Sampling And Data Collection Plan For I-Heart Care Centers

Sampling And Data Collection Plan I-Heart Care Centers IHCC

Week 4: Sampling and Data Collection Plan I-Heart Care Centers (IHCC) are established acute hospitals on the west coast. Their management team has targeted an expansion toward the east coast to the following cities: Atlanta, Boston, Fort Lauderdale, and New York City. IHCC’s executive management team’s decision to expand is fulfilled with their concerns for decreasing the mortality rate of potential clients, and how they can improve their results in their projected areas on the east coast. IHCC contracted with consulting firm Learning Team E to assist by providing a statistical research report on their east coast expansion, which includes the needs of the target population, relocation opportunities, and staff. This paper will describe the sampling design for the east coast expansion for IHCC’s dependable and independent variables. Hypothesis Statement for I-Heart Care Centers East Coast Expansion: The mortality rate of cardiovascular patients will decrease on the east coast, with the help of qualified cardiologists. The executive management team would like the consulting firm to report how their organization can help decrease the issue of mortality rate in cardiovascular patients on the east coast. There are four major cities projected for the expansion: Atlanta, Boston, Fort Lauderdale, and New York City. The consulting firm decided to focus on New York City’s population to assess the parameters of the target market for their strategic report. New York City has an estimated population of 8,491,079 residents, which provides the opportunity for the consultant firm to gather an enormous amount of data (New York City's Population, 2014). The next page Chart A displays the estimated target population for the four projected cities and their sample size. Chart A: Estimated Sample Size U.S. CITY POPULATION TARGET POPULATION % of TARGET POPULATION SAMPLE SIZE Atlanta 447,000 4,750 Boston 645,000 12,500 Fort Lauderdale 172,000 4,350 New York City 8,491,000 200,000 * Information provided by City-Data.com. Retrieved on June 30, 2015. As mentioned above, the consulting firm will be concentrating on New York City to assess the demographics and parameters for their strategic report. The information obtained from the New York City assessment will be vital for constructing valid information. The sample size will be 200,000 residents that are between the ages of 35 years and older. According to New York Health Department, there are approximately 4,145,233 residents that are 35 years and older from all boroughs in the city (Summary of Vital Statistics 2010, 2011). The objective is to survey an estimated five percent of the specified age group to gather information to help I-Heart Care Centers’ executive team make a successful strategic venture to the east coast. Strengths and Weaknesses of the Expansion Strengths in the Expansion For IHCC to successfully expand to the east coast, the hired consulting firm must provide accurate and usable data for the expansion. The next page Chart B identifies the parameters that will provide strengths to the data collection and understanding of the expansion variables. Chart B: Strengths in Data Collection

Paper For Above instruction

The strategic expansion of I-Heart Care Centers (IHCC) to the east coast necessitates a comprehensive and methodologically sound sampling and data collection plan. This plan aims to gather accurate, actionable data to evaluate the needs of the target population, the potential challenges of relocation, and staffing requirements—particularly focusing on reducing cardiovascular mortality rates through the deployment of qualified cardiologists. Given the significant population size and diverse demographics of New York City, the approach must be carefully designed to ensure the validity and reliability of findings, ultimately influencing the success of IHCC’s expansion strategy.

Introduction

The decision by IHCC to expand from its established presence on the west coast to the densely populated east coast cities, especially New York City, hinges on understanding regional health needs and demographic characteristics. A robust sampling and data collection plan is pivotal in capturing relevant data points to analyze factors influencing cardiovascular health outcomes, with the ultimate goal of decreasing mortality rates associated with cardiovascular diseases. This paper discusses the sampling design, focusing on the targeted vulnerable population, the selection of sampling methods, and strategies to enhance data quality.

Sampling Design and Target Population

The target population for the east coast expansion, especially focusing on New York City, comprises residents aged 35 years and older. According to recent city health statistics, approximately 4,145,233 residents fall within this age bracket across all boroughs (Summary of Vital Statistics, 2011). To ensure adequate representation and statistical power, the proposed sample size is 200,000 individuals, representing roughly 5% of this age group. Such a significant sample allows for a detailed analysis of the demographic, socioeconomic, and health-related variables associated with cardiovascular health outcomes (Crespi & Bonnet, 2018).

Sampling Methodology

Given the large and diverse population, stratified random sampling is appropriate to capture differences across boroughs and demographic groups (Lohr, 2009). The population will be divided into strata based on borough, age, gender, and socioeconomic status. Random sampling within each stratum ensures proportional representation, minimizing bias and enhancing the precision of estimates about the general population. Random digit dialing (RDD) and address-based sampling (ABS) will be employed to reach households, leveraging existing data repositories and electoral rolls for effective sampling frames.

Data Collection Techniques

Multiple data collection methods will ensure both depth and breadth of information. Structured surveys administered via telephone, online platforms, and face-to-face interviews will collect data on cardiovascular health, healthcare access, socioeconomic factors, and lifestyle behaviors (Sedgwick, 2014). For dependability, validated questionnaires—such as the Framingham Risk Score—will be employed, alongside bespoke items tailored to local health issues. Additionally, healthcare records, where permissible, will supplement survey data to improve accuracy.

Ensuring Data Quality

Rigorous training for data collectors, pilot testing of surveys, and real-time data tracking will be implemented to maintain high quality. Data validation procedures such as consistency checks and logical error detection will be routinely applied. Moreover, efforts will be made to address non-response bias through follow-up procedures and weighting adjustments (Brick et al., 2013). Digital data entry systems with validation rules will be utilized to minimize entry errors, ensuring data integrity throughout the process.

Potential Challenges and Solutions

Challenges include reaching hard-to-access populations, language barriers, and varying levels of technological literacy. Multilingual survey options and community engagement strategies will be employed to mitigate language issues. To reach underserved populations, partnerships with local community organizations and health clinics will be prioritized (Yancey et al., 2010). Additionally, ensuring participant confidentiality and ethical adherence will be fundamental, requiring adherence to institutional review board (IRB) standards.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this sampling and data collection plan is tailored to collect representative, high-quality data to inform IHCC’s expansion strategy into the east coast. Employing stratified random sampling, multiple data collection modalities, and rigorous quality control protocols will ensure the validity of the findings. These insights will guide targeted interventions aimed at reducing cardiovascular mortality, ultimately contributing to improved health outcomes in the expanding IHCC service regions.

References

• Brick, J. M., et al. (2013). Multimode Survey Methodology. Wiley.
• Crespi, C., & Bonnet, L. (2018). Population sampling in health research. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 72(9), 788-793.
• Lohr, S. L. (2009). Sampling: Design and Analysis. Cengage Learning.
• Sedgwick, P. (2014). Cross Sectional Studies: Advantages and Disadvantages. BMJ, 348, g2276.
• Yancey, A. K., et al. (2010). Community-Based Participatory Research Principles in Practice. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 38(4), 488-495.
• New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. (2011). Summary of Vital Statistics. NYC.gov.
• City-Data.com. (2015). New York City's Population. Retrieved from https://www.city-data.com
• Census Bureau. (2014). American Community Survey Data. U.S. Census Bureau.
• Lohr, S. L. (2009). Sampling: Design and Analysis. Cengage Learning.
• Yuan, Z., et al. (2019). Strategies for Effective Data Collection in Public Health. Public Health Reports, 134(1), 4-12.