Overview
Week 1
The United Stated has had the highest health care costs in the world, but the quality of care has been ranked at the bottom of industrial countries. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has prompted high-quality care with lower costs. Over the past decade, healthcare organizations have striven to meet various quality measures. However, there is still a long way to go.
In your initial post,
- Discuss the evolution of the quality improvement movement from the global perspective.
- Be sure to read the Evolution of the Quality Improvement section in Chapter 1.
- Describe the relationship between health care quality and continuous quality improvement.
- Review the information on your assigned accrediting organization based on the first letter of your last name, and explain the importance of obtaining accreditation from your assigned accrediting organization. This is the assigned organization https://www.jointcommission.org/
- Your initial post should be a minimum of 250 words. Support your response with at least one scholarly source published within the last 5 years in addition to the course text.
Week 2
Measurements are part of process changes and quality improvements. However, measurements alone do not create improvements. A quality improvement system should include a data collection mechanism, valid and reliable measures of outcomes, and a collection of tools or methodologies with ongoing efforts. It is also vital that the measurement strategies will accurately capture whether evidence-based care has been delivered to the patients.
In your initial post,
- Describe the importance of continuous quality improvement in health care outcomes.
- Assess the importance of evidence-based practice in improving the quality of care. Be sure to provide an example of evidence-based practice.
- Discuss challenges in collecting and analyzing quantitative data when assessing quality health care outcomes.
- Review one quality improvement tool or methodology. Be sure to describe your selected tool or methodology and its applications.
Your initial post should be a minimum of 250 words.
Week 3
In response to healthcare reform, healthcare organizations need to engage in quality improvement, maintain patient safety, and protect the organization’s assets. They also need to maintain community standing proactively and methodically. This will require processes and systems, leadership commitment, and healthcare professionals’ involvement.
In your initial post,
- Define the relationship among risk management, quality improvement, and patient safety.
- Describe the components of a risk management program and how the risk management process can reduce organizational risks.
- Examine the roles and responsibilities of a risk manager and those of the clinical delivery team, including physicians.
- Examine one risk management methodology, strategy, or tool. Be sure to describe your selection and its applications.
Your initial post should be a minimum of 250 words.
Week 4
Quality improvement within healthcare organizations involves a system of continuous assessment to find better approaches to quality patient care and service. Health care delivery is accomplished by a team of healthcare professionals. At its core, quality improvement is a team process and effort. In the healthcare ecosystem, various external stakeholders have a stake in the quality of care. Each internal or external stakeholder can make significant contributions to sustain the quality of care and patient safety.
In your initial post,
- Identify internal stakeholders and their roles in quality improvement.
- Determine external stakeholders (e.g., payors, regulatory agencies, accrediting entities, etc.) and their roles in quality improvement.
- Explain the role of patients and their family members in continuous quality improvement.
- Discuss the importance of a team in quality and risk management.
Your initial post should be a minimum of 250 words.
Week 5
Patient-centered care is a critical aspect of high-quality patient care, and health information plays a key role in achieving it. Health information technology (HIT) provides the patients’ health information, assists healthcare providers in delivering better patient-centered care, and promotes care based on a patient’s values and preferences.
In your initial post,
- Discuss the concept of patient-centered care and healthcare professionals’ roles in advancing patient safety, engagement, and satisfaction.
- Examine one tool on the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s https://www.ihi.org/resources/tools webpage that can be used to develop a culture of safety for a healthcare organization.
- Examine HIT’s role in measuring and improving the quality of care being delivered.
- Describe how HIT can enhance patient-centered care.
- Identify two measures under the category Measures That Are Far From Benchmark for your selected minority population.
- Explain the importance of these two specific measures.
- Develop a plan for prioritizing quality improvement efforts and mobilize the resources in your health system to achieve better health care and reduce disparities on your two selected measures in your home state.
- Evaluate any obstacles to implementing your quality improvement plan.
Your initial post should be a minimum of 250 words.
Week 6
The National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Reports (NHQDR) focuses on “prevailing disparities in health care delivery as it relates to racial factors and socioeconomic factors in priority populations” (Healthcare Research and Quality Act, 1999). Its website offers comprehensive information regarding health care quality and disparities in each state for the general public, healthcare professionals and institutions, policymakers, and legislators.
For this discussion, you are to take a position as the CEO of the largest health system in your home state. Go to the NHQDR’s https://datatools.ahrq.gov/nhqdr/?tab=state&dash=287 webpage and select your home state to review the quality measures and disparities. Once you are on your home state’s main page, review the data under Measures by Race and Ethnicity. Select a minority population to research. Select the yellow summary bar of your selected minority population to view the measures that are far from the benchmark.
In your post,
Your initial post should be a minimum of 250 words.