The Quality Management In Healthcare Discussion

• Define quality assurance (QA) and quality improvement (QI). Give an example of how each applies to healthcare. Describe the differences between the two.
• Based on the information in the textbook, identify the 3 ways to measure medical quality and briefly describe the relationships among them.
• Based on the information in the textbook, identify the 3 principles of total quality and define each as they relate to healthcare.
• Define quality management (QM). Explain how QA and QI are part of QM.
  

  ORDER YOUR PAPER HERE

Principles of Total Quality The concept of total quality management involves the three principles of customer focus, continuous improvement, and teamwork. Applying the principles of total quality management in health care is especially appropriate because of recent studies indicating issues with rising costs and unsatisfactory outcomes. These three principles can help reduce costs and improve outcomes in health care. The Leapfrog Group Lean and Six sigma Customer focus refers to Lean Process all customers, both internal and external and any stakeholders of the organization. This list includes patients, insurance companies, managed care agencies, and governmental agencies. The goal is to meet the expectations of all customers. One resource available to managers are the HHS patient safety goals which are updated annually and outline goals for improvement. Because JCAHO is the accreditation organization for health care facilities, these goals should be an important part of any total quality management plan The Quality Management In Healthcare Discussion.

The second principle of TQM, continuous improvement, is demonstrated by managers’ everyday activities and how they do their jobs. Every manager should continuously look for ways to improve the organization. A manager should also have a performance measurement tool and management system to monitor performance and quality of employee work. By being aware of levels of quality on an ongoing basis, it’s easier to address quality issues and make improvements on a small scale, which in turn improves the overall quality of an organization. Finally, a manager must be aware of the importance of teamwork and how each employee fits in the total quality management plan. Promoting interdependence between different departments and groups of employees builds trust and understanding which in turn will improve quality. Improving communication is important to the concept of teamwork which will ensure that there is a common goal involved and necessary information is shared among all. Improving the quality of care, improving both patient and staff satisfaction, productivity and the bottom line are the common concepts of lean and six sigma. Six sigma operates off the borrowed concepts of martial arts ranking to explain how each employee plays a role in the solution of the problem and the commitment that is required from each employee involved. It requires a strong and passionate management to support the organization. It also uses a commitment to making decisions based on verifiable data rather than on guesses or assumptions about what may work for the situation The Quality Management In Healthcare Discussion.

The lean process using tools and processes to change the efficiency of the organization. It also requires a culture change and turning managers more into leaders to empower the employees to feel ownership in the process. Some organizations have incorporated both of these concepts into a hybrid known as lean six sigma. The concept of total quality management involves the idea that everyone in the organization is involved and responsible for the satisfaction of the customer. It remains as a continuous improvement system for management to improve the quality of service and processes. Policies and Regulations The U.S. government oversees public policy or authoritative decisions made in the legislative, executive, or judicial branches of government that are intended to direct or influence the actions, behaviors, or decisions of others. Private sector policies are created by a nongovernment entity which guides NCQA governance and operations within a specific organization with the purpose of industry oversight. Together, public and private sector policies fuel the push JCAHO for continuous improvement in the quality of healthcare services. The federal AAHCC/URAC AAAHC AMA government provides for those who cannot provide for themselves. It supplies social and public goods, regulates the market, and instills trust and accountability. Government health policies promote healthcare quality in a variety of ways including: the purchase of healthcare; access to quality care for vulnerable populations; regulation of health care markets; support for acquisition of new knowledge; development and evaluation of health technologies and practices; and monitoring of health care quality. Public policy plays an integral role in ensuring the quality of healthcare services and functions by regulatory organizations such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA ensures the safety and efficacy of medications through investigation and testing prior to approving release for patient use. Historically, policy initiatives have targeted the quality of the structural elements of the healthcare delivery system, such as people, physical facilities, equipment, and drugs. To assist with enforcement and oversight of quality management in healthcare organizations, various accrediting agencies work together to increase accountability and quality in healthcare The Quality Management In Healthcare Discussion.

ORDER HERE

Existing accreditation efforts include: The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), The Joint Commission (JCAHO), the American Accreditation Health Care Commission/Utilization Review Accreditation (AAHCC/URAC), the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory HealthCare (AAAHC), and the American Medical Association (AMA). Policies such as tracer methodology created by JCAHO examine an organization’s safety measures and quality within and across departments. Areas that influence patient care policy and safety are of particular interest. For example, a systems tracer for medication management would include processes for how an organization selects, stores, orders, dispenses, and administers all medications including how providers evaluate effectiveness of drug therapy as well as identify, track and prevent adverse drug events. Quality management initiatives work in conjunction with polices to reduce risks to consumers. In an effort to assist healthcare organizations with quality management the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) conducted a Quality Initiatives Overview in which CMS developed a standardized approach for the development and maintenance of quality measures The Quality Management In Healthcare Discussion