Final answer:
In a healthcare setting, internal customers include nurses, doctors, and support staff, while external customers mainly consist of patients, families, and insurance companies. Healthcare policies must balance treatment costs, quality of life, and privacy. The organization and reimbursement of services, whether in fee-for-service or HMOs, affect resource allocation and insurance market dynamics.
Step-by-step explanation:
Internal and external customers in a healthcare setting include various groups and individuals who interact with the healthcare system. Internal customers are typically those within the health organization like nurses, doctors, and support staff. They rely on each other to fulfill their roles; for instance, nurses may depend on the hospital's administrative staff to provide them with necessary patient health records to deliver care. Considering one's manager as an important internal customer can lead to exceptional customer service, including in how healthcare staff manage health records and protect patient privacy.
External customers are those who require the services provided by the healthcare organization, such as patients and their families, insurance companies, and regulatory bodies. Policies within healthcare settings must address crucial questions, particularly when balancing the costs of treatments and diagnoses, patient quality of life, and risks to individual privacy. Regarding fee-for-service systems and health maintenance organizations (HMOs), the healthcare providers must navigate the challenge of resource allocation while being mindful of the potential for adverse selection within insurance markets.