Achieving Quality Healthcare: Understanding Quality Improvement Processes - Essay Sample

Introduction

Quality is a fundamental process in the health care setting. It encompasses a wide range of continuous and systemic activities that lead to the realization of measurable results of health care service. According to the Institute of Medicine, a correlation in the improvement level of health care and the expected health outcome indicates the quality of healthcare (Silver et al., 2016). The process of health care improvement considers the work implemented in quality improvement as systems and processes, basing on the patients, and data usage in establishing the quality of improvement. An evaluation of the potential systems that impact on patient access to care, provision of evidence-based care, the safety of the patient, and support for the engagement of the patient indicates the level of health improvement. Additionally, care coordination in the health care system and the cultural competence of the staff and the patients reflect the level of health care improvement in a setting (Silver et al., 2016).

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Tasked with the responsibility of measuring the health care quality improvement of a medical facility, I will base on various features that highlight the quality of care provided. The key quantitative areas I will focus on will include the technology and efficiency in meeting the health care goals, the value of the laboratory and its effectiveness, time utilized to access care, and the suitability of the health screening to patients. On the other hand, the qualitative features I will put into consideration while evaluating QI will include patient and staff satisfaction, feedback from selected focus groups, and independent observations of the health care service delivery. However, to meet the goals of the measurement process, I will employ four principles that incorporate the qualitative and quantitative measures of improvement.

The organization's service delivery system and processes are crucial in the attainment of satisfying health outcomes. The influence of the inputs (resources) and processes (approaches) in improving standards of care (outcome) entails the process of quality improvement. The quantitative measurement of QI improvement involves parameters that can be physically be evaluated, and statistical calculations performed on the collected information (Silver et al., 2016). The impact of technology can be realized with the quantity of work performed as well as the efficiency realized in task care delivery. According to Silver et al. (2016), the role of technology in health care delivery is crucial in the quality of service delivery. The storage of patient data and processing of the patient details can be streamlined by the use of technology in service delivery. The diagnosis and treatment process can be improved based on the quality of the technology used.

The laboratory services and their value can be used as a measure of quality improvement. The value of the laboratory and services offered can be evaluated as a measure of healthcare quality improvement. The quality of the services provided can be dependent on the technology used. In this light, the value and the services of the laboratory are influential in the measurement of healthcare quality improvement. The time of access to care in the healthcare facility is vital in determining the quality of service delivery. The care process should meet the expectations of the patients. The structures and processes put in place should promote efficient and timely care delivery. In determining the QI, the time of care delivery should be a significant factor of consideration. Health screening is substantial in early detection and elimination of potential health risks. The effectiveness of the screening process can be measured in terms of the patients screened and the outcome of the screening process. The overall number of people who turn out for screening regularly can be used to determine the impact on the health of regular patients.

On the other hand, the qualitative measurement of QI is attained by compiling the level of patient satisfaction as well as staff satisfaction. Staff satisfaction influences motivation, which reflects on patient satisfaction. Patient satisfaction is the key qualitative measure of QI (Barnard, Woods, Noskin, Kricke & Cella, 2016). In detailing qualitative data in health care QI measurement, deployment of focus groups is important in extracting various views on the systems and processes, and their effectiveness. Focus groups point out their satisfaction and their points of concern, which is imperative in the measurement of the quality of service delivery (Barnard et al. 2016). Besides, personal observations can highlight the state of health care. In this case, the qualitative measure of healthcare QI can be cited.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the process of measurement of QI takes into account various player sin the process of care delivery. The role of the systems and processes adopted by the healthcare unit define the course of service delivery. The healthcare service delivery focus on the patient, and therefore, patient satisfaction is also an essential measure of QI. Staff satisfaction with the care process and other components of care delivery is crucial in meeting the organization's values and expectations. Observation of the health care process and the service delivery of the organization can also highlight the quality of care and service delivery. Other factors such as the technology, equipment, laboratory service, time of care delivery, and screening processes account for the qualitative measure of QI measurement. The qualitative and quantitative parameters provide the assessment factors essential in determining QI.

References

Barnard, C., Woods, D., Noskin, G., Kricke, G., & Cella, D. (2016). Patient Perspectives on Healthcare Quality: Implications for Measurement and Improvement. An Innovative RAPPORTS Model of Patient-Centered Quality, 92.

Silver, S. A., Harel, Z., McQuillan, R., Weizman, A. V., Thomas, A., Chertow, G. M., ... & Chan, C. T. (2016). How to begin a quality improvement project. Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, 11(5), 893-900.