Federal Health Care Quality - Essay Example

?RUNNING HEAD: Federal Health Care Quality Annotated Bibliography Federal Health Care Quality Annotated Bibliography School Federal Health Care Quality Annotated Bibliography Edmunds, M. (1997). Managing managed care: Quality improvements in behavioral health. New York: National Academies. The book draws evidenced-based conclusions and the recommendations that will enhance improvement on the quality of behavioral health. An annual review on the U.S. health care system is provided, which is believed that quality improvement will reduce costs and enhance efficiency. Improvements in patient care and outcomes are the ultimate result of quality improvement technology within the health care settings. The book draws on the applications which are inhibited because of the variable presentations of illnesses, variations in practice patterns, hierarchical structure of the patient care, and the complexity of the hospitals and managed care programs. It is noteworthy, for instance, that the Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals applied quality improvement techniques, and documented a relevant health care delivery system. This system was highly fragmented as it used resources ineffectively, inefficiently, and it was inadequately grounded in the clinical residence. It also highlighted the need for redesigning the care system in order to enhance provision of safe, effective, timely, efficient, equitable health care, and patient-centered health care system. Elmendorf, W. (2010). Quality initiatives undertaken by the Veterans Health Administration. New York: DIANE Publishing. The book provides an analysis on the trend of the treatment that is undertaken in Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Quality improvement, as a vital factor, has been incorporated into VHAs organizational structure and its processes in various ways—ranging from clinical units to national programs. The efforts that had been undertaken include peer review programs—external and internal, and data-driven efforts that enabled the organization to make risk-adjusted comparisons across facilities in order to identify outliers. The findings show that the quality care of VHA is enhanced by the concerted efforts taken in tracking performance measures, managing chronic disease, expansion of health IT usage, and coordinating health care by various providers. As such, it has enhanced the cost and service utilization, as well as quality improvement through the use of IT system. The findings prove vital to the decision makers as they would consider how the VHA health care would have an effect on the proposals initiated. It enhanced effective health care in the society. Fowler, B. & White, V. (2004). Patient safety: Principles and practice. London: Springer Publishing Company. The book provides an in-depth analysis of the principles and concepts relating to occurrence of errors in the health sector. It considers process characteristics and human factors, and highlights strategies that are relevant in addressing the error-prone processes and situations. As such, this linkage between strategies and principles allows the practitioners to put these principles into practice. Specific clinical examples for different patient populations are provided; building on real-world examples that can be used as models. The book groups the research and strategies to be implemented among patient populations into various categories. As such, the practitioners can utilize the general concepts and focus on the applications that seem similar and unique among the individual patient groups. The findings will guide the professionals in the health care sector to prioritize and, where necessary, implement patient safety programs in the region in order to improve the patients’ outcome. Green, A. & Bowie, J. (2005). Essentials of health information management: Principles and practices. London: Cengage Learning. The book is a comprehensive resource for a professional and academic learner as it provides practical and theoretical applications throughout the book. Its unique and dynamic approach to the health management system in an attempt to restore quality medical services is quite effective. In addition, the book provides the scientific knowledge about the causes of disease expanded during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, as well as individual cities and states within the United States. The result findings showed that the governmental institutions devoted to health and diseases existed almost exclusively at the local and state levels. A number of federal health initiatives were reorganized and, in some cases, scaled back during the 1980s as overall federal health expenditures continued to escalate. The federal strategy was used to stimulate efforts by states and local governments to develop further their health and social service systems. The most notable expansion in federal health activities had occurred during 1990s as public concerns turned toward issues of health care quality, patient protection, and health care choice. As such, the quality of health care provision was to be realized after a thorough scrutiny on the vital role played by the Health information systems, including the social service systems. Institute of Medicine (U.S.). (2003). Leadership by example: Coordinating government roles in improving health care quality. Committee on Enhancing Federal Healthcare Quality Programs. New York: National Academic Press. The book analyzes the quality enhancement processes that are undertaken by the federal government in the various governmental programs—Medicaid, Medicare, and other imminent health programs. About one-third of the Americans benefit from the health care services and many health care professionals participate in these programs with an aim of achieving quality health care in the society. The book also argues that the federal government—in setting quality standards in the medical sector—can influence medical practitioners in their policy implementation process. Some of the regulatory processes that should be used include establishing clinical data and reporting requirements in the sector. In addition, purchasing strategies should be implemented in order to achieve higher levels of quality health care in society. Indeed, the U.S. health care sector has faced serious quality, safety, cost, and coverage challenges. It provides that U.S. has spent much more per capita ($4,637) in the last decade on health care than any other country. However, Americans cannot count on receiving care that is safe and effective. The findings of the study will enhance policy makers to undertake measures that will enhance innovation, precise streams of accountability that will reflect quality achievements, and implement information and support systems to help engage customers in understanding and interpreting information on quality and safety. Institute of Medicine (U.S.). (2011). Child and adolescent health and health care quality: Measuring what matters. Committee on Pediatric Health and Health Care Quality Measures, Institute of Medicine, National Research Council. New York City: National Academies Press. The book has focused on the questions that have arisen due to the increase in public investment. This is evident in the health care services that are associated with special needs children and low-income adolescents in parts of the United States. The findings show that it is difficult to assess the health care quality and health status for the young populations; especially individuals who are at risk of having poor health outcome. This is attributed to lack of national information system that would have, otherwise, provided comprehensive, reliable indicators, and timely information for health status of these two extreme populations. Lack of such systems will mean that the health status for both the young children and adolescents are at risk. As such, from the findings, advancement in pediatric health development and the quality measures in the health centers will enhance quality health care provision. In addition, a comprehensive understanding of quality care will be undertaken by focusing on the scope, nature and quality of the data sources existing. The book will be pivotal for decision making by the health officers in both public and private health organization—in realization of quality health care. Lighter, E. & Fair, D. (2000). Principles and methods of quality management in health care. London: Jones & Bartlett Learning. The book provides a strategy for improving the quality of health care in order to reduce legal liability. As such, the risk of adverse events in a higher quality environment should be reduced. Quality improvement (QI) efforts by hospitals, physicians, managed care organizations (MCOs), and other providers—skilled nursing facilities and home health agencies—have been directed at enhancing the quality of health care. The initiatives have been prompted not only by the market demand, but also by legislative and regulatory mandates. The book discusses the quality improvement approach undertaken on complicated diseases, and the ways of analyzing disease states can be approached with ease. The structuring of the effective teams that implements and designs quality improvement on the medical solutions relevant to the changing economy is undertaken. It outlines the approach towards the realization of data sources, possible interventions, outcome, and performance measures. The findings of the study will enhance the policy makers to provide quality medical services to individuals and improve the health conditions of the residents. McLaughlin, P. (2006). Continuous quality improvement in health care. London: Jones & Bartlett Learning. The book provides a report on innovations in the electronic health records and the source exchange of medical information, which will help in transforming health care in America. It outlines the strategies of improving health care quality, preventing medical error, improving efficiencies in the administration, reducing costs associated with health care facilitation, increasing access to an affordable health care, and reducing paperwork. Health Information technologies—for instance, electronic medical records, a secure exchange of authorized information, and clinical decision support tools—aims at improving quality, reducing medical errors, and preventing deaths. In improving the quality of health on a population, the collection required need to be accurate, timely, and detailed in order to enhance critical evaluation of health care delivery in the sector. The reporting of critical findings to public health officials, clinic trials and other research, and feedback to clinicians will be pivotal in enhancing strategic-quality improvement in health care. Scutchfield, F. & Keck, C. (2003). Principles of public health practice. London: Cengage Learning. The book describes the current trends in the public health system that is practiced in the United States. It clearly describes the characteristics of state, federal public health agencies, and the local health system. Indeed, the federal government has increasingly turned toward informal ways of influencing clinical practice and quality of care at the population level. The findings showed that the federal government has undertaken various strategies to minimize the health problems reported in the society. One of the strategies has been to establish standards and systems for measuring quality within federal health care programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. Because large numbers of health care providers and health plans are involved in these programs, these standards and measures are likely to have significant spillover effects on the quality and clinical practice in private health care markets. Another strategy has been to use the federal government’s convening power to unify health plans, providers, and other health care stakeholders to reach voluntary, collective agreements on issues of appropriate care, and systems for ensuring health care quality. Ulmer, C. (2010). Future directions for the National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Reports. New York City: National Academies Press. The book highlights the strategies that the U.S. government has undertaken in distributing resources to the medical field. It evaluates the health care system to enhance delivery of high quality medical care, and equitable distribution of high-value care to all the residents of the U.S. It also analyzes the reports that are annually produced by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) in relation to the National Healthcare Disparities and National Healthcare Quality upon request by Congress. The findings revealed that there has been improvement in the health care performance over a given span of time, but vital drawbacks have also been highlighted. It provides the strategies that can be undertaken in order to improve upon the health concerns in the economy, and necessitate health care system change. As such, the findings of the study will enhance policy makers to undertake measures that will give insights and effective recommendations on the improvement of current performance in the health sector, and establish the worth of minimizing the gap between equity and quality. References Edmunds, M. (1997). Managing managed care: Quality improvements in behavioral health. New York: National Academies. Elmendorf, W. (2010). Quality initiatives undertaken by the Veterans Health Administration. New York: DIANE Publishing. Fowler, B. & White, V. (2004). Patient safety: Principles and practice. London: Springer Publishing Company. Green, A. & Bowie, J. (2005). Essentials of health information management: Principles and practices. London: Cengage Learning. Institute of Medicine (U.S.). (2003). Leadership by example: Coordinating government roles in improving health care quality. Committee on Enhancing Federal Healthcare Quality Programs. New York: National Academic Press. Institute of Medicine (U.S.). (2011). Child and adolescent health and health care quality: Measuring what matters. Committee on Pediatric Health and Health Care Quality Measures, Institute of Medicine, National Research Council. New York City: National Academies Press. Lighter, E. & Fair, D. (2000). Principles and methods of quality management in health care. London: Jones & Bartlett Learning. McLaughlin, P. (2006). Continuous quality improvement in health care. London: Jones & Bartlett Learning. Scutchfield, F. & Keck, C. (2003). Principles of public health practice. London: Cengage Learning. Ulmer, C. (2010). Future directions for the National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Reports. New York City: National Academies Press. Read More