Quality Improvement
Introduction
Quality improvement comprises of an approach by an organization in improving the quality of healthcare services provided by use of a specified set of methodologies and ideologies. Quality improvement principles comprise of measurements, whereby data is utilized in improving care, been keen on essential outcomes of patients as well as what the consumer requires; being engaged with the participants like encouragement of direct participations in teams by the people involved in implementing the process under evaluation. Emphasis should be put in systems reinforcement and analyzing the process.
Foundational frameworks of QI
A framework can be termed as a tool for organizing the way in which an organization considers the quality of healthcare. There have been various healthcare in the healthcare sector which include HIVDUAL for improving services of HIV, supported the Bureau of HIV/AIDS, Chronic Care Model, and European Foundation for Quality management (EFQM). A framework comprise of multiple dimensions of performance, it comprises of many enablers which are termed as organizational factors and assume associations. The framework selection usually depends on the focus of quality improvement like the rates of Pap smear, rate of immunization, waiting times, rate of adherence in ascertaining performance of different areas. Most of frameworks are based on extant frameworks or approaches for quality improvement (Lee, 2007).
The reason for defining quality by different stakeholders
Health care stakeholders have varied prospective on care quality which then ends up translating into different quality ratings. Interviews indicate that perceived power relationships between stakeholders, care quality definition, expectations, and past experience influence the ratings.
Role of various clinicians and patients in QI
To improve the quality of care various factors should be considered. There should be creation of enthusiasm and energy. In order to maintain the enthusiasm and energy required for making long term care improvement, the management in healthcare ought to strive in creation an organizational culture whereby clinicians are both supported and expected be engaged in initiatives of quality management. This will entail helping local patient organizations to work with clinicians since this association can attain the highest care level.
The infrastructure should be enhanced. National efforts for reinvigorating clinical audit including the creation of the partnership for improvement of healthcare helps in promoting improvements that are led by clinicians. There are overwhelming benefits of a national infrastructure for support of widespread use of clinical audit. This ought to be developed as an important part of the infrastructure of healthcare. Quality improvement should be made as part of the daily job; it is should be perceived as part of core part of business. This will only happen if there is alignment of ground between clinicians, patients and managers (Lee, 2007).
Importance of quality management in the healthcare industry
Healthcare facilities should strive in decreasing the number of preventable and premature deaths. When the mortality rate decreases the facility is set above its competitors and this shows that the department of quality management is functioning effectively in the procedures and policies developed in healthcare improvement. When the quality of healthcare facility is improved then this means that patients have increased trust with it. They have confidence in using the services of the facility which in return leads to increased profitability.
Areas that need to be monitored for quality
The process of healthcare delivery is very complex. It has been shown by research than human beings together with their systems have imperfect processors of information irrespective of the human attention or intention; with the increase in complexity systems are bound to take place. The systems monitoring the process of healthcare, detection of errors and correcting them before any damage is experienced are very essential and their quality should be improved. Additionally there has been a great variation in utilization of resources in achieving comparable results for specific diagnoses and procedures. When the right diagnoses are obtained after undertaking identical outcomes is a productivity waste example. In this regard the quality of the manner of treatment should be improved.
Roles of various accrediting and regulatory organizations
The Commission on accreditation of healthcare is an organization for developing and maintaining quality of standards in medical facilities within the United States. Many institutions use this organization in indicating that their particular institutions have met the quality standards. The agency evaluates and accredits approximately 17,000 healthcare facilities which include healthcare networks, ambulatory surgery centers and healthcare organizations (Joint Commission on accreditation of healthcare organizations, 2006).
Helpful resources and organizations that affect QI
The center for Medicare and Medicaid services (CMS) work with healthcare providers in ensuring cost-effective, efficient and quality care for low income, disabled and older adults. The agency establishes levels of reimbursement and care standards and works in modernizing the industry of healthcare. This is done by implementation of electronic record keeping. Another organization is the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that controls and monitors infectious diseases and assists other local as well as international bodies in prevention the spread of diseases.
Another agency if the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for the oversight of drugs, establishment of rules for testing, biologics and blood products, medical devices and vaccines and clinical trials and approval of new products. FDA is responsible for monitoring medical errors, safety and adverse treatment reactions and it alerts the healthcare industry on the risks that are associated with treatments (Institute of Medicine Committee on Quality Health Care in America, 2000).
References
Institute of Medicine Committee on Quality Health Care in America; (2000) To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System. Washington, DC: National Academy Press;
Joint Commission on accreditation of healthcare organizations (2006) Comprehensive accreditation manual for hospitals: The official handbook, Oakbrook
Lee T.H. (2007) Eulogy for a quality measure; N Engl J Med. 357: 1175–1177.
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