Methods of Managing and Improving Quality - Term Paper Example

? Quality Improvement Plan III Lecturer Methods of Managing and Improving Quality The process of Quality Improvement Plan in the Community Care Center will be implemented using various methods. During the process, the methods of implementing the QIP to be used will ensure that the following QI activities are implemented: activities of quality assessment; forming quality improvement teams; a quick fix process to be used in solving issues that do not require comprehensive approach and implementation of solutions; creating a dashboard report; and using outside sources and databases available for our standards of professional practice. Theses quality improvement activities require competent methods such as: Creating problems focused on evaluations and monitoring areas with suspected problems Assessment of the problem will be done with any best method that can best yield the results desired Prioritizing problems according to their impact on the services and care of the clients Having periodic evaluations of the corrective actions’ results Identification of problem analysis The mentioned methods will be used to ensure that the processes and activities of the Quality Improvement Plan are fully implemented and take effect to result into high quality of the services, programs and care delivery system. The methods will be formulated, implemented, monitored and evaluated by the quality improvement committee of the organization. These methods will be used to deliver the components of the Quality Improvement Plan. The methods were chosen due to their elements of success in implementing the QIP such as: The report of the dashboard that provides data summary on the indicators selected and prepared for the Quality Management Committee, Board and staff. Use of comparative websites and databases available and other existing practice of professional standards that are used make comparison of the processes and outcome with the others, who determines the quality focus areas to exert more efforts. Teams charged with responsibility of improving quality systems within the departments of the organization, and identifying the available opportunities to ensure the outcomes and the QIP process is improved. Activities of assessing quality such as the satisfaction surveys of physicians, staff and clients are also used within the methodology. They can also entail the infection control surveillance, review of the biomedical records, and management of utilizing the care services. This will see to it, through implementation of QIP, that the standards of quality are not only met, but also maintained. The activities will also determine areas that the quality improvement teams need to review. Strategies of problem solving and mechanisms of implementing solutions to the problems in the areas that demand improvement in terms of quality The Community Care Center will also use information Technology Applications as part of the process of the Quality Improvement Plan. Some of the Information Technology Applications to be used include: Electronic Medical Records Application. The Electronic Medical Records technology infrastructure will provide portfolio for offering integrated and validated solutions in the Community Care Center. Electronic Medical Records will be used to improve the quality of electronic care processes in the organization. With a well developed Information Technology infrastructure, there will be a high level of performance, security, availability, integration, and virtualization of health records, hence, an improved quality in the programs, services and care offered to the community by the Community Care Center organization. The areas where this information technology application will mostly improve quality include: Billing, scheduling appointments, referral management, procedures of office visits, patient check-in and check-out, and e-prescribing and laboratories; another information technology application to be used in the Quality Improvement Plan is the EMC EHR Infrastructure Solutions Suite. As a current technology, it can transform and change completely the healthcare infrastructure. It can do this through consolidating, managing and virtualization of clinical applications effectively and efficiently. It can also ensure the security of personally identified information and protected health information in the delivery of care. EMC HER Infrastructure Solutions Suite can also protect both past and future healthcare information technology investment. It will also ensure improvement of clinical workflow and productivity for collaborative and safer care decisions. With these processes improved, the Quality Improvement Plan will undoubtedly be a success in improving the general Community Care Center service and care quality delivered to the clients. The milestones and benchmarks of the Quality Improvement Plan will be involved in the management of the use of the quality indicators. As discussed in the previous assignment, the Community Care Center will be working to improve the quality of its services in the areas such as the primary health care unit, the dental clinic, and the community support services center. There will be designed quality indicators and/ or benchmarks that the organization will be working to achieve. These quality indicators and/ or benchmarks include: Timely availability of data Valid and reliable indicator Feasible indicator Actionable indicator The reflective of the priorities of our strategic planning The effect on high cost, high volume, and high risk The Community Care Center will work out the process of Quality Improvement Plan towards those mentioned quality indicators, hence those will be the measures of quality in the organization. The Community Care Center will hence involve the stated milestones, benchmarks, and/ or quality indicators through using them as a mirror of where the organization wants to place its services. For instance, when a client visits the records department, the patient data should be availed in time to avoid wasting time. This will be ensured through the use of the EMC EHR Infrastructure Solutions Suite Information Technology Application or the Electronic Medical Records Application. The potential milestones and benchmarks that could be used, from the quality indicators, for the Quality Improvement Plan can be the following: Risk and Safety management within the facility Accreditation by the International Standards Organization The result from the client, volunteer, staff, and physician satisfaction surveys The happy clients These benchmarks and milestones are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time sensitive (SMART). This ensures the ability of the Community Care Center to track and monitor the trends of performance and results of the Quality Improvement Plan is good enough to evaluate the whole process of Quality Improvement Plan and the achievement of the mentioned milestones, benchmarks, and/ or quality indicators. The measures of quality and performance are aligned with the vision, mission, and the strategic plan of the Community Care Center. This can be seen in the organization’s services and concern for the community. The Community Care Center of Kawartha Lakes as multi faceted and integrated organization provides a wide range of community support programs and health services that are designed to support independence and promote health for all ages and life quality for both special needs and senior clients. This in particular is aligned to the quality measures and performance. The mission of the Community Care Center is to be the leader in the delivery of responsive, integrated health and support services for the community as well as collaborative designs that respect the individual independence and dignity. The facility strives to build a healthy, safe environment where staff, physicians and volunteers join hands in working to provide clients with quality services and care. In a close look at the mission, it aims at improving the quality of the services offered in the facility, hence aligned to the quality and performance measures. In summary, the Community Care Center ensures quality improvement within its departments and the services and programs it delivers to the community. The organization looks at quality in terms of care and service that are effective, safe, accessible, client centered, equitable, efficient, and responsive. During service and care delivery, the organization observes compassion, respect, accountability and excellence. Finally, the Quality Improvement Plan will enable a coordinated, systematic and a continuous approach of promoting the performance of the hospital through focusing on the mechanisms and processes addressing the hospital’s values. Quality Improvement Plan will also outline the strategies, goals and mechanisms of ensuring optimal delivery of care, safety of clients and attaining satisfaction level of the clients. It will also be the task of the Quality Improvement Plan to emphasize on the efforts on the support processes of care delivery to clients that will promote optimal outcomes to clients and effective practices of business. Within the Community Care Center, every program and department will be held accountable and responsible for ensuring that the activities of the Quality Improvement Plan are implemented. References Albanese, M. (2010). Engaging clinical nurses in quality and performance improvement Activities. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 34 (3), 226-245. Brown, R. (2010). Reframing nursing education: the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses Initiative. Teaching & Learning in Nursing, 5 (3), 115-118. Kliger, J. (2010). Nurse-driven programs to improve patient outcomes: transforming care at the Bed side, integrated nurse leadership program, and the clinical scene investigator academy. The Journal of Nursing Administration, 40 (3), 109-114. Murray, M. (2010). Teaching quality improvement. Journal of Nursing Education, 49 (8), 466 469. Read More