Where I work now we are working hard to make it easy for patients to be treated in a safe environment. Patients as they come in still can't believe that they must wear a mask when they are in there because of every where is still open, but the truth is in the health care setting that maybe they should have before all this. I say this just because when many of us go to the ER or Urgent Care or even our own doctor we are usually sick with something that can spread to someone else. We are starting to make sure that we have proper testing for those that need t to get to work sooner and want to fly to other destinations. We are also starting to have vaccinations to help those that would like to get them as well. With the many locations that we have it is easy for us to make sure that we are doing our part to keep our patients safe when they enter and exit our facilities. Another way we are helping our patients is by helping them understand their insurance policies and how the co-pay, deductible and co-insurance work. We do this by informing them at the time of service that we will collect them at the time of visit. Many patients do not realize how different the Urgent Care setting is compared to the ER and their PCP and of course there is difficulty explaining it to them. Many patients if they would only pay a co-pay will receive a bill later because they have not reached their deductible or their co-insurance has kicked in. With us talking to them about and informing them we take away that long process and no surprise bills. With the new system we installed at the end of last year it gives us better access to their insurance plans so that they will not get upset with surprise billing, but of course we can't be perfect and there still might be something.

1. According to the statement above what can you agree and or disagree with?

I am not currently working in a health care organization, however, I do keep up with the news, and my significant other works in the emergency department. COVID is on the rise yet again, so all business employees have been asked to wear masks again. Face masks for consumers are HIGHLY recommended. Hospitals never removed the mask mandate and have required masks the entire time. It is recommended that citizens wear masks even if they have been vaccinated, to simply help prevent even more spreading of the virus. The next implication is to get vaccinated. Many people have their beliefs and are afraid of the vaccine due to it being manufactured so quickly, however, most people contracting COVID at this time are not vaccinated. There are some that are getting COVID that are vaccinated, vaccines are not 100% but they are showing less severity. Furthermore, when both the source and the receiver wear masks modified to improve fit, the receivers exposure is reduced by more than 95% compared with no mask at all (Stephenson, 2021, para. 7). Hospitals will need to continue to assess their employees and how well masks are fitting their staff. If staff is wearing masks that are not fitting their faces correctly, then we are not stopping as many particles as possible. This increases the likelihood that COVID will continue to spread. A topic that I found interesting more recently is the COVID vaccine in adolescents. A study performed in New England reveals that Pfizer has the highest effectiveness in adolescents. The study, which looked at 2,260 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 15, observed that 100% efficacy in the group, with a favorable safety and side-effect profile (Peer review of Pfizer, 2021, para.1). This can help pediatrician offices recommend the vaccine for children as the effectiveness is astounding. Also, hospitals can prepare for unvaccinated children and those under the age of 12. Not all emergency departments and hospitals are prepared for infant or adolescent emergencies and with COVID these can be at a higher rate especially those with underlying medical conditions. Hospitals must create policies and procedures to ensure that the same care is given throughout the hospital. They are on the front lines of helping to slow this virus down. They must isolate those who have it and prevent those who do not during their hospital stay.

2. According to the statement above what can you agree and or disagree with?

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