Quality Improvement in Health Care

Quality Improvement in Health Care

Introduction

In United States Research of Institute of Medicine shows that there are between 45000, and 98000 people die per year because of medical errors. More than 7000 deaths per year are due to errors in medication when they compared it with annual deaths caused by workplace injuries. This takes our focus on the quality of services provided by healthcare. Quality improvement and management is very important for the success of any organization. (Hackman, 2005) However in this paper we are going to focus on quality improvement of healthcare since quality improvement is very important to healthcare. In this paper initially we will focus on frameworks of Quality improvements, different definitions of quality according to stakeholders, and patient's and clinician's role in Quality improvement. In addition we will also analyze the importance of quality management in healthcare, areas to be monitored for further development, and roles of different regulatory and accreditation organization in quality improvement.

Frameworks of Quality Improvement

In order to organize the way we think about quality in healthcare we have to provide a framework of quality improvement. There are various performance dimension of foundational framework of healthcare like implementing innovative improvements. Framework selection of quality improvement is based on quality improvement focus that is required. CCM and HIVQUAL are some frameworks to improve the health quality in HIV services. There are some professionals focusing in the waiting times in ER, immunization rates, or office of a physician or they may look at the internal production (Royse, 2006). The quality improvement is not limited to prevention of adverse events - it is multidimensional. Its dimensions vary.

Definition differences

The definition of quality is controversial and complex in health care because everyone has difference in their values regarding quality in healthcare. Some stakeholders think that patient's safety is more important and some people think good doctors with good experience can make a person health. The view of a board of director is more focused on the needs of community and sustainability of the facilities provided at their organization. While the view of a healthcare provider regarding good health focus on accuracy and appropriateness of diagnosis and outcomes of health. Meanwhile a person who pays mostly focus only on the factor of cost effectiveness. Research shows that everyone's perception about quality is based on their previous experiences (Baily, 2004).

Role

Data collection at the patient and provider level helps support ...