Hospitals are always in need of improving their quality assurance. Based on research on various improvement methods, there is a broad range of results that includes assessment tools, development applications and statistical techniques that have been used in the past decade.
While this doesn’t cover every quality strategy in quality assurance, let’s take a bird’s eye view to reflect on the variety of approaches to ensure safety and quality.
Here are seven ways hospitals can improve their quality assurance.
Place Organization’s Processes with External Pressure
Studies suggest that undergoing external pressure in hospitals will improve the health care processes, promote real chance and professional development. This may take form in regulatory inspection, certification, or pressure by hospital league tables.
Starting was an external assessment; this would be an early start to using the standards and tools that are used for specific departments or functions. Many registries who are conducting a hospital-wide review scheme are often willing to include reviewers from other hospitalsthis form is known as external quality assurance. As the availability of external assessment may vary between countries, mandatory programs are controlled by government boundaries while voluntary programs are offered by professionals.
Demand for Quality
One of the most common reasons for catastrophic failures in hospitals and health care is the lack of leadership in the organization. Leadership is an active component that affects patient care, even when patients are well treated by dedication professionals.
Research suggests that hospitals with quality leaders have a better quality of health care outcomes. This may be due to the managers who lead by example, adequate source of key elements in clinical areas, safety indications, early interventions, and proactive quality monitoring.
Leaders must assess the performance of the health care organization they represent and be aware of the quality metrics. To have a better understanding of the quality of attention, the departments and management must have interaction and determine what actions must be taken to pursue the quality of healthcare actively.
Implement Supportive Systems for Quality Improvement
Multiple quality systems that operate within the hospital will benefit healthcare as these quality systems maximize the impact while minimizing additional documentation. The level quality activities are strongly related to the outcome of quality care.
Organization-wide procedures and accountability systems are vital, but it is the improvement of quality that adds value to clinical processes. Thus, organization systems must support departments in delivering high quality.
Assure Responsibilities and Expertise
Quality healthcare can only be provided with motivated and well-trained professionals. The key is to improve the quality of care, which involves retention, recruitment, and development.
Recruitments must be put in the center of selection process clinical skills and knowledge as well as teamwork capacities. Consider reviewing the candidates with their previous work and references. Include safety and quality results to select topics to continuing medical education.
Organized care involves clear responsibilities. Establish a clear set of responsibilities and leadership for each department and schedule meetings for review. The quality of care also depends on teamwork among professionals, as this requires competencies and positive attitudes.
Organize Care Pathways Based on Evidence of Safety and Quality Interventions
Consider the main groups of patients in the hospital. To what extent is the care based on evidence-based care pathways. Does the hospital have the necessary processes and resources needed to apply the evidence? How is the implementation of care monitored?
The external environment of the hospital involves the general quality management strategies and appropriate safety plans for various levels.
Implement Pathway-Oriented Information Systems
Healthcare organizations cannot afford to continue to use paper instead of maintaining sophistication information systems to plan, control and deliver service provision. Hospital information systems have the potential to improve safety and quality of health care.
Currently, there are several implementations of health care information technology that varies between hospitals. While a fully integrated electronic health record isn’t necessary, it is the specific medication order that is the strongest evidence for quality and safety improvement.
Conduct Regular Surveys and Gain Feedback
Conducting proper feedback and audit are the key improvement strategies for quality. The assumption is that healthcare professionals will improve performance when feedback demonstrates the deficiencies in the process or outcomes.
With these sevens ways, hospitals can set their care on the right path and improve their quality assurance. Which strategies do you think will work best? Leave a comment and tell us what you think!