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Lawrence County has seven county run hospitals. Because three

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29 Nov 2017, 16:42

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as test takers can see, both C and D are 2 common patterns.
C is a trap. There are 2 parallel reasonings; only one of them has the main conclusion and the main premise. D concerns with the "negative consequences", so D is the answer.

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30 Nov 2017, 01:58

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Lucky2783

Lawrence County has seven county run hospitals. Because three privately run hospitals are now in existence in the county, Lawrence has decided to close one of its seven county hospitals, to reduce costs to the county. The county executives want to choose a hospital to close so that its absence has the fewest negative health consequences for citizens of the county. An independent consulting firm, advising the county executives, has recommended closing the hospital with the highest fatality rate.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously calls into question the consulting firm's recommendation for the choosing the hospital to close?

A) Each one of the county hospitals has lower fatality rate than at least one of the privately run hospitals.
B) The county hospital that is the most expensive for the county to operate is the one with the highest fatality rate.
C) Most patients who would have gone to the closed county hospital will go to one of the privately run hospitals, instead of one of the six remaining county hospitals, driving up costs at these places.
D) The most at-risk patients throughout the county are referred to those public hospitals that have a high concentration of trained specialists on staff.
E) Throughout this state and neighboring states, no county that has a population comparable to Lawrence County operates more than six county hospitals.

Please +1 Kudos if you like this post.

Regards,
Lucky

Added OA.

Hi,

I don't agree with the OA.

I chose A because the argument's conclusion states that the county hospital with highest fatality should be closed so that private hospitals can take up the charge. However, even if any one private hospital has higher fatality rate than any county hospital then how will the public's health be in safe hands. The reason for closing is to have fewest negative health consequences. But if private hospital has higher fatality rate then the public's fatality rate is bound to increase. This just redicules the argument.

Any thoughts on this will be much appreciated!!

Regards

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chesstitans

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30 Nov 2017, 02:09

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gmatexam439

Lucky2783

I think OA is correct. Saving money is the main reason why public hospitals are closed. Also, the plan here is one hospital MUST be closed, so A is out of scope.

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04 Dec 2017, 00:36

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gmatexam439
"The most at-risk patients are referred to those public hospitals" connects with "hospital with the highest fatality rate"

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04 Dec 2017, 01:54

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chesstitans

gmatexam439
"The most at-risk patients are referred to those public hospitals" connects with "hospital with the highest fatality rate"

Hi Bro,

D) The most at-risk patients throughout the county are referred to those public hospitals that have a high concentration of trained specialists on staff.

Here we need to assume too much. "trained staff" is nowhere linked to public hospitals and high fatality hospitals. This includes too much outside assumption.

Definitely not a good question.

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04 Dec 2017, 17:19

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gmatexam439

chesstitans

gmatexam439
"The most at-risk patients are referred to those public hospitals" connects with "hospital with the highest fatality rate"

" trained specialists on staff" also connects with "most at-risk patients"; both connect with "high fatality rates"

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05 Dec 2017, 08:09

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chesstitans

gmatexam439

chesstitans

gmatexam439
"The most at-risk patients are referred to those public hospitals" connects with "hospital with the highest fatality rate"

" trained specialists on staff" also connects with "most at-risk patients"; both connect with "high fatality rates"

It is too vague. It requires a lot of assumption. I personally won't think too much on this question.

Happy studying

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14 Jan 2018, 10:47

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Conc :- recommended closing the hospital with the highest fatality rate.

Keyword : - Highest fatality rate -- few Negative health Consequences -- Cost reduce.

Aim: - Weaken

Prethink:- What if Critical cases are being treated at one of the county Hospital, incurring more expenditure.

Option D Suits.

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19 May 2018, 04:47

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OE Magoosh:

The credited answer is (D). If the most at-risk patients, the patients most likely to die, are brought to the one hospital with all the specialists, then that hospital could do a fantastic job saving many of those high-risk patients, and even with this, enough of these patients could die to inflate the mortality rate of that particular hospital. Thus, the consultant's recommendation would result in closing the hospital with the highest concentration of specialists --- very problematic! This very seriously calls into question whether the consultant's recommendation is the best way to deal with this situation.

Choice (A) lets us know that at least one of the privately run hospitals is bad, but this is not one of the hospitals that is under consideration for closing --- only the seven county hospitals. This fact is irrelevant, so choice (A) is incorrect.

Choice (B), if anything, would strengthen the consultant's recommendation --- shutting that one hospital would get rid of what seems to be the worst hospital AND save the county the most money in the process! We want a weakener, not a strengthener. Choice (B) is incorrect.

The county needs to reduce its own costs. If, as a result of shutting one county hospitals, more people went to private hospitals and drove up costs there, that wouldn't be the county's problem. This is irrelevant, so choice (C) is incorrect.

Choice (E) tells us that other counties are different --- all have six or fewer county hospitals, but Lawrence County currently has seven. In general, this might suggest that closing one hospital would be a satisfactory move, but we don't know whether some other factor (population, geographic size, road conditions, etc.) make Lawrence County meaningfully different from the other counties. Either, this fact is irrelevant, or it's a mild strengthener, and we need a weakener. Choice (E) is incorrect.

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06 Oct 2018, 05:27

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chetan2u has raised several questions on this question. I too agree with him. The patients, which are at most-risk, are brought to or visit the hospital with specialized staff. How does it relate to fatal mortality rate?
This pattern: hospital <--> at-risk patients <--> mortality rate is used to frame many questions and, unfortunately, some of them are questionable even though they are created by respectable prep companies.
So, again, there is no source comparable to OG.

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18 Oct 2018, 09:40

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(A) lets us know that at least one of the privately run hospitals is bad, but this is not one of the hospitals that is under consideration for closing --- only the seven county hospitals. This fact is irrelevant, so choice (A) is incorrect.

(B), if anything, would strengthen the consultant's recommendation --- shutting that one hospital would get rid of what seems to be the worst hospital AND save the county the most money in the process! We want a weakener, not a strengthener. Choice (B) is incorrect.

(C) The county needs to reduce its own costs. If, as a result of shutting one county hospitals, more people went to private hospitals and drove up costs there, that wouldn't be the county's problem. This is irrelevant, so choice (C) is incorrect.

(D) If the most at-risk patients, the patients most likely to die, are brought to the one hospital with all the specialists, then that hospital could do a fantastic job saving many of those high-risk patients, and even with this, enough of these patients could die to inflate the mortality rate of that particular hospital. Thus, the consultant's recommendation would result in closing the hospital with the highest concentration of specialists --- very problematic! This very seriously calls into question whether the consultant's recommendation is the best way to deal with this situation. So Choice D is the Answer

(E) tells us that other counties are different --- all have six or fewer county hospitals, but Lawrence County currently has seven. In general, this might suggest that closing one hospital would be a satisfactory move, but we don't know whether some other factor (population, geographic size, road conditions, etc.) make Lawrence County meaningfully different from the other counties. Either, this fact is irrelevant, or it's a mild strengthener, and we need a weakener. Choice (E) is incorrect.

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18 Oct 2019, 10:20

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mvictor

Lucky2783

to weaken the conclusion, we need to find a reason why the hospital with the highest fatality rate is an important one in the county.
only D addresses this.

A - compares fatality rate from private with county ones. so out.
B - this one actually strengthens the conclusion.
C - speaks about preferences of people. out.
D - right!!! if this hospital is one at which all the most serious diseases are treated, of course it will have the highest fatality rate.
E - compares with other states/counties. irrelevant.

I think it should be "C".

the question asks which statement raises questions on the recommendation of the firm. I feel it means doubts on the firms intentions. "C" suggests that firm is closing that hospital to raise prices and patient flow at the private hospital.

what do you think about my explanation.

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04 Nov 2019, 04:10

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Lucky2783

Lawrence County has seven county run hospitals. Because three privately run hospitals are now in existence in the county, Lawrence has decided to close one of its seven county hospitals, to reduce costs to the county. The county executives want to choose a hospital to close so that its absence has the fewest negative health consequences for citizens of the county. An independent consulting firm, advising the county executives, has recommended closing the hospital with the highest fatality rate.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously calls into question the consulting firm's recommendation for the choosing the hospital to close?

A) Each one of the county hospitals has lower fatality rate than at least one of the privately run hospitals.

B) The county hospital that is the most expensive for the county to operate is the one with the highest fatality rate.

C) Most patients who would have gone to the closed county hospital will go to one of the privately run hospitals, instead of one of the six remaining county hospitals, driving up costs at these places.

D) The most at-risk patients throughout the county are referred to those public hospitals that have a high concentration of trained specialists on staff.

E) Throughout this state and neighboring states, no county that has a population comparable to Lawrence County operates more than six county hospitals.

LC has 7 Govt hospitals.
One has to be closed to reduce cost.
The executives want to choose one which will have fewest negative health consequences for citizens of the county. (aim of executives is to have min health consequences)

An independent consulting firm has recommended closing the hospital with the highest fatality rate.

We have to call into question the recommendation. Why this recommendation may not serve the purpose (may not have minimum health consequences)

A) Each one of the county hospitals has lower fatality rate than at least one of the privately run hospitals.

Irrelevant. We don't have to compare county hospitals with private hospitals. We have to close down one county hospital - why is irrelevant. The executives want min negative health consequences. We need to find why lowest fatality rate may not help with "min negative health consequences".

B) The county hospital that is the most expensive for the county to operate is the one with the highest fatality rate.

Expense is not the point here. Anyway, if anything, this adds weight to our recommendation for a different reason.

C) Most patients who would have gone to the closed county hospital will go to one of the privately run hospitals, instead of one of the six remaining county hospitals, driving up costs at these places.

Costs at other county hospitals will increase when we close one. This would happen for any county hospital that will close. It doesn't tell us why the recommendation of using fatality rate is not good. That is what we need to weaken.
Another way to read this option is this - when the county hospital that has the highest fatality rate is closed, most patients will go to private hospitals (because say this hospital is located close to private hospitals) so in this case, costs at other county hospitals will be raised. Even in this case, it doesn't matter. Our aim is to have min negative health consequences. We need to say why closing highest fatality rate hospital will not lead to minimum negative health consequences.
We decided to close one hospital to reduce costs. So we have already decided that closing one hospital will reduce overall cost. Now we need to decide which one to close based on "minimum negative health consequences".

D) The most at-risk patients throughout the county are referred to those public hospitals that have a high concentration of trained specialists on staff.

This tells us that the most difficult cases come to certain Govt hospitals. Closing down the hospital with the highest fatality rate may close down one such hospital where difficult cases are brought. Hence, it may lead to heavy health consequences. So this questions the recommendation.

E) Throughout this state and neighboring states, no county that has a population comparable to Lawrence County operates more than six county hospitals.

Irrelevant.

Answer (D)

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30 Dec 2025, 00:49

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D because people die because they go to the best hospital which shouldn't be closed at all.

Lucky2783

Lawrence County has seven county run hospitals. Because three privately run hospitals are now in existence in the county, Lawrence has decided to close one of its seven county hospitals, to reduce costs to the county. The county executives want to choose a hospital to close so that its absence has the fewest negative health consequences for citizens of the county. An independent consulting firm, advising the county executives, has recommended closing the hospital with the highest fatality rate.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously calls into question the consulting firm's recommendation for the choosing the hospital to close?

A) Each one of the county hospitals has lower fatality rate than at least one of the privately run hospitals.

B) The county hospital that is the most expensive for the county to operate is the one with the highest fatality rate.

C) Most patients who would have gone to the closed county hospital will go to one of the privately run hospitals, instead of one of the six remaining county hospitals, driving up costs at these places.

D) The most at-risk patients throughout the county are referred to those public hospitals that have a high concentration of trained specialists on staff.

E) Throughout this state and neighboring states, no county that has a population comparable to Lawrence County operates more than six county hospitals.

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My issue with D is first of all we need to assume that one where most high risk patients go, they have high fatality rate (which is in discussion). At least in my home country I think it's not true. One local government hospital where patients with low risk goes have a high fatality rate because of very poor care. Secondly, argument talks about hospitals, not hospital, so we really don't know the distribution, it might be about the another two hospitals with high fatality rate. It's really not very clear.

Lawrence County has seven county run hospitals. Because three privately run hospitals are now in existence in the county, Lawrence has decided to close one of its seven county hospitals, to reduce costs to the county. The county executives want to choose a hospital to close so that its absence has the fewest negative health consequences for citizens of the county. An independent consulting firm, advising the county executives, has recommended closing the hospital with the highest fatality rate.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously calls into question the consulting firm's recommendation for the choosing the hospital to close?

D) The most at-risk patients throughout the county are referred to those public hospitals that have a high concentration of trained specialists on staff.

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