FREE ESSAY ON NEEDS ASSESSMENTS

NEEDS ASSESSMENTS

NEEDS ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES AND FINDINGS
After reviewing the selected readings section, I found that the author of the book had
the thought that making and using flowcharts is the most important action in process
control. As I read on, he seems to state that the easiest and best way to understand a
process is to draw it. 
The author outlines several steps to follow with this project. The first being; Before
you try to solve a problem, define it. To do this I chose a subject that I felt affects
everyone today. And our problem is healthcare, or rather the lack of it. The first step
is to start with data collection; since everyone from the insurance companies, to the
government collects and stores data, facts, and figures on the cost, effects, and
statistics on health. This portion is not to difficult to research. With this
information, I can list cost of medical care, insurance rates, and the percentage of
people not receiving care. Also, with this information should be able to project future
cost and potential for lack of care for specific groups.
The second step in creating any project is; before you try to control a process,
understand it. To meet this step we should look at cause and affect diagrams. We would
need to look at all the parties involved. We would need to look at environment that
healthcare is operating in. We should also search out what can be lost by finding a
viable solution to this problem. How inaction is affecting the population as a whole. And
how many different avenues are being looked at as a solution to this particular crisis we
are facing. The key to success in this problem seems to be the participation of everyone,
since the decisions that are being made affect us all.
The third step for researching this paper would be; before trying to control everything,
find out what is important. To meet this step, we would use cause and effect, and
histograms. Because there are so many issues that effect this problem. You have to sort
all the factors. We have to look at what is important to all, and find the common needs
that best help everyone. For instance, the doctors want to make money, but the patients
want affordable, quality care. And everyone wants the best care without some insurance
company telling them that they do not that particular service. And the histograms would
be useful because not every item presented affects other items. So they may not need that
much change. An instance of this is that where you live should not dictate what cost of
insurance you have to pay.
And the last step is; start by picturing the process. For this we would use the flowchart
itself. We should included the requirements and specifications, expectations, delivery,
cost, defined the process, measure the process, steps to improve the process, and ways to
improve and control the process. We should also looked at other designs that are
currently being tried to solve this problem. Most of the people I have worked with
currently do not have any kind of healthcare plan. So what happens when they really need
help.
Directed study
Needs Assessments
December 1998
EDWARD A. CLARKE
MGT 480
INSTRUCTOR
Martin Berman