Healthcare dashboards and metrics - Assignment Example

Healthcare dashboards and metrics February 23, Healthcare dashboards and metrics Prevention and management of diseases and infections is one of the major aims of the healthcare sector. Evidence-based practice into best approaches and establishment of benchmarks help in goal setting and realization towards the healthcare objectives. Below is a description of a healthcare metric that I would include in a dashboard. Incidence of pre-hypertension is an example of a healthcare metric that I would include in a dashboard.

The condition defines a level of blood pressure that offers threats to hypertension. Hypertension has become a common problem in the contemporary society and this makes the metric important because of the need to prevent the problem. About 33 percent of American adults suffer from the condition that causes about 1000 deaths per day and a total of $ 46 billion per years. The economic burden that the condition places on people and the government also establishes importance of the metric for preventive purposes.

Effects of high blood pressure such as stroke, heart failure, and weak blood vessels also identify significance of the metric for knowledge development into monitoring the condition. It is therefore necessary to identify at-risk populations (with pre-hypertension) and to ensure prevention of hypertension (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). Two benchmarks will be used, 120 mmHg for systolic blood pressure and 80 mmHg for diastolic blood pressure, and levels above these, but bellow values for hypertension diagnosis, will be considered pre-hypertension condition.

Significance of hypertension requires preventive measures. In order to ensure effective prevention, I would include incidence of pre-hypertension as a healthcare metric with 120 mmHg and 80 mmHg as benchmarks for systolic and diastolic blood pressure respectively. Any blood pressure above their respective benchmarks would require aggressive prevention measures. ReferencesThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). High blood pressure fact sheet. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Retrieved from: http://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fs_bloodpressure.htm.