Primary care is considered by many countries as a backbone of the medical health system that is effective and efficient and satisfies the demands of patients and families (Sebo, 2015). The enhancement of primary care practices’ quality improvement (QI) orientation is essential in strengthening the primary care practices (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2013). In addition, external supports such as feedback and benchmarking, coaching, expert consultation, and shared learning can help primary care practices with quality improvement and enhancing QI orientation. There are different organizations that provide quality supports to primary care practices. One of this is the North Carolina Area Health Education Centers (AHECs) Practice Support Program. The aim of the program is to support primary care practices in North Carolina by providing primary care practices with onsite QI consultants, tools, and resources that help primary care practices’ transformational efforts (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2014).The aim of this paper is to summarize two articles related to primary care.
I. Quality Improvement in Primary Care: External Supports for Practices
In the article “Quality Improvement in Primary Care: External Supports for Practices,” Taylor, Peikes, Geonnotti, McNellis, Genevro, & Meyers (2014), describes the importance of quality improvement (QI) for primary
Quality Improvement (QI) is an organizational approach leading to the quality of patient care and patient services through use of specific guidelines, principles, and methods to ensure quality of care for every patient and health care facility throughout the world. Quality outcomes focus on the principles of quality management. These measurements investigate the quality of care, patient outcomes and consumer needs, through being part of the participant group. This quality improvement discussion will review the foundational frameworks of QI and explanation of each framework in detail. Included in this QI report will be
The purpose of quality management in healthcare is a continuous process that improves health care performance and increase customer satisfaction. Within health organizations there are many entities such as pharmacies and clinics all of which need to provide quality services to their patients. Quality improvements are organizational strategies incorporating evidence-based practice to improve healthcare (Huber, 2010). Reviewing why and how the need for quality management in a health care organization will be discussed.
McLaughlin, C.P., & Kaluzny, A.D. (2006). Continuous Quality Improvement in Health Care, Third Edition, Jones & Bartlett Publishers, Sudbury, MA.
The primary care practice is essential to improve the care of our population, our current system is fragmented, but it does show potential for improvement. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has listed some areas that will help improve our system. One is “the need for external infrastructure to help primary care practices develop quality improvement” this is done with support to the quality capacity (Agency For Healthcare Research and Quality, 2015). Quality care will include the coordination of care within the system, as well as understanding what needs the patient will have
NHS quality improvement programs main purpose is to collect and review data entered in order to recognize the opportunities to improve business operations in healthcare. To bring changes in quality, it is necessary to respond to patient’s ideas and implement them for the better results. The key issues that are to be considered for quality-improvement NHS program, as it moves forward are the needs for the patients, necessity of the funds for quality improvements, needs of the service providers and expectations of the community. Outcomes for people and also change expertise. And to improve business operations in healthcare and also recognize opportunities.
This quality improvement discussion will review the purpose of quality management in health care industry and why it is needed. Included in this QI report will be an explanation of the
A quality improvement (QI) project involves data-guided activities with short timelines to improve health care delivery systems (Arndt & Netsch, 2012). The setting of QI projects take place in a single setting and are monitored in the institution where the QI project is conducted. The purpose of a QI project is to change practice outcomes and apply known solutions to a known problem in that institution (Arndt & Netsch, 2012). Data obtained from the activities is disseminated through newsletters, flyers, through staff meetings, or submitted for publication and presented in
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is a federal health reform legislation engineered to provide Americans with high quality, affordable cost and better access to health care [1]. To address these overarching aims, the ACA requires the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a National Strategy for Quality Improvement in Health Care, also known as the National Quality Strategy (NQS) [2]. The strategy sets three aims. First, to make health care more reliable,
Time and again, hospitals are often called upon to improve the quality of its various health care activities in order to better serve patients and immediate communities. A quality improvement plan thus helps in the selection of high priority areas and the utilization of evidence-based practices in conducting the improvement (Berenguer et al., 2010). In view of the healthcare improvement needs of Sunlight Hospital, this paper seeks to classify and justify five measurements of quality of care in a hospital, specify the four main features in a health care organization that can be used in the design of a quality improvement plan, and suggest the salient reasons quality of care would add value and create a competitive advantage
There are five core competencies needed for health care professionals and they are provide patient centered care, work in interdisciplinary teams, employ evidence based practice, apply quality improvement, and utilizing informatics. In this paper, I will go into further detail how providing patient centered care is challenging, how to overcome the challenges, how it relates to my chosen profession, and how this competency can impact delivery of care to patients.
The ‘father of motivation,’ once said, “we spend a big hunk of our lifetimes contemplating what we can’t have, what we don’t want and what’s missing in our lives. What we have to learn is to put our attention and focus on contemplating what it is we would like to attract, and not on what is missing.” -- Dr. Wayne Dyer.
A moody teenage boy named Jacob who thinks his imaginative grandfather is always telling stories. When Jacobs grandfater is murdered, Jacob's interest in uncovering the ysterious mysteries his grandfather always told has become his perogative. Jacob is on a mission to find out whether or not the weird powers his grandfather spoke about are actually true.
Biblical wisdom emphasis is another approach in which one can investigate to see what reigns to be important. Like the wisdom approach, biblical share in the importance of seeking wise counsel. Horton (2009) states that in the biblical approach several areas are important in determining spiritual discernment. These areas consist of decision being determined by the guidelines in the Bible, common sense, individual gifts, God has a plan but do not reveal it, sovereignty of God, and free to make choices (Horton, 2009). One may object to the fact that God would want us to do something but do not give us the tools or clues to do it. God being sovereign is an area that many can agree on. Gill, (2006) states that it is through the sovereignty of God which is presented through the Holy Spirit that allows for us to understand God’s will for our life. Gill (2006) also implement the wheel of life for the coaching process whereas God is at the center. I highly believe that nothing happens without God ordaining it to happen. God is in control of all things. Roman 8:28 states that God works all things together for those who love him and who are called according to his purpose (NIV). Therefore God is in control and guiding us towards his plan or purpose for our lives.
Quality indicators enable the health care system to identify inferior care in both process or outcome and structure while enhancing quality improvement in health care (De Vos et. al, 2009, p.1).
This individual reflection on the group work will present how I have seen the application of the principles of Primary Health Care (PHC) through the roles of the community health workers (CHW) in making health care more accessible. In addition, some strategies will be suggested to address the critical bottlenecks that hinder the effectiveness of the CHWs. Having the experience of working as a District Health Officer, this reflection will highlight most significant areas that I feel require attention to improve the health system in the country. This reflection will be based on the two case studies of CHWs in Malawi and Sri Lanka namely, the Health Surveillance Assistants (HSAs) and Eye Health Promoters, respectively.