Order Number |
8756878976778 |
Type of Project |
ESSAY |
Writer Level |
PHD VERIFIED |
Format |
APA |
Academic Sources |
10 |
Page Count |
3-12 PAGES |
Instructions
Timberline Health, an integrated delivery system that serves individuals in five counties in eastern Washington, is looking at innovative ways to raise community awareness of its outpatient health services. As the new business development manager for hearing health services, Jack Andrews is in charge of determining the viability of marketing initiatives for the hearing service line and allocating resources to promotional activities that are expected to generate a favorable return on investment. Sponsoring the health and wellness pavilion at the Spokane County Fair is one possibility being considered. Wellness fairs are beneficial in not just educating communities about potential risk factors for health problems, such as hearing loss, but also increasing consumer knowledge of new or current health services provided by local health organizations, according to research from comparable markets. These activities are critical to Timberline Health’s community goal.
Jack enlists the expertise of his organization’s epidemiologist, Dr. Ruth Litchfield, to assess the possible return on investment for this marketing effort because little is known about the hearing status of inhabitants in the target area. Dr. Litchfield’s analysis takes into account a number of aspects. She looks at public health data on hearing loss, as well as occupational and age distribution data for local individuals and a search of Timberline Health’s patient databases. She estimates the prevalence of hearing loss in the five-county service region at 18 percent, somewhat higher than the national average, based on her research (NIH, 2010). To assist him in his calculations, Jack obtains data from the fair’s sales and marketing department. Sponsorship includes a $50,000 investment in the design and production of promotional materials, as well as the rental of pavilion space for the duration of the twelve-day event. According to data from the previous three years, 250,000 people attend the fair on average, with 1% visiting the wellness pavilion and participating in health screening services.
Timberline Health will need to invest in new portable audiology equipment if it wants to offer mobile hearing screening. Jack obtains a quote from his supplier, and the entire cost of new audiometers and audiometric booths is estimated to be $16,000. Timberline Health will test those who fail the initial screening (i.e. test positive for hearing loss) with existing diagnostic equipment, eliminating the need for additional hearing center equipment. Table 1 shows the vendor requirements for screening and diagnostic equipment.
Table 1: Equipment specifications from vendors
Equipment Sensitivity Specificity
Free audiology screening with portable audiology equipment
88 percent of the time 95 percent
Audiology equipment for follow-up diagnostic testing in a clinic
99%
In addition, Jack calculates that he has to cover three 6-hour shifts each day, with three audiologists on each shift to meet the demand for screening tests. He plans to hire nine workers to cover the fair for the entire term. Audiologists are paid $37.50 per hour.
Those who do not pass the fair’s initial screening are directed to an audiologist for a diagnostic test. In his calculations, Jack estimates that everyone who is referred for diagnostic testing sees an audiologist at one of Timberline Health’s hearing centers. Initial screenings are free at the fair, but Timberline Health charges $57.00 for a diagnostic hearing test, which costs the organization $24.00. Jack predicts that just 20% of persons diagnosed with hearing loss at hearing centers will acquire hearing aids, based on prior sales history and industry indicators (NIH, 2010). As shown in Table 2, he examines sales and margin data from the previous year to determine the product mix for his estimates.
Table 2: Data on sales and margins
Price of Hearing Aids in Units in 2015 Sales Margin
Low-end
$1,000 = $400,000 = 24%
Mid-range
$2,500 $1,250,000 (46%).
High-end
$4,000 $400,000 $600,000 $600,000 $600,000 $600,
Reference
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is a federally funded research organization (2010, October 1). Information Sheet: Hearing aids are used to help people hear better. National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing-aids
Prepare a briefing report (no more than three pages) that meets Dr. Litchfield’s requirements:
Dr. Litchfield is asking for your help in completing a hearing services needs assessment in the five-county service region. Consider the following when making your decision:
Create a screening questionnaire for use in primary care clinics to assist identify community needs for hearing services (as an attachment to the report) (no more than 5-10 questions using Six Steps Creating Effective Questionnaire).
**
Refer to reputable sources as necessary, using the APA format.
The following is a link to a six-step process for generating a successful questionnaire: Edelman’s Expertise