Another new assignment - Essay Example

The patient, who is the direct recipient of the delivery of health care service, is the most qualified person to assess, evaluate and judge the quality of healthcare that he or she receives. If the patient is totally immobile or unconscious during the confinement in the health institution, then, the immediate relative (spouse, children) who regularly accompanies the patient and oversees the delivery of the required medical services, is the next authorized person to gauge the quality of health care rendered and received by the patient.

Quality is measured in terms of customer perspectives with emphasis on the following: (1) accessibility and availability of service; (2) timely and safe delivery of service; (3) coordination and continuity of care between services; and (4) effectiveness of services (i.e., the delivery and outcome of care). (ibid. p. 74) Delaune & Ladner (2006) averred that “a healthcare organization must be concerned with doing the right things (efficiency, appropriateness) and doing the right things well (availability, timeliness, effectiveness, continuity, safety, efficiency, and respect and caring)” (p. 74) Quality measurement consists of evaluating three interrelated components: structure (philosophy, guidelines, facilities, financial resources, policies, procedures, and job descriptions); process (nursing care and standards of care); and finally, outcome (client’s health status, self-care abilities, acquisition of knowledge, and higher level of wellness).

The steps enumerated in Table 1 utilized by John Groocock in a big manufacturing firm have some parallelism to the measurement of quality in a healthcare institution except that the terminologies and classifications are not exactly the same. As previously noted, the elements needed in evaluating the quality of care in a hospital setting fall under three categories: structure, process, and outcome.