Improving Quality Health System Performance - Research Paper Example

Improving Quality/Health System Performance The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was announced on 23rd March, 2010 in association with the members of Senate and the Representatives of the House of United States of America. The Act has a large number of recommendations and proposals for the improvement and advancement of quality health care services for the inhabitants of America. This research paper is particularly dealing with the core components of improving quality and the efficiency of health care. All of the components are deeply analyzed and evaluated on the basis of the data provided in the references used. The different dimensions related to increase the effectiveness of health services are defined with the addition of financial disclosure and ethnic/social disparities. Improving quality and health system performance analyzing the protection and affordable care act. This research paper is aimed at providing deep analysis on the efficiency and improved quality delivered by the health care. To serve this purpose, The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, signed by President Obama is has been used. This act has the Public Law (111-148) and was passed by the members of Senate and United States of America House of Representatives in Congress Assembled. In order to build comparison the basic managed care components of improved quality and health system performance are evaluated on the basis of the act in addition to the challenges and positive/negative aspects. The Patient and Affordable Care Act is enacted to ensure the high-class yet reasonably priced health care facilities for all the inhabitants of United States of America. This act requires the active participation of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), especially the Secretary in order to institute a National Quality Strategy for increasing the efficiency of Health Care with the precedence towards guiding this endeavor while including a proper and well defined Strategic Plan which is based upon the guideline to achieve the aims and objectives of the plan (Congress, 2011). The Affordable Care Act will especially deal with the matters of consumers in the private sector health providing insurance companies by giving them new opportunities and coverage facilities for the individual and comparatively small business, expand the horizon of tax credits to middle and lower income Americans so as to provide them affordable health care services. Additionally it will also encourage the coordination, novelty, competence and the improved health care. These amendments are made on the basis of the on hand Legislation, for instance, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 2009 and Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009. Supplementary, these rations will harmonize an extensive variety of action on the State and Local Levels which are aimed at providing better health care opportunities along with the inexpensive rates and improved quality. With respect to all these objectives the National Quality Strategy will serve as the key element in the way of achievement (Congress, 2011). Following are the core components of Improving Quality and Health Performance: Comparative Effectiveness Research The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act emphasis upon the need of comparative effectiveness research and presents several guidelines in order to improve the quality of health related research work and also make the most use out of it. The Act states that as soon as the Center starts its operations, the elements related to the communication and announcement of research findings and their relative conclusions which will be put into practice once they are found to be effective in achieving the State goals related to Health Care. This will include the execution of the national appliance of ICU i.e. Intensive Care Unit developmental ventures concerning adults, children and neo-natal patients, more effective methods for the diagnosing purposes for the diseases such as Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus and other similar infections, lastly the realistic methods will be identified so as to avoid the admittance and re admittance in hospitals. The Comparative Effectiveness Research will also extend the horizon of projects dealing with the Children Health Care and the use of modern technology in the respective area. The research work will recognize and remove the possible hurdles in the way of improving health care facilities by evaluating the performance of patient safety organizations and to utilize the conclusions of researches to develop new scientific approach in order to deal with the critical events that might show up in during the course of action. The Research Findings concluded by the Centre would be available to the general public through different media sources which will induce health literacy among the masses. The actions of Centre would be synchronized with the respective activities of the Centre of Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. All these operations would be financed through the investment of $20,000,000 from 2010 to 2014 (fiscal year) (USA, 2010). Medical Malpractice The members of Senate have represented their wisdom regarding the Medical Malpractice. It includes: the changes in the Health Care imprints the prospects to identify and resolve the problems related to the medical malpractice and the legal responsibility of medical insurances. Subsequently it emphasizes upon encouraging the State to develop a test alternative strategy to respond to the prevailing civil proceedings which is basically a way of civilizing and ensuring the safety of patients by reducing medical inaccuracies, cheering the competent declaration of argument, rising the easy use of on time and fair declaration of arguments and humanizing the right entry to liability insurance while maintaining the rights related to seek rectification in court. In addition to this the Congress would have to institute State demonstration strategy which will be responsible to analyze the alternatives to the prevailing civil proceedings system in relation to the declaration of Medical Malpractice claims (USA, 2010). Medicare Groups of medical service providers would be extending services to meet the extensive needs of patients and also the demands of clinic personals. They will synchronize and manage to work together for helping the Medicare beneficiaries with the facilitation of care providing organization. The Act includes the protection and improvement strategies in order to make the easy access and availability of medical services for the Medicare beneficiaries on the basis of evidence and item specifications. The Medicare beneficiaries are for both urban and rural population (USA, 2010). Dual Eligible’s Individuals who are eligible for both the beneficiaries of Medicare and Medicaid including the variables such as care quality, care harmonization, reduced cost and other similar variables are known as Dual Eligible’s. The act is supporting the rights of dual eligible’s by simplifying the process through which they can easily avail the respective facilities which come under Medicare or Medicaid. Improved quality services would be provided to such individuals who will get benefit from them in every possible way. The Act is especially focusing on increasing the understanding and intellectual level of these individuals by increasing their active participation in the Medicare or Medicaid seminars and related programs. The conflicting areas between Medicare and Medicaid would be removed in order to facilitate the individuals with dual eligibility. Additionally they would be provided with the secure and protected care transitions (USA, 2010). Medicaid Medicaid includes the long care plans which have the equally level of weakness as compared to others. In the Act Medicaid has been provided with determinants which include proposals and recommendations regarding the future Medicaid programs and activities which would be conducted to ensure the smooth and clear medical service delivery to every individual. In order to identify the requirements and impacts of the amendments on the overall Medicaid, the proposals would be rechecked within the time span of 3 months so that it can be confirmed that the preceding results are due to proposals or not and whether a change is required or not (USA, 2010). Primary Care It includes the home services for those patients who have some issues in visiting the hospitals. The patient-centered medical home models will fulfill the demands and necessities of high in medical need individuals especially women who at times need medical assistance immediately at home. This would be a free service plan i.e. the medical professionals would not charge extra for making home visits. These shall be supported by several financial policies which are solely formulated by keeping in consideration the factors related to home services, capitation preparations, patients’ addresses and payments according to the performance of medical professionals. In general the concept of primary care encompasses several other variables such as the team of doctors and nurses who provide basic medical treatment at the home while ensuring the patients’ independence and comfort. These professionals possess recognizable experience in the particular fields and also maintain expertise as per their duties. They perform well in giving home treatment and primary care through their 24/7 availability. They are performing as per the defined goals of the Health Department. They also use the latest technologies such as health information systems, diagnostic machinery which is based upon mobile service and remote monitoring to deal with the chronic diseases. The Secretary would carry out the demonstration programs to evaluate and test the payment procedures service patterns of medical professionals including doctors, nurses, teams designed for provide primary care, etc (USA, 2010). National Quality Strategy The National Quality Strategy is aimed at providing the superior quality health services to the patients in order to fulfill their health related demands and needs. The patients, members of the family on collective basis and the societies actually direct the proceedings of the medical professionals. This strategy integrates all the evidence based research conclusions and findings which are conducted by ensuring the use of latest technology and scientific methods especially in the areas of clinical medicines, health services and general public health. It will promote a delivery scheme which shall be operating on the basis of improved clinics and organizations, ultimately decreasing the managerial burdens and cooperating to achieve better health facilities. The basic principles guiding the National Quality Strategy are extracted from the stakeholders of the different governmental agencies such as the Health Care System, Local authorities, medical assistance providing organizations, medical clinics, patients, production houses and workers. The outcomes of this strategy would prove to be exceptionally beneficial for the improvement in medical care and on the whole health issues of the inhabitants of America (Congress, 2011). The National Quality Strategy has formulated three well defined goals and objectives which will be utilized in order to evaluate the performance of local and governmental authorities in the way of improving health services. Following are the goal of National Quality Strategy (Congress, 2011). Better Care: As a whole the quality of health care services and medical assistance provided to patients would be improved by making significant additions of patient-centered approach, dependability, availability and ensuring safety. Healthy Communities: Healthy people give rise to healthy communities which are essential for the overall development of the country. The strategy will address the communal and environmental issues of people in addition to their behavioral development. Affordable care: All the medical facilities would be available to the general public on affordable rates so that the discrimination of any basis could be removed and people could be served on equal terms. Hence the cost reduction is for everyone from individuals to folks and workers to corporations. In addition to these goals the National Quality Strategy has other aims and objectives as well which will be used to measure its productivity and priorities (Congress, 2011). They are: The care service delivery should be made by considering the safety terms and conditions. The involvement of every individual and their families should be made confirm. Effective use of communication and synchronization should be made certain. The prevention, protection and treatment procedures would promote while evaluating their causes as per the morality. This shall be initiated by the cardiovascular diseases. Communal work would be encouraged to increase the horizon of medical practices and healthy lifestyle. Quality medical care would be made more reliable and affordable with the improved amendments by the governmental authorities, which will enable the individuals, folks and workers to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. These additional aims can be attained with active participation of medical professionals such as clinic personals, patients, supportive organizations and other local and governmental agencies operating in the country. Different societies have their own needs and specifications to fulfill those needs, the six pointers describing the aims of National Quality Strategy help in achieving the specific needs. In addition to this they are also beneficial for the national development and advancement (Congress, 2011). Financial Disclosure The Affordable Care Act of 2010 has the following Financial Disclosures (Dunn, 2010): The health insurance facilitators’ deductibility of administrative and worker payments are restricted to $500,000. Black liquor is used by the paper manufacturing industries in order to operate the machinery. It is a bio fuel which has now $1.01 tax per gallon. This will lead to increased tax liability in the near future. The employees who do not pay their taxes pertaining to medical services would be now strongly charged to correct their behavior. Employers who are maintaining authority over 50 or more employees yet they are not extending insurance to them will also be charged against the illegal act. Hospitals which are readmitting patients with in the time period of seven days will have to make payments with the new reduction of 1%. To deal with this issue hospitals might change their policy of readmitting the patients so as to avoid the possible readmission rate imposed on them. Companies operating in the pharmaceutical industry will have to pay the non deductible fee as per their ratio of sales compared to the industry total. The generic drugs now have the legal permission for the production from The Food and Drug Administration. The manufacturers of medical equipment and devices are subject to pay 2.3% excise tax. Disparities The Patient Protection and Affordable Act focuses on removing the disparities concerning the health issues and related services. The act will ensure that the medical services are extended to every individual despite of his/her ethnic and social background as the racial and ethnic disparities in the American society are advancing on the continuous basis which has affected the overall productivity level of the nation. In such a condition the patients suffer a lot as they hardly find proper treatment opportunities because of the cast or color. This has given rise to the intense need of developing certain strategies regarding the patients of chronic diseases, infant mortality and other related medical issues. The Act has specific sections to deal with the issues of disparity. Extensive research would be conducted on the subject to ensure the removal of any form of discrimination. In addition to this the health programs and similar activities would be administered on the basis of disparity trends pertaining to health and care. There is an increased emphasis made on encouraging workforce diversity in providing the medical services so that the lacked behind individuals can also enjoy the fruits of equality. Special training programs are formulated for the reduction of ethnic and social disparities which will ultimately constitute in gaining the overall objective of the Act (Dennis P. Andrulis, 2010). Conclusion The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (2010) has provided extensive assistance to the patients, especially those who were lacking behind in availing the medical services due to high rates attached to it. The research paper has build up deep analysis of the subject by making compare and contrast relationship and defining the key points. The core components of improved quality and health care efficiency are thoroughly discussed including; Comparative Effectiveness Research, National Quality Strategy, Financial Disclosures, etc. The Affordable Care Act has significantly focused upon the disparities related to ethnicity and community. It has given due importance to the subject by removing all the negative elements which somehow lead towards discrimination. The Act and its various recommendations are highly applicable for the prevailing American society. References Congress, R. t. (2011). National Strategy for Quality. Improvement in Health Care. Department of Health and Human Services, USA. Dennis P. Andrulis, N. J. (2010). PATIENT PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT OF 2010:Advancing Health Equity for Racially and Ethnically Diverse Populations. JOINT CENTER FOR POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC STUDIES. Dunn, G. (2010). A Summary of the Financial Reporting and Disclosure Implications of th e Health Care Reform Legislation. Deloitte. USA, M. o. (2010). Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Public Law 111-148. Read More