HEALTHCARE – HEALTH ECONOMICS
BUSINESS CASE
The Task
You are required to develop a 2,200 word Business Case based on a scenario/situation that is provided to you below.
You will be required to analyse the information and circumstances that are provided in the scenario and develop an evidence-based solution for a portion of the new funding of $47 million.
Your proposal needs to be on micro and macro reform that is required to drive changes to diabetes management for Indigenous Queenslanders.
THE SCENARIO/ SITUATION:
A healthcare organisation – SIM Health (a background/information paper has been provided to you about SIM Health) – has identified through a Government (Health Monster’s) program opportunity announcement that funding is available for new or additional services in the State of Queensland to support Indigenous members of the community dealing with the challenges of diabetes.
SIM Health’s Chief Executive has identified that it would be appropriate that a business case should be developed and submitted to get funding for how SIM Health might use new resources for services to address the targets of the new initiative.
SIM Health’ Chief Executive has tasked you with the responsibility of preparing the business case for SIM Health to submit.
In the scenario information there are various items (such as emails from key staff members in SIM Health; the funding announcement etc) that you will need to piece together the opportunity; your approach to developing your business case etc. Also attached is a template used by the SIM Health organisation in developing and presenting business cases in this organisation.
This scenario situation is quite usual in the health system: a funding/policy body sets out a call for interest and application from service providers; someone (you) takes charge to manage the process of preparing a business case based on information available or information and facts that need to be found out. Several people within your organisation may have information, advice and suggestions to contribute to the process of developing a business case. The quality, calibre, depth, novelty and alignment of your organisation’s approach or model to the goals and requirements of the invitation needs to be reflected in the business case prepared and submitted by your organisation (SIM Health).
A range of information, communications and detail about SIM Health; the funding proposal; your Chief Executive’s task given to you etc are attached here.
Read and review all this material and develop your plan for the preparation of the required business case document. Development of an evidence-based business case and strictly use only the below template when writing. The business plan must include 15 references and strictly include only peer-reviewed journal articles.
Use the business case template to prepare your business plan.
Date and Document version number goes here
Summary Statement
Short summary of two or three paragraphs needs to be provided. You need to include:
Brief description of the current problem
Background information
Assessment of the situation
Funding requested
1. Introduction
Briefly describe the problem including what has happened in the past and what the current position is.
Set the scene for the business case.
Why is a change required?
Assessment of the Situation
Problem Statement
Identify the likely cause of the problem.
What effect is this having on the population, patients, and organisation?
Evidence of the problem
Summarise evidence of both the cause and effect of the problem. Attach documents if required. Evidence might include:
demand forecasts with assumptions;
a report or published paper
key performance indicators (KPIs) on current performance levels; and
examples of the problem.
Benefits of this proposal
Benefits to be delivered
Identify the key benefits that will occur if the problem is solved. Show how this investment will help the organisation to meet Queensland strategic objectives. Include both financial and non-financial benefits.
Measuring the outcomes
Summarise how you will measure the outcomes using the table below. Include around 4 or 5 key outcome measures.
Measurement Description Baseline Measure
What is the current state? Target Measure
(Include interim targets. Consider $, FTE, rates, target budget, etc.) When will measurement occur?
What is the measure? Start Date Frequency End Date
Solution/s
This section is to outline, explore and analyse the possible solution to address the problem.
Description of Option
Describe the potential option that have been identified. One of these options should be your ‘do nothing’ or Status Quo option.
Option 1 – Current situation (Do nothing new or status quo)
Option 2 – The preferred option
Comparison of Options
Compare the options by summarising the benefits, risk, costs, timeframes and other relevant criteria.
Criteria Option 1 Option 2
Benefits
Community or patients
Staff
Organisation
Risk
Community or patients
Staff
Organisation
Costs:
Project
Recurrent
Savings/Revenue
Time to implement
Recommendation/s
State your recommendation/s and briefly explain your reasoning. Your reasons might include;
Benefits to patients, staff and organisation
Risks to patients, staff and organisation (if any)
Costs
Estimate of the set up costs (if any) – non recurrent costs
Estimate of the ongoing costs – recurrent costs
Time it would take to implement the option
Estimated Costs
Provide your best estimate of the costs involved and funding required. Identify any potential sources of revenue or any cost savings that will be achieved by this proposal.
Non-recurrent(set up costs) Recurrent(ongoing running costs)
Estimated expenditure· Labour Costs· Non-labour Costs· Capital Acquisitions
Estimated revenue / cost savings (if any)
Estimated net cost to simHealth
MARKING CRITERIA
Criteria Marks
1. Incorporates relevant concepts and theorieso Addresses the subject and the issues raised in the questiono Demonstrates an appropriate level of understanding of the theoretical principles and conceptso Relevant principles and concepts are used with appropriate application to support argument.
60
2. Use of resourceso Evidence of an appropriate level of research regarding the various conceptso Evidence of a range of relevant resources are used and integrated into the discussiono Appropriate and accurate referencing
20
3. Communicationo Ideas are clearly articulated and coherently structuredo The paper/business case is presented in an acceptable academic formato The paper/business case is structured logically and clearly with an appropriate conclusion.
20
TOTAL 100
