Health Care Quality Improvement Plan - Essay Example

Health Care Quality Improvement Plan

Continuous improvement of healthcare institutions is the key to the delivery of quality services to the patients and the general community. This process requires realistic and accurate measures that need proper formulation and implementation. In this particular case, the improvement plan will be formulated and approved by the executive leadership of this institution. However the implementation will be carried out by the entire institution’s personnel who range from the top management team to the departmental staff. Further, it will be subjected to an annual monitoring and evaluation by an external body that will be responsible to give a non-subjective audit. Each segment below stipulates roles of each person and the special responsibilities that come with this plan.

Authority, structure, and organization

Board of Directors

This is the overall body that offers the general support, direction and guidance to the plan. They have the power to influence policy through voting and approval of all activities of the general plan. Secondly, the board will have the capacity to approve the expenditure and monetary aspect in the process of implementing this plan. Since they are not involved on day to day activities, they are given the technical and all important decisive information from the lower level management. The board meets on the annual general meeting (AGM) or when there is a pressing need. This means that their contribution is at the policy level that is reached when voting at the AGM. Lastly, the board has the capacity to review and approve any amendment to the plan if need arises. They have a mandate to steer the health institution towards achieving the mission and vision from the onset.

Executive leadership

This leadership includes top management personnel and the advisory experts on the technical matters that include IT, management, accounting and operational aspects. Their main role lies in coordination of vital matters from the lower levels to the board of directors. They offer guidance and communication of important matters that must be at the same spirit with the mission and vision of the quality improvement plan. They have regular meetings with the quality improvement committees to ensure that the timelines of implementations are on course. The executive leadership has the mandate to give directions through downward communication to the junior staff. Secondly, this level of leadership has a role to play on matters of quality and timely initiative on urgent matters. In other words, they have a role in solving urgent financial and other physical matters which include the technical aspects of the plans. They coordinate the official data within organization, they offer staff with a guidance in their role and make sure that any distraction from the course of action is corrected in time. The essence of the existence of executive leadership in any organization is to coordinate information through the stakeholders and the effective leadership and proper and quick decision making aspects.

Quality improvement committee

The quality improvement team forms the backbone of this plan. They have four major roles and responsibilities in making the healthcare improvement plan a success.

• They plan the most important aspects of the entire blueprint. Here the committee identifies areas that need to be improved and analyze the data that is at their disposal. Further, they note the opportunities that they can capitalize on to ensure that the entire system works. They compile and analyze the technical aspects that may affect the details of the organizations operations while improving the quality. This is because when some aspects of the organization are changed, there is a risk of jeopardizing the entire operation.
• Secondly, they act on the blueprint and plans that they create. This is the section that is most delicate in the entire operation. It involves the continuous and routine activities that are centered on the goals set by the top leadership. Since they are subject to scrutiny by the board and the executive leadership, the quality improvement committee has a daily obligation to monitor the progress of the plan.
• Thirdly, the quality improvement committee has the monitoring and checking responsibility of the plan. Changes of the plans are almost inevitable at all times. Sometimes a small change of a technical aspect of the plan may create a loophole in the entire strategy. Therefore, it is vital for the committee to act in line with the strategy and involve all stakeholders to ensure a proper and smooth operation of the plan.
• Lastly the committee ensures that the routine of the plan is followed by the people that are acting on it. This is because all components of change must work in tandem and a healthy routine is the key to making the plan succeed in creating and reaching its goal.

Medical Staff

They are the day to day implementers of the plan. Their first role is to act on all changes that they receive from the top management. For instance, they have the mandate to make quick and decisive changes in patient handling, sanitation standards and reporting structures in accordance to the changes created by the quality teams. The medical staff also has the role in making sure that they act in line with the institution’s objectives and mission. This involves having to obey and act swiftly on matters that come with the changes that are made. They also have a role in giving advice to the quality improvement committees since they have not only the technical knowledge of the activities but the experience on the ground. Lastly, the medical staff has the role to play in reporting and giving technical advice depending on important matters. Doctors and nurses of any institutions are the real stakeholders in those clinics, hospitals and homecare systems. By implementing the blueprint of the improvement plan, the staff is at a better place to receive and act on any information that comes from any direction concerning their work.

Middle management

In the healthcare sector, the middle management role has been under scrutiny on whether it ought to exist in the first place. However, in this aspect, the middle level managers have a role in communication and implementation of the activities of organization. They create a stable environment because of their role in the oversight of the plan. The top management and executive leadership of the heath institutions greatly depend on these managers to create a workable plan of action. In this particular plan, they function by creating groups of actions in tandem with the healthcare improvement plan. By these, it becomes easy for the quality improvement committee to evaluate and monitor the progress of the plan.

Department staff

The department staff is the hands and feet of the plan because they act on the ground and coordinate activities of the organization. In health care several departments have staff that act on several capacities. Some nurses and attendants are in direct contact with the outside world because of their contact with the public and patients. Therefore, they have a role in reporting or giving feedback concerning the progress of the plans. The changes of the entire organization emanate from the department staff.

Communication

The performance activities of the entire plan have to be communicated at all levels. Any changes from the board or the management need to reach the responsible people at all times in a swift and decisive manner. This plan adopts a top-down and down-top approach in its quest to effectively communicate well to all people involved in the implementation. The communication devices to be used in case of any changes include use of directives, email and online means, issuance of circulars and memos at all boards. However, word of mouth still remains one of the most effective ways of communicating to the people involved. The methods to be utilized broadly will include presentations, roundtable meetings and others.

Education

There will be three approaches to educating and orienting the staff to be part and parcel of the plan. First, there will be thorough extensive training and drilling of the information to all people involved. This will enable all to create an environment whereby the personnel understand their role and expectation at all time. Secondly, it will be made possible through regular updates, meetings and gatherings. This covers areas that are too technical to grasp in first meetings and trainings. Lastly, the education will be implemented through encouraging personal initiatives by all personnel involved. There will be issuance of literature and other readable materials to enable each person to read and understand the processes that the institution is undertaking.

Monitoring and Revising

Annual evaluation

According to the

Regulatory and Accreditation

External entities