Quality Improvement Framework and Indicators Research Paper

Quality Improvement Framework and Indicators - Research Paper Example   A multitude of quality improvement frameworks have been devised. These frameworks include European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM), Chronic Care Model (CCM), and others. According to Massoud, four principles of quality improvement are particularly important. These include: focus on the client, understanding of service systems along with key processes, team work, and focus on the use of data. In the healthcare industry particularly, services should be devised to satiate the needs of clients. An important measure of quality improvement is the extent to which customers’ needs are fulfilled. In order to bring improvements in healthcare quality, it is also important to fathom key processes first. In every healthcare organization, work is accomplished by different people working in teams. Therefore teamwork is a pre-requisite for quality improvement in healthcare organizations. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of improved systems, it is imperative to analyze data before and after the implementation of those changes (Massoud, n.d.).Responsiveness, in other words, patient-centeredness, is another dimension. Patient-centeredness is the degree to which a healthcare organization gives importance to its patients. A good way to assess this is to evaluate patients’ experience in terms of their healthcare. Accessibility is also a dimension which describes the degree to ease to which healthcare services are provided. Equity is related to health care financing, health status, and outcomes.... Equity measures the degree to which a healthcare organization provides healthcare services to its people. The optimum use of healthcare resources available to a healthcare organization is considered efficiency. Efficiency can further be classified into ‘micro efficiency’ and ‘macro efficiency’. In some frameworks, macro-efficiency is often replaced with sustainability. It involves the overall healthcare spending at the right level. On the other side, macro efficiency refers to the realization of resources. According to a conceptual framework for healthcare quality indicators (HCQI), healthcare performance dimensions include quality, access, cost, equity, and efficiency. According to the framework presented by Edward Kelly and Jeremy Hurst, the core quality improvement dimensions include Effectiveness, safety and responsiveness/patient centeredness. These dimensions can significantly increase the desired outcomes (Kelly & Hurst, 2006). According to Donabedian , indicators can be classified into structure and process. Structure indicators of healthcare indicators include qualification of doctors and facilities available at the healthcare organization. Process indicators include proper delivery of appropriate healthcare to the organization. Areas which should be monitored for Quality In order for an organization to successfully implement a quality improvement framework, it is important to adopt an apt methodology. First of all, it is imperative to identify components which need to be improved. In healthcare organizations, some of the common problems which need to be addressed include inaccessibility of drugs and medicines, unavailability of staff, poor management of laboratory, and waiting time. The next step is to

Differences in competencies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Differences in competencies - Essay Example These differences emerging can be clearly seen at various patient are situations for example variations in approaches to decision-making or nurse care. One patient care situation that brings out differences in nursing care among ADN and BSN nurses is cardiac care units. Baccalaureate nursing care approaches include altruism, values of autonomy, integrity, social justice, human dignity and unconditional regard for all patients. Their nursing practice include disease prevention, health promotion, early detection of human health deviation, quick and adequate treatment of chronic and acute illnesses as well as compassionate care for people nearing death. As a result of their training, BSN nurses are able to respond to more demanding patient care tasks like those witnessed in the cardiac care units. Johnson (1988) state that BSNs are associated with lower rates of failure-to-rescue and mortality rates. These can be attributed to their good nursing care approaches like quick and adequate t reatment of chronic and acute illnesses. Research conducted in various cardiac care units reveal that there were 4.9 fewer deaths for every 1000 patients in those hospital intensive care units (ICUs) where a large proportion of nurses had a bachelor’s degree (Van den Heede, 2009). ... These indicate higher level of clinical support among the BSNs compared to other types of nurses like the ADNs. An emphasis on compassionate care for patients indicate a higher level of promotion of human dignity among the BSN nurses. BSNs make a higher utilization of protocols or care maps in order to guide patient progress during their hospitalization period. This presents a scientific and more systematic nursing approaches among the BSN. In their efforts to maximize on patient autonomy and human dignity, BSNs emphasize on teaching patients on how skills for taking care of themselves in relation to their type of disease or medication, and adopting a healthy lifestyle. Emphasis on healthy lifestyles is an incorporation of prevention measures with treatment. It prevents the progression of the disease or emergence of other diseases that can worsen the present condition. Due to their level of education, the BSNs have a higher level of expertise as compared to the ADNs. It should be not ed that BSNs take four years to receive their Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree while the ADNs take 2-3 years to receive their degree. BSNs undertake their studies in universities and senior colleges whereas ADNs undertake their studies in community colleges. As a result of their levels of expertise, the BSNs are more competent case management as compared to ADNs. This is can also be linked to their high levels of scientific, critical-thinking and leadership skills. Due to the superior level of competency among the BSN, ADNs can work under BSN and but the BSN cannot work under the BSN. BSNs are more capacitated in working under a variety of inpatient and outpatient environments as compared to