Quality Improvement Action Plan

Abstract

This paper contains information obtained from different health care journals that discusses factors that affects health sector in general and the ways in which health care quality can be improved. Its talks about the analysis issues and propose strategies to boost the outcomes. Based on various medical institutions, it combines the literature review content that talks about quality health improvement. In addition, the paper reviews talks about the differences in organizational activities and the recommendations in the literature research and the possible reasons why there is a disparity among the two.

Keywords: Health care, literature review, Quality improvement, Organization activities

The importance of understanding health care quality has been reviewed and appraised in the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report. IOM advocates six targets that can be used as disciplines to quality health improvement. To begin with, health care safety should be prioritized. IOM states that many patients have suffered injuries arising from medical errors that have occurred during surgeries. The IOM aims in reducing patients from being harmed by focusing on the safety of medical systems and reducing medical errors caused the medical crew. Secondly is the effectiveness. The health care must be effective in that research practices should be able to produce solutions on different health care complications. The medical professionals should focus in offering quality services to the patients in order to produces the best outcomes. Thirdly, should be patient centered. Patients and families should be actively involved in participations involving decision making since their social culture practices is a key element that can be used in drafting final decisions. The fourth, health care should be timely. Medical care institutions should offer good customer services on time and resources availability should be stressed on to minimize the possibility of risking patients’ lives due to lack of medical equipment. Fifth, medical care should be efficient in such a way that wastage of resources should be minimized at all cost. The cost of acquiring medical services should efficient. Medical institutions should focus on offering quality time to patients who are in critical conditions. The sixth aim, health care should be equitable. Patients should all be allowed to access medical services despite of their income, gender, race and ethnicity.

From the literature review, quality improvements can be made by coming up with medical strategies that should help reduce the gap between research and practice activities. From research, we can consider the following strategies. One, increasing resources. Resources are the major aspects that affect the health care unit generally. Therefore, ranging from Medical equipment institutions facilities, professionals and finance there should be a focus increment in such resources in order to aim on improving the efficiency in treating patients in a faster way, sing quality services offered by professionals. Related to resources, quality management should be also considered. Quality improvement can be achieved through improving the managerial activities by reinforcing structures and systems that will help in governing medical health care unit. This implies to guidelines and principles that will that will be focused in offering the best patients services leading to great outcomes.

On the other hand, there are some disparity between the activities in the organization and the recommendations in the research literature. There is no evidence on quality management and accredited outcomes in organizations. Most medical facilities have failed to address issues professionally despite having qualified expertise. Despite of running quality management programs in some medical institutions, little or no clinical improvements outcomes are seen therefore, there are minimal approaches that assure quality improvements. In addition, there are few organizations that have introduced such programs thus efficiency in quality management in minimal. Research shows that few managers and medical professionals have shown concern on introducing quality management programs that will be necessary in changing the course in the way services are offered in medical institutions.

Reviews have been made on medical institutions that have devoted their allegiance in improving quality management. In such organizations, evidence supports that the have been both improvements on the quality and economic aspects. In that, efficient patient services have been established improving the outcomes thus stimulating change on the treatment and care of the parents. Scientific research activities have been conducted fluently in such organizations thus aiding in solutions to issue that involve scientific recommendations. Financial increments have been associated with quality managements therefore resources and equipment required in medical facilities are available in organizations which has implemented quality management practices.

It is recommended that organization should stimulate change from managerial levels to organization and individual levels. It is important to note that improvements seen on any organization not only benefits the patients but the entire medical crew to the top management and organization. Professional personnel who will ensure the entire crew works under professional surveillance should conduct administration in medical facilities. This will help in efficiency of services, effective medical research and quality approach will be used to determine and expand the medical systems. Collaboration between organization, the management and individuals in personal will ensure scientific standards are attained in medical facilities. In conclusion, implementing scientific knowledge should be also enrolled in organizations.

References

Slonim, A. D., & Pollack, M. M. (2005). Integrating the Institute of Medicine’s six quality aims into pediatric critical care: Relevance and applications. Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, 6(3), 264-269.

Bellot, J. (2011, January). Defining and assessing organizational culture. In Nursing Forum (Vol. 46, No. 1, pp. 29-37). Blackwell Publishing Inc.

Hughes, R. G. (2012). Evaluation of Patient Care Standards, Guidelines, and Protocols. Evaluation of Health Care Quality in Advanced Practice Nursing, 135.