Changing Health Care Systems: Individual Process Improvement and Change Project - Essay Example

Individual Process Improvement and Change Project Introduction Quality deficiencies are present in most health care settings; whet her in the urban hospital or village clinic. The ability of physicians not to adhere to quality reduces benefit to clients; health care providers are also disillusioned, and wastes scarce health resources. To improve quality, a systematic and ongoing process of improving quality is important for an effective, efficient, and responsive health care system. This paper provides a step by step improving process in order to improve [rove situations related to health care quality. Quality problem refers to the situation that is current and what is desired in the future (Kongstvedt, 2012). Process to be Changed Quality medical care must be the priority of physicians. Process improvement on quality works best when conducted as being part of the quality assurance program. In this program, physicians should develop standards as well as monitor quality indicators. Quality medical care ensures that patients get value for their money. Expensive medical care does not mean that it is of high quality, further, low prices should also not determine quality of medical care. Quality refers to value for money (Lighter & Fair, 2004). Driving forces Patient Satisfaction In order to improve quality or to effectively resolve quality problems as they rise, physicians must focus on the client needs: both internal and external. The needs of the clients should be the driving force toward changing quality systems. They should also determine the planning and performance of any activity. An external client refers to the patients and the community who are the final recipients and beneficiaries of the physician services. Internal clients refer to those within the organization who depend on other employees for products that can help them in providing quality medical care to external clients (Juran, 1998). Life Safety Issue Enhancement Clients want physicians who are capable of meeting ethical standards. There are cases whereby surgeons have left surgical blades inside operation sites thereby leading to serious health complications. Quality must be improved while performing surgical operations. The need to improve is driven by the need to be ethical and to assure patients that they will not suffer due to surgical negligence. Life safety issue must also be enhanced to avoid legal consequence. Physicians risk losing their licenses if they are found to be negligent while performing surgical operations (Lighter & Fair, 2004). OSHA Mandate OSHA ensures that health clinics adhere to its set standards and regulations. This is done through deployment of compliance safety and health officers to the clinics to ensure that they are meeting the set standards of quality medical care. The health officers carry out inspections and ensure that appropriate fines are imposed for regulatory violations. Improve Efficiency Improving quality also needs a focus on systems and process. Quality health care systems and processes are evaluated according to their outcomes. The outcomes may be immediate or long term effects the system has on the health of individuals and the communities they provide services to. The systems and the process must meet the expectations since most people attribute poor employee motivation and inadequate efforts as causes. Quality problems arise due to a deficiency in one or more system’s related processes. In addition, quality problems can arise due to poor coordination of interrelated processes. If the processes are poor, the outcomes will likely be poor. Poor job design can also lead to poor quality in medical care or the failure of the management to provide leadership on clear purpose activities (Kongstvedt, 2012). Benchmarking-enhancement Benchmarking should focus on data-based decisions. Every clinic should find what other clinics are doing to improve the quality of their services to patients. Benchmarking is done when clinics experience low turnout of clients in the facility. In order to compete for clients: Clinics must improve processes base on information on how other clinics function and also on how the function. Decisions made on how to improve systems must be based on the available data. Assumptions should not be used to make decisions. The information is in most cases available or need to be collected from other sources (Kongstvedt, 2012). Change Theory and Leadership Style According to Donabedian & Bashshur (2003), change can only be realized through the application of quality assurance cycle. Quality assurance cycle involves three sets of activities that must be done. They include designing for quality assurance, monitoring quality, and solving quality problems and improving process. Further, every employee must be involved in the quality assurance process. This can only be achieved through democratic style of leadership. Democracy ensures that every individual participates in the process; this ensures that every employee owns up to the consequences of the decisions made. Further, participation by each individual ensures that the implementation process is faster since there will be common understanding on the need for change. Methodology Used 1. Designing for quality A) Planning for quality assurance. I would first develop a vision and strategy required or the quality assurance activities. In addition, I would assign duties, and allocate resources necessary for the quality health care to be realized. B) The second process in designing quality would involve coming up with guidelines and setting standards. I will have to define expectations for quality health services in the clinic. C) The final step under the design of quality would involve communicating guidelines and standards. I will ensure that those employees who must apply the standards are aware of them. They should also be able to understand them, as well as believe in them. 2. Monitoring Quality process improvement must be monitored. Ii will have to develop indicators as well as collect data to measure performance. Further, I will be charged with the task of identifying current or impending problems (Donabedian & Bashshur, 2003). 3. Problem solving and improving process This process begins by the identification of problems as well as selecting opportunities which can bring success. Information should be examined through monitoring, talking to people as well as conducting research to identify existing and emerging problems. The process would be successful if most important problematic processes are tackled (Donabedian & Bashshur, 2003). Further, I will have to define the problem operationally. This is achieved through developing of a clear statement of the problem so that its measurable effects on the health services can be determined. In addition, I will also have to identify who needs to work on the problem. This is important in analyzing and in developing and implementing solutions (Donabedian & Bashshur, 2003). Other steps that must be followed include the analysis of the problem to identify major causes, generating a list of possible solutions, and implementing quality improvement efforts. Consequently, quality improvement efforts must be evaluated (Donabedian & Bashshur, 2003). Timeline Designing for quality Planning for quality assurance (1 month) Developing guidelines and setting standards (2 months) Communicating guidelines and standards (1 month) Monitoring Monitoring quality (3 months) Problem solving and improving processes Identifying problems and selecting opportunities for improvement (2 months) Defining the problem operationally (1 month) Identifying who needs to work on the problem (15 days) Analyzing and studying the problem to identify major causes (2 months) Developing solutions and actions for quality improvement (3 months) PDSA Cycle PDSA is an acronym standing for (plan, do, study, and act). These four steps can be used to improve quality in the health clinics. First, I would establish the objectives and the important processes for the results to be realistic with the expectations of the clients. Secondly, I would implement the new processes to bring the required change in quality. In addition, the cycle would not be complete if I do not evaluate the new processes in order to compare the outcome against the expectations of the clients. This is to ascertain the discrepancies and show how the quality can be improved. Finally, I would analyze the differences to identify their origin. In case the four steps do not bring change in the clinic, the scope in which PDSA is applied should be refined until there is a strategy that can bring change in the quality of health care. Summary Quality health care should be the priority of clinics. Quality should address the requirements of regulations and laws put in place to carry out ethical physician practices. In addition quality improvement must involve benchmarking in order to find information necessary for the improvement process. Further, employees should ensure that their services to the clients are efficient and are meeting their needs. Lack of patient satisfaction is harmful to the clinic and to the patient who must get value for their money (Juran, 1998). References Donabedian, A & Bashshur, R (2003), An Introduction To Quality Assurance In Health Care, New York: Oxford University Press. Juran, J.M. (1998), Juran’s Quality Control Handbook, New York: Mcgraw-Hill. Kongstvedt, P (2012), Essentials of Managed Care, New York: Jones & Bartlett Publishers. Lighter, D & Fair, D (2004), Quality Management in Health Care: Principles And Methods, New York: Jones & Bartlett Learning. Read More