NURS FPX 4905 Assessment 2 Define and Analyze Your Healthcare Process Problem or Issue of Concern

Name

Capella university

NURS-FPX4905 Capstone Project for Nursing

Prof. Name

Date

Define and Analyze Your Healthcare Process Problem or Issue of Concern

The practicum experience at The Longevity Center provides a meaningful opportunity to engage in integrative and regenerative healthcare. This setting emphasizes natural, patient-centered approaches designed to address chronic conditions at their root causes rather than simply managing symptoms. Throughout the practicum, active participation in patient care, clinical decision-making, and operational functions supports skill-building in applying regenerative therapies.

This analysis focuses on the practicum setting, highlights the clinical and operational decision-making processes, and identifies a process-related problem within regenerative medicine that directly affects diagnostic accuracy and patient outcomes.

Practicum Setting Overview

The Longevity Center is an integrative and regenerative medical clinic that blends conventional healthcare with advanced alternative therapies. The primary mission of the facility is to promote long-term wellness through regenerative interventions such as Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy and stem cell treatments. Patients at the center range from healthy individuals seeking preventive or anti-aging therapies to those with chronic health conditions requiring regenerative recovery strategies (The Longevity Center, 2024a).

Although the center operates with only three full-time providers, its collaborative culture ensures patient-centered and evidence-informed care. Treatment plans are individualized, with the staff frequently adjusting strategies based on diagnostic outcomes and patient responses. As a practicum participant, involvement extends beyond observation to active engagement in clinical and operational decisions. Additionally, the clinic prioritizes ongoing education, incorporating medical literature, podcasts, and practical case reviews to foster continuous learning. This dynamic setting nurtures critical thinking, professional growth, and a holistic perspective on patient wellness.

Clinical and Operational Decision-Making at The Longevity Center

At The Longevity Center, clinical decision-making focuses on tailoring treatment to individual patient needs. Important considerations include:

Selecting the appropriate regenerative therapy (e.g., PRP versus stem cell injections).
Determining treatment frequency and dosage.
Assessing patient eligibility through advanced diagnostic tools such as the Longevity blood panel.

Operational decisions are equally significant. These involve scheduling treatments efficiently, managing patient flow, ensuring accurate documentation, and maintaining adequate supplies of biological materials. Practicum participation allows direct involvement in these decisions through collaboration with the healthcare team. For example, patient lab results are carefully reviewed before treatment initiation, and ultrasound findings may influence adjustments during procedures (Majewska et al., 2025).

The outcomes of these combined decisions include reduced inflammation, accelerated healing, improved mobility, and enhanced patient satisfaction. Progress is measured using follow-up assessments, pain scales, and range-of-motion testing. By merging integrative and evidence-based practices, the clinic ensures a patient-tailored approach to regenerative care.

A key issue observed at The Longevity Center is delayed and inconsistent diagnosis of complex conditions, especially in patients with autoimmune disorders, chronic fatigue, and long-standing pain. Unlike conventional clinics with structured diagnostic protocols, The Longevity Center often receives patients who have already exhausted standard medical options without success. These patients typically lack a clear diagnosis and present with chronic symptoms that complicate treatment planning.

Research indicates that conventional healthcare often focuses on symptom management rather than uncovering underlying causes (Dutra et al., 2025). As a result, many patients rely on medications or invasive surgeries without exploring regenerative options like PRP therapy. At The Longevity Center, repeated diagnostic workups are often necessary because prior evaluations were incomplete. However, delays in obtaining lab results and performing regenerative-specific assessments extend treatment initiation.

The consequences of this process gap are significant: prolonged patient suffering, psychological stress, loss of functionality, and erosion of trust in the healthcare system. Moreover, diagnostic errors contribute to higher healthcare costs worldwide, with OECD nations losing nearly 17.5% of healthcare expenditures due to misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis (Slawomirski et al., 2025).

Table 1

Process Issue in Diagnosis and Outcomes at The Longevity Center

Aspect	Current Challenge	Impact on Patients	Impact on Clinic
Diagnostic delays	Lack of standardized diagnostic framework, reliance on repeated tests	Prolonged suffering, worsening of chronic conditions, emotional stress	Increased time and resources spent on re-evaluations
Incomplete patient data	Patients often arrive with insufficient or fragmented medical histories	Limited understanding of root causes of illness	Reduced efficiency in treatment planning
High cost of regenerative diagnostics	Regenerative testing and therapies are technologically demanding and expensive	Financial burden on patients, especially with non-insurance-covered treatments	Strain on clinic resources and accessibility of care
Outcomes monitoring gaps	Limited standardization in post-treatment evaluations	Patients may not fully perceive progress or may lose confidence	Difficulty measuring success consistently across treatments

Impact Analysis of Diagnostic Delays on Quality, Safety, and Cost

The absence of standardized diagnostic protocols at The Longevity Center significantly impacts quality, safety, and cost:

Quality: Delayed diagnoses prolong treatment initiation and limit therapy effectiveness. For instance, PRP or stem cell therapies may not yield optimal results if mismatched to patient conditions (Popescu et al., 2021). Patient dissatisfaction often arises due to repeated delays and incomplete outcomes.
Safety: Inadequate or delayed diagnosis increases risks of complications such as chronic inflammation, autoimmune progression, or irreversible tissue damage. Patients may also arrive with side effects from prior unsuccessful treatments (Kvarnström et al., 2021).
Cost: Both patients and the clinic bear financial strain. Patients pay for repeated diagnostics and prolonged care, while the clinic allocates extensive resources for reassessments. The cost of PRP injections can range widely from \$175 to nearly \$5,000, creating inequity in accessibility (Charnoff et al., 2022).

This analysis highlights that inefficiencies in the diagnostic process not only disrupt patient care but also burden healthcare sustainability. Streamlining and standardizing intake and diagnostic protocols could reduce these risks, improve timeliness, and lower costs for both patients and providers.

Conclusion

The practicum at The Longevity Center underscores both the promise and challenges of regenerative medicine. While the clinic excels in personalized, non-invasive care, diagnostic delays remain a critical barrier to achieving optimal outcomes. Patients often arrive with incomplete histories, unclear diagnoses, and prior treatment failures, necessitating repeated and time-consuming assessments.

Improving this process requires establishing standardized diagnostic frameworks, enhancing intake procedures, and reducing delays in regenerative-specific testing. By addressing this process issue, the clinic can strengthen patient trust, enhance outcomes, and reduce long-term costs—aligning more closely with its mission of promoting health through advanced, natural therapies.

References

Charnoff, J., Rothman, R., Andres Bergos, J., Rodeo, S., Casey, E., & Cheng, J. (2022). Variability in patient-incurred costs and protocols of regenerative medicine procedures for musculoskeletal conditions in the United States. HSS Journal®: The Musculoskeletal Journal of Hospital for Special Surgery, 19(1), 77–84. https://doi.org/10.1177/15563316221105880

Dutra, S., Reigado, G. R., Santos, M., Sardinha, D., Hernandes, S., Marchi, B. L., Zhivov, E., Chambergo, F. S., & Nunes, V. A. (2025). Advances in regenerative medicine-based approaches for skin regeneration and rejuvenation. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2025.1527854

Kvarnström, K., Westerholm, A., Airaksinen, M., & Liira, H. (2021). Factors contributing to medication adherence in patients with a chronic condition: A scoping review of qualitative research. Pharmaceutics, 13(7), 1100. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics13071100

Majewska, L., Kijowski, J., & Dorosz, K. (2025). Effect of patient age on Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) and fibrin treatments for skin density and thickness: A single-center ultrasound study. Life, 15(2), 308–308. https://doi.org/10.3390/life15020308