Quality Safety in Healthcare - Assignment Example

Quality Safety in Healthcare Name Institution Date Module 1 Activity 1 The process of mandatory reporting plays an important role in promoting the safety of the patient in Australia. The reporting is based on the notifiable conduct of the health professional or employees who are registered with a heath body. The risk of patients being exposed to unsafe practices is reduced greatly by the mandatory reporting. The reporting reduces the chances of the medical professionals attending to the patients while under the influence of drugs or any intoxication. The safety of the patients is dependant on the state of mind of the healthcare professional. The use of drugs interferes with the sate of mind of the healthcare professional. This increases the chances of the medical professional subjecting the patient to wrong treatment. During the operations, the chances of the medical professional making mistakes are high incase of intoxication or use of drugs. This may result to the death of the patient or other serious consequences. The mandatory reporting therefore acts a tool for preventing malpractice in the medical field. It also restrains the medical professionals from engaging in unprofessional acts that may compromise the health of the patients. Some of the patients have died due to the misconduct of the health professionals in the past. However, the mandatory requirement plays an important role in terms of rooting out the rogue healthcare professionals who are responsible for risks that patients have been exposed to. The reporting therefore ensures that only the health care workers who are professional in their work are allowed to practice. This is also beneficial to the patients in terms of promoting their safety (Hirsch, et al, 2009). The mandatory reporting also ensures that the professional standards are maintained at all times. This is because the mandatory reporting requires that the healthcare workers who do not work within the professional standards are reported. The professional standards are for the purpose of protecting the patients by ensuring that their safety is maintained at all times. The safety of the patients is also guaranteed by the professional standards. This means that if the healthcare professionals stick to the standards, the safety of the patients is promoted. The mandatory reporting is thus for the purpose of ensuring that the professional standards are adhered to. Any healthcare professional that does not adhere to the standards has to be identified and reported. This also plays an important role in terms of eliminating the rogue medical workers. The safety of the patients is strictly dependant on the professional standards. The failure to the adherence to the professional standard automatically compromises the safety of the patients. The mandatory reporting therefore promotes the safety of the patients by ensuring that the standards are maintained. Some of the medical professionals are usually impaired in one way or another. This affects their ability to deliver quality health acre services to the patients. It also compromises their safety and it may lead to fatal consequences. In some instances, such incidences have been fatal while others have left the patients with severe injuries and hence poor health. The reporting ensures that such impairments are reported and hence preventing the patients from being exposed to risks. It is thus evident that the mandatory reporting plays a major role in terms of promoting the safety of the patients (McDonald, et al, 2010). Activity 2 The introduction of such a scheme to Australia is beneficial to the patient in terms of safety as well as monetary value. The safety of the patients will be improved as the policies of the scheme will require a strict adherence to the safety standards. The compensation is awarded to the patient due to the damages caused and it is also a relief to the patient (McSherry, et al, 2006). However, before the compensation is made, the scheme ensures that an investigation is launched in order to determine the safety standards of the healthcare facility. This is because the scheme requires that the medical facilities should be able to maintain high standards of heath at all times. This will therefore promote the safety standards of the patients in Australia. The management of the health facilities will ensure that they have met the requirements of the scheme. It will involve the management ensuring that the medical professionals are highly qualified and carry out their work with a lot of professionalism. It may trigger internal mechanisms within the hospital to establish the safety standards to avoid the incidences of risks. Through the actions of the medical facilities, the standards of health will be promoted within the healthcare facilities and hence benefiting the patients. This is also for the purpose of building a god public image of the hospital. This is because the patients will definitely shun from hospitals with high rates of compensation. This is because a hospital where much compensation is made indicates that the safety standards are low. The hospitals in Australia would thus want little to do with the compensations so as to build the confidence of the patients. In so doing, every measure would be put in place to guarantee the safety of the patients. Such a scheme may also have negative outcomes in Australia. The lack of establishing the fault will not solve the problem of safety as the fault may keep on recurring. This is unlike the negligence system in Australia where investigations are launched to establish the fault and hence recommending the remedial measures. Establishing the fault also plays an important role in building the confidence of the patients. This is because the patients may tend to shy away from the health facility if they are not aware of the causes of some problems that compromise safety. On the other hand, it is also important to note that the safety of the patients may be compromised by the use of the scheme. This is because the healthcare workers may not be punished for the professional misconduct. This is due to the failure of establishing the fault. The fault could be on the part of the health care worker as opposed to other factors. This means that the same medical worker will continue working in the facility and the same problems may occur. It is thus important to note that the use of the scheme does little to contain the rogue medical professionals. The professional standards may also be compromised through the use of the scheme. This is because the scheme makes it difficult to determine whether the standards are being adhered to or not. This is also due to the lack of investigations in terms of establishing the fault. This system also discourages the accountability of the medical professionals in relation to the outcome of their work (Mello, et al, 2005). Activity 3 The legal mechanism constituted plays an important role in promoting the safety of the patients. The mechanism encourages the members of the public to make any complaints with regard to the safety standards. This plays an important role in terms of identifying the unprofessional conducts of the medical professionals. The legal mechanism also has the powers to take action against the medical professionals who have violated standards of health. This is for the purpose of ensuring the safety of the patients. On the other hand, the legal mechanism ensures that the displinary and non-displinary actions are taken against the professionals who violate the standards. During the investigations of misconduct, the interim measures are usually put in place to safeguard the patients. This also prevents the medical professional from further misconduct which may compromise the safety of the patients. It is thus evident that the legal mechanism is for the purpose of protecting the patient from the risks that may result from misconduct and low standards. The compliance to the professional standards is an important concept in terms of protecting the patients. The legal mechanism therefore plays an important role in terms of ensuring the compliance to the standards. The legal mechanism has also empowered some of the bodies to set safety standards for the professionals. This is also for the purpose of ensuring that the patients are protected from unsafe practices and misconduct. The criminalization of some of the actions of the healthcare professionals also acts as a measure for restraining the professionals. It also discourages other medical practitioners from engaging in unprofessional behaviors (Masso, 2009). The legal mechanism also provides for the investigation to be carried out thoroughly to determine whether a professional misconduct took place. It also establishes the whether the action taken against the concerned professional is appropriate or not. This is for the purpose of ensuring that the patients are satisfied with the action taken. Fraud within the system can also undermine the quality of healthcare services as well as the safety of the patients. The legal mechanism has thus put in place adequate measures to ensure that fraud is eliminated in the healthcares system. The legal mechanism also ensures that stiff penalties are imposed on those who engage in fraud. It is thus evident that the legal mechanism is for the purpose of benefiting the patients. The legal mechanisms also give powers to some of the bodies to determine the activities that they feel should be abolished. This is depending on the safety implications that it may have on the patients. The legal mechanism also gives directions in terms of prosecuting the practitioners who are found engaging in the prohibited practices. These measures are thus for the purpose of ensuring that the safety of the patients are not compromised. It is also important to note that the legal mechanism gives the coroner some powers to investigate the circumstances that results to death due to safety issues. The coroner also has powers to make recommendation regarding the death and hence preventing the occurrence of similar death in future. This ensures that the safety of the patients is maintained based on the recommendations. It is thus evident that the legal system plays an important role in supporting the safety of the patients (Healy, et al, 2009). Module 2 Activity 2.1 The quality of health is dependant on the measures put in place to improve it. The improvement of the quality leads to the safety of the patients. The accreditation of the healthcare services enables the management to reduce wastes and hence increasing the efficiency of the healthcare services. Wastes always results to poor practices and hence leading to the poor safety standards that affects the patients. The accreditation process leads to the total service delivery. The concepts of total service delivery are for the purpose of ensuring that the best standards of healthcare services are attained. This is through putting in place measures that ensures that the standards are observed and improved. Accreditation ensures that the medical facility is well equipped in order to meet the set standards. The availability of adequate equipment ensures that the safety of the patients is improved. On the other hand, concepts of accreditation are about the safety of the patients. This is because some parameters are used for the purpose of determining whether the quality of services is improving. The ability of the patients to be safe in the facilities and while undergoing treatment is one of the parameters that prove that the services are improving. The external reviews thus play an important role in terms of improving the quality and safety of the health services. The principles of quality are usually enhanced and embraced through the accreditation process. This leads to the improvement of services within the health care facilities. Continuous improvement is also one of the concepts of accreditation and hence ensuring that the safety standards are maintained an improved once they have been attained (Sye, 2007). Accreditation has played an important role in Australia in terms of ensuring the safety and improvement of quality of healthcare services. Through accreditation, the country has been able to embrace the principles of continuous quality improvement in the medical sector. This has played an important role in terms of ensuring that the best standards are maintained. It is for this reason that Australia is ranked among the best countries in terms of provision of healthcare. Through accreditation, the compliance to the standards has been achieved by most of the organizations in the health sector. This is because accreditation is aimed at ensuring that an organization is able to comply with the set standards in the sector. It is thus through accreditation that quality of the healthcare services has been improved in Australia. The process of accreditation also ensures that the healthcare professionals are well qualified. It also spells out the number of experts who are required for the health care facility to be accredited. The availability of experts is a measure of ensuring that the hospital facility is able to handle extreme cases and hence improving the quality and safety standards of the facility. Risk management policies have also been put in place to ensure that the hospitals in Australia are able to contain any risks. Through the accreditation, the health care professionals are given the guidelines and regulations that they have to work under in order to avoid misconduct. Penalties have also been outlined for the purpose of ensuring that any misconduct is dealt with. It is thus evident that accreditation has played a leading role in Australia towards achieving the quality health care services provision (Oosthuizen, et al, 2010). Activity 2.2 IOM Domains Safety Effectiveness Patient-centered Timely Efficiency Equitability BEF Focused on improving the safety standards for the benefits of the patients. Providing services that are meant to benefit the patients and ensure recovery. Upholding the rights of the patients when providing the healthcare services (Nolte, 2010). Ensuring that the delays are eliminated during the provision of care to the patients. Proper use of equipment and expertise for the full benefits of the patients Provision of quality care regardless of the status of the and gender ISO 9001 Focused on the maintenance of defined standards of safety when providing services. Use of quality management practices for the purpose of benefiting the patients. Ensuring that the patient is not subjected to any unethical standards during treatment. The healthcare workers should respond immediately to the needs of the patients. Availing the necessary equipment and expertise for the purpose of quality management during care. Equal treatment of the patients at all times and applying the same standards during treatment. EQiLP Transparency during the provision of healthcare services to the patients to ensure safety. Strict adherence of the standards during the provision of services in order to benefit the patients. Ensuring that the patient is not subjected to undue treatment process The patient should be attended to immediately and no patient should be left unattended to. Efficiency should be maintained through the availability of experts and the necessary equipment. The access of patients to the healthcare services should not be limited to gender of financial statues of the patients. ACSQHC The safety of the patients should be the first issue to be considered during treatment. Provision of the health care services should be for the purpose of ensuring that the demands of the patients are met The patient has a right to know of the treatment procedures that they are being subjected to The patient should be treated on a timely basis for the purpose of avoiding fatalities and ensuring that lives are saved The medical staff should be well equipped for the purpose of fully responding to the needs of the patients. The access of the patients to treatment should be equal. This should regardless of the financial limitations. QIP/AGPAL The concepts of professionalism should be applied during the treatment of the patients in order to benefit them. The principles of accreditation should be applied in order to benefit the patience and ensure effectiveness. The patients should be empowered for the purpose of ensuring that they receive the best quality of treatment (Linwood, 2010). The principles of accreditation should be applied and there should be no reason for the delays in the treatment of patients. The medical professionals should be well trained and licensing of the professionals is also required before they are allowed to practice. The treatment of the patients should be given the first priority regardless of their financial status. Saving the lives should be the first priority. Activity 2.3 The regulations in the health care profession in the United Kingdom are for the purpose of ensuring that the best practices are achieved. This is also the main purpose of the regulation in Australia. In both countries, professional bodies have been formed for the purpose of setting standards in the healthcare sector. This is also for the purpose of ensuring that the patients receive the best healthcare services. In the United Kingdom, Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence is the body that is mandated with the promotion of safety and the wellbeing of the patients. This professional body is also accountable to parliament concerning the actions that it takes to promote the healthcare services. The Australian council on healthcare standards in Australia is a professional body that is mandated with the improvement of the standards (Duckett, 2007). The two countries therefore have similarities in terms of controlling the healthcare standards for the purpose of benefiting the patients. Professional bodies are also involved in the setting of standards during the training of the medical professionals. This is for the purpose of ensuring that the quality of the training is able to meet the needs of the patients. However, it is important to note that in Australia, the dentists do not undergo the continuing professional development which is mandatory in the United Kingdom every year. This is for the purpose of ensuring that the dentists are able to practice. The involvement of professional bodies in the management and setting of standards in the healthcare sector plays an important role in terms of improving the safety of patients. This also plays an important role in improving the quality of health. It is thus evident that the two countries share a lot of similarities in their models of health provision. The national health professional registration system has some advantages as compared to the state based system. This is because the national registration system is recognized widely as compared to the state system (Graban, 2009). This means that the professionals can practice in any of the state. On the other hand, the state registration system may only be applicable in a certain state. This means that the professional may not be able to practice in other states. This is thus one of the weaknesses of the state registration as compared to the national registration. The national health professional registration is in line with the other international bodies and thus reliable in terms of ensuring the safety of the patients. The national health registration is also reviewed from time to time incase of changes in the concepts. This is because the registration has to comply with the international standards. On the other hand, the national registration is advantageous in terms of ensuring that the professionals adhere to the international standards and hence improving the safety standards. However, it also has a few disadvantages. Incase of any violation by the professional, the registration is revoked. This makes it impossible for the professional to practice again. This is regardless of the nature of the misconduct. This is thus a disadvantage to the professional. On the other hand, it is also difficult to attain the registration as it requires a lot of experience. This is therefore a disadvantage to the young professionals. References Sye, LG. (2007). Process Alchemy A Practical Guide to Continuous Business Improvement with Modern Day Six Sigma and Lean Thinking, (2nd Ed), Brisbane: Soarent Pty Ltd. Oosthuizen, S. et al. (2010). Quality and safety: Precision, accuracy and compliance with accepted standards of care, African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine, Vol 2 No 1. Nolte, E. (2010). International benchmarking of healthcare quality – A review of the literature, Technical Report 738. London: RAND. Linwood, R. (2010). Takeup of the Australian Business Excellence Framework, Sydney, SAI Global. Duckett, S. (2007). The Australian Health Care System, Melbourne, Oxford University Press. Graban, M. (2009). Lean Hospitals: Improving Quality, Patient Safety and Employee Satisfaction. New York: Productivity Press, Taylor and Francis Group. Healy, J. et al. (2009) Patient Safety First: Responsive regulation in health care. Sydney: Allen & Unwin. Masso, M. (2009) ‘Do public inquiries improve health care?’ in Healy, J. and Dugdale, P. eds Patient Safety First – Responsive Regulation in Health Care, Sydney: Allen & Unwin. Mello, M. et al. (2005) “Fostering Rational Regulation of Patient Safety,” Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law 30 (3): 375- 426. McSherry, B. et al. (2006) ‘Regulating to ensure patient safety in hospitals: Towards a comprehensive framework’ 14 Journal of Law and Medicine, 228. McDonald, F. et al. (2010) ‘The Regulation of Health Professionals’. (eds) Health Law in Australia, Sydney: Thomson Reuters. Hirsch, D. et al. (2009) ‘Does litigation against doctors and hospitals improve quality?’ Patient Safety First – Responsive Regulation in Health Care, Crows Nest: Allen & Unwin Read More