent with its purpose, the organization offers a full range of medical services and products, including complicated surgeries, brain care, pancreas therapy, and X-ray. It also provides rehabilitation facilities, behavioral health facilities, and urgent care centers (Atrium Health, 2019). The organization treats their customers with dignity and offer services that are responsive to patient needs.

Market

The provider’s mission is to serve all people. It has achieved this goal by creating a wide range of networks in different locations all over North Carolina and South Carolina. Most of the hospitals connected to the organization are within its headquarters.

Core Competencies

The hospital’s capabilities lie in its extensive network in the states it serves. Partnerships with local providers, physician practices, and academic medical institutions enhance Atrium’s market presence. It also has digital infrastructure and an experienced and diverse staff population of about 600,000 that drive its growth. It derives its competitive advantage from advanced technology, specialized expertise, and affordable cost.

Measurability

The organization has come up with a mobile application that facilitates communication between the patients and the medics. Thus, it can determine if it is successful through the feedback received. Atrium also uses patient satisfaction surveys to measure the quality of its services.

Revised Mission Statement

Atrium Health should aspire to become a leading provider offering comprehensive, patient-centered care to all to double its quality rating by 2020. This revised mission statement is an improvement on the current version, as it meets the SMART criterion. It is simple (greater patient involvement) and involves measurable quality scores that are attainable through comprehensive care for all, relevant to value-based healthcare, and time-bound (the year 2020).

References

Atrium Health. (2019).About us. Web.

Deloitte. (2019). 2019 Global health care outlook: Shaping the future. Web.

Rege, A. (2018).Atrium Health’s cost-cutting strategies do not concern UNC Health Care execs ahead of planned merger. Web.