Evaluating existing quality improvement processes in a hospital setting
This course will require students to analyze and evaluate existing quality
improvement processes in a hospital setting in order to recommend a
continuous quality improvement (CQI) program or to meet international
accreditation standards. Students will explore international models of
success and will apply the theories to a local government or private
healthcare setting.
Learning objective demonstrated (LO 3)
Review data management and analysis tools used in a local health care
setting to monitor a CQI or accreditation process and develop
recommendations for a set of tools that could be used to improve the
process.
Solution
Introduction
Quality improvement is composed of a regular and continuous action that spearheads the
procedure of reaching a measurable increase in the healthcare services provision and improving
the health status of the particular patient groups. It can also be termed as the interrelationship
between the level of upgraded health benefits and the desired health results of particular people
(Tony, 2015 and HRSA. 2011). To realize the improvement, a healthcare firm has to understand
how it conducts its service delivery procedures. This because the ideology of the quality
improvement in this set of the toolkit in ensuring that both resources and the set procedures are
addressed simultaneously for the realization of the objective. The Continuous Quality
Improvement (CQI) is a structure that provides for identification and resolution of issues that
interfere with quality.
Tools utilized in CQI
Brainstorming
According to Sokovic, Jovanovic, & Krivokapic, (2009), brainstorming is mostly used in
combination with other means. A process aims at expanding the thinking of all aspects of a
subject, problem, or even a solution. It develops a maximum number of ideas within a very short
period. The tool can occur in two ways either structured or unstructured. The structured one
ensures that all the persons contribute ideas towards solving an issue and thus a full participation
is met. Unstructured brainstorming involves the recording of the entire ideas presented and not a
must that all the persons provide an idea. This is not stressful to the participants as the structured
approach and hence productive and reliable.
CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT 3
Flowcharting
Flowcharting is utilized for the processes, which are well understood to the majority. If
the individuals are well familiar with different protocols, the grasping of the process-flow
becomes a bit easier and faster. These include pictorial representations of all the steps concerning
a particular process and their relationships. The chart uses standardized symbols to mean
particular kinds of activities. The symbols are vital for they provide an easy time of identification
of similar activities elsewhere. Different symbols are interconnected using lines for the flowchart
to be complete. For uniformity in the perception of the chart, the start, and stop points are clearly
indicated (Sokovic, et al. 2009).
Pareto chart
Pareto chart is specialized forms of bar graphs. They are based on the data obtained from
surveys and other data collection techniques. The graphs are critical in determining the most
fundamental problems and the cause of the problem. They majorly act as a baseline for
monitoring the success of an organization (Sokovic, et al. 2009).
CQI is a management strategy that deviates sharply from the management approaches of
the past. It is the mandate of very personnel in the firm to understand the strategy and play the
role supposed to in the administration of the plan to achieve the improvement aimed at. Thus, the
quality is reduced to a task rather than being a process. The tools work interdependently on one
another.
CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT 4
Problem analysis
In some departments at work placement, require an enhancement of the image. This
implies that the outlook for services provision from the department should be admirable to all.
This aspect should be emulated in all organizations department so that there might be an image
enhancement for the entire enterprise. This will be an adequate strategy for marketing the
company and the quality of its services. This would require brainstorming of the entire staff and
then a plan for monitoring the success. To address the above issue, the following represents the
brainstorming process amongst the personnel of the cardiology department.
CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT 5
Recommendation
Based on the research on how the development and enhancement of a better image of the
health center in question, the study recommends a combination of two approaches for better
results. Brainstorming is an approach that is imperative in obtaining the ideas from the members
and ensuring participation of all the stakeholders in the center. This will make the members be
part of the management and hence ease the process of implementation. The combination of this
strategy with the Pareto charts will enable the staff understand better the problem and its causes
and hence comprehend accordingly in the course of implementation of the adopted solutions.
The two approaches ensure that the members possess the procedures to be implemented to the
latter and thus monitoring become part of everyone in their capacity.
Conclusion
Continuous quality improvement is a very crucial concept that each member of an
organization should be aware of for better functioning of the company or organization. It
provides for the recognition of the liability every employee is entitled. Various avenues can be
employed to realize the improvement of the nature of the services provided.
For the case of a health center, the perception patients have on the staff is an essential
matter to be considered and evaluated frequently. It is out of the display of an attractive image
that the center will have more clients. This improvement must be delivered to all the members of
the staff using the most appropriate strategy which they can recall often. The problem facing an
organization must be evaluated and noted together with their cause. It is after this process that
the enterprise will be in a position to determine the best strategy to solve the issue.
CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT 6
References
HRSA. (2011). Quality Improvement. Retrieved from
http://www.hrsa.gov/quality/toolbox/methodology/qualityimprovement/
Sokovic, M., Jovanovic, J., & Krivokapic, Z. (2009). Basic quality tools in the continuous
improvement process. Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 55(5), 1-9. Retrieved from
http://lab.fs.uni-lj.si/labod/documents/2014/ZK/ZK14%20Dodatno%20gradivo.pdf
Tony, L. (2015). Continuous quality improvement tools. Retrieved from
http://hubpages.com/business/Continuous-quality-Improvement-Quality-Tools
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