...Assignment Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality HCM 4002 Risk Management February 12 , 2014 Introduction “The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, (AHRQ) is responsible for producing guidelines for improving the quality of healthcare” [ (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), 2014) ]. Mission “AHRQ's mission is to produce evidence to make health care safer, higher quality, more accessible, equitable, and affordable, and to work with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other partners to make sure that the evidence is understood and used” [ (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) , 2014) ]. Goals AHRQ has four primary goals. First, they aspire to “Improve healthcare quality by accelerating implementation of patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR)”. They hope to be successful in doing so by “developing PCOR methods, training PCOR researchers, and disseminating PCOR findings” [ (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) , 2014) ]. In response to the rapid changes in the delivery of healthcare and the impact of The Affordable Healthcare Act, AHRQ is currently attempting to penetrate the primary care practice environment. The Affordable Healthcare Act requires a change in the current system. One goal is to improve healthcare quality and be cost-efficient in delivering services and; in line with doing so, specialty physician practices will be minimal. On the upside of this change...
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...internal and external needs and demands. Internally they measure current performance that identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the current process giving insight of areas that needs improvement. When measuring the external performance objectives you are assessing healthcare provider accountability, decision-making, public reporting, organizational evaluation and supporting national improvement goals and activities. The framework for measurement is support by leadership commitment, staff understanding and participation, partnership with key stakeholders, performance improvement oversight, use of a performance improvement method, development of performance improvement protocol, the identification and response to performance improvement resources, recognition and acknowledgement of performance improvement efforts and continuous assessment of improvement efforts. Control charts and comparison charts are tools used to track performance measurement data. Control charts mange process stability and control, it is a graph with a central line used to study how process changes over time within an organizations norms, they are able to tell a healthcare organization whether the changes they made towards quality improvement was effective. Comparison chart analysis evaluates the organizations performance against the standard norm of several organizations. Chapter 8 The profiling of physicians is to...
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...Improving Quality of Care Ottawa University Abstract Assessing and improving quality health care in the United States is a high priority in this day and age of health care. As health care providers we have an obligation to serve as leaders and visionaries and actively demonstrate and document the advances to patient-centered care. Many agencies and organizations have developed initiatives to advance patient care through quality improvement measures and patient safety programs. Evaluating quality health care is important for consumer, providers and society. Developing a quality measure of health care is an important objective for organizations that value health care quality. Improving Quality of Care The continuing growth of technology in healthcare is ground breaking at this time. With the advancements in technology and health care, there has become a rift between providers and patients. Patients want the best quality care from the health care system. Despite this justifiably positive view that, overall, quality of care is high in this country, many factors point to the fact that the quality of care is declining. It is believed that patient-physician relationships are not as strong as they once were, causing distrust and uncertainty. The health care field is ever changing and health care providers need to stay current on those changes, both now and in the future. Quality patient care will greatly remain impacted from the health care provider shortages and in return...
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...Background ThedaCare is an integrated healthcare delivery system in Wisconsin. Introduced Lean, or the Toyota Production system, to its five hospitals and 27 physician’s clinics in 2003. The implementation of Lean changed quality management from a crisis reaction system to a system that is proactive in its methods, processes and strategies to improve quality. The changes are a result of cultural changes, visual management and inclusion of the front-line in continuous improvement. Introduction Healthcare must change to a new approach. An approach that is based on the consumer’s demand for improved outcomes and reduced costs. This is leading healthcare organizations to adopt a culture of lean. Lean is a set of principles and quality improvement ideology (Toussaint and Berry, 2013) Lean methodology has been effective in manufacturing and has been effective in healthcare. Lean applies the scientific method to problem solve, a different approach to management role. Management’s role is to facilitate, mentor, and as coach frontline workers to identify and solve everyday issues. The challenge to lean adoption in healthcare the quality manager’s role changes from identifying and tracking to one of reducing risks of adverse effect and assisting with improvement quality processes. The transformation to lean at ThedaCare was to improve every aspect of the patient experience and deliver improved quality at a lower cost with a better staff morale. Key points Benchmarking performance...
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...Financial Implications on Quality of Care Introduction There are many factors that can influence the quality provided by an organization. Conversely, it can also be be said that the quality of the services of an organization can have an influence over other factors as well. In this module, we look at how quality of care provided by an organization can carry major financial implications; that is, the importance of quality on the finances of an organization. In Module 4 we talked about how necessary technology is to the quality of health care. The importance on quality, not just quality of care, is just as important to the financial success of a health care organization. Many third-party payers (such as insurance companies) base reimbursement rates on the level of quality provided by an organization. For instance, the advent of EMR, discussed in Module 4, has made the process of coding and billing much more efficient and therefore saves time for third-party payers in their review of reimbursement requests. The decrease in the prevalence of errors greatly decreases the waste of resources for the health care organization also. A good quality improvement initiative within an organization also results in a more efficient means of operating the company which in turn can greatly increase the overall bottom line. The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 has also placed quality as priority as it relates to reimbursement of health care services. "Outcomes," a major component of quality, has become a major...
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...15 Tenet Healthcare Page 16 Cleveland Clinic Stroke Improvement Plan Page 17 Conclusion Page 18 References Page 19 Introduction The issue of risk scenario carries immense importance for most of the hospitals that are part of the healthcare setting. However, there is not only one scenario that can affect the hospitals but there are several scenarios that can create an impact on the functions of the hospital. There are three scenarios that would be highlighted in the current topic. These three scenarios have a tendency to put a hospital at risk for financial stability. The first scenario that can produce a negative impact on the hospital risk is related to patient care and safety. The second scenario is related to the physical plant. The third and last scenario is related to staffing. The role of HIM practitioner in this regard would be very important. They would serve as a clinical quality assessment resource and as a team member to perform their tasks related to healthcare work. Therefore, all the issues related to three scenarios will be discussed in detail. The impetus for quality improvement has been driven in recent years by three main factors: 1. The amount of money that the US spends on healthcare per capita and as a percent of GDP is far higher than any other country in the world. We spend 15% of GDP, with the next-highest countries, Germany and France, at 10% of GDP. This high level of spending has not brought higher life spans or quality of life years...
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...The aim of this assignment is to consider Coulshed and Mullender’s statement (2001) that “the ultimate test of quality will always be what users and their families think of the services we provide” and then critically discuss the issues involved in seeking feedback on quality. Within this assignment I will draw upon course materials as part of my discussion. I will also draw upon some wider materials to broaden the discussion. In order to conduct the discussion I will first look at what service-user consultation is and how it is undertaken; and then I will look at both the positives and negatives in seeking feedback on the quality of a service. Introduction: Quality matters. Increasingly the idea of quality has impacted on health and social care services. The ever increasing number of quality initiatives being developed by the Government is just one example of how it is having an impact. Another way is the drive towards and focus on gaining service users views of services. And the reason behind it all is simple, the quality of a service impacts on the quality of life for its users and their carers. Service User Consultation: In the opinion of Martin and Henderson (2001) you can’t provide a quality service without knowing what kind of people use your service and what they need from your service. Writers such as Peters believe that the best way to find out these things is to work closely with service users and communicate with them. One way to do this would be to undertake...
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...Concept Analysis: Healthcare Related Quality of Life Tarren Evans, RN BSN APSU/RODP NURS 5000 March 21, 2015 Quality of Life Concept Introduction The phrase “health care related quality of life” (HRQOL) or “quality of life” (QOL) is often used in healthcare. The perceptions of the meaning can vary depending on who is explaining it. The reason for this selected topic is to research other disciplines and see if indeed significant variations in the meaning exist. The purpose of this concept analysis is to define, research, and analyze if the dissimilarities improve or hinder a patient’s plan of care. This paper will examine the significance of a concept to advance understanding (McEwen, 2014). Literature Review Can quality of life be defined to have a uniformed definition? The first known research on quality of life was published in 1957 that surveyed mental health adults in the USA. The Oxford English Dictionary (2010) defines QOL as “the standard of health, comfort, and happiness experienced by an individual or group”. There are several influences that can alter the definition of QOL. The acronym “HRQOL” is a narrowed term when characteristics relating to an individual’s health status are likely to be affected (Sandau, 2014). The literature review discussed some domains that render the effects on the perception of this concept. A collaborative study done by doctors and nurse practitioners discussed that physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual...
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...QUALITY HEALTHCARE 2 Introduction My approach in this analysis is one of a personal matter. I feel very adamant about our country’s healthcare provisions and the lack thereof. Insurance companies are making it virtually impossible for the poor and/or middle class to afford to receive quality healthcare. In that, the politicians and the wealthy are the only citizens that can afford to take care of themselves, or their loves ones when it comes down to “the BEST care that money can buy” concept. Topic Money Talks: To Be Uninsured or Underinsured… That is the question. The price of a procedure dictates the quality of care, (lower, price less quality). Should the markets for the uninsured or the underinsured dictate quality healthcare? Especially, when faced with a catastrophic illness or event and cannot afford to have better healthcare. What sparked this topic was when a discussion that came up in class pertaining to the Professor’s father who life to me was not held as valuable when the hospital doctors made the determination that the cost of keeping him alive was no longer in the hospital’s best interest. Likewise, my mother went through a situation where she fell very ill and was taken to a major medical center for emergency to determine the cause of her serve abdominal pain. A diagnosis was rendered and she was stabilized and released. The medical...
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...Position Statement Evidence-Based Practice Background Increased attention is being directed toward the development of methods that can provide valid and reliable information about what works best in healthcare. The careful scientific evaluation of clinical practice became a prominent focus during the second half of the 20th century.1 More recently, attention has been paid to methods of determining which of multiple proven approaches to a healthcare problem works best for which patients.2 Evidence-based practice encompasses implementing the best-known practices into the clinical setting using a scientific approach. It evolved from evidence-based medicine, which was developed in Canada to teach medical students. “Evidence-based medicine has been defined as the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients.”3, p. 3 The National Quality Forum’s report A National Framework and Preferred Practices for Palliative and Hospice Care Quality is a consensus report that is a first step toward introducing evidence-based measures into palliative practice on a formal, national level.4 The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) supports organizations in their efforts to improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare by facilitating the use of evidence-based research findings in clinical practice.5 The nursing discipline has also embraced evidence-based practice over the past 25 years, initially through its...
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...Research Grand Canyon University NRS 430V Professional Dynamics August 27, 2011 Being Accountable: Utilizing Evidence-Based Research Merriam-Webster defines accountability as “an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one’s actions” (Merriam-Webster, n.d.) What does this term mean from the global healthcare perspective? In the healthcare arena, it is a legal, moral, and ethical term used to describe healthcare providers’ obligation to themselves, their patients, and to society as a whole. The nurse is an integral part of the healthcare team that contributes to accountability realm. How does this concept translate into everyday professional nursing practice? According to the American Nurses Association, “accountability means to be answerable to oneself and others for one’s own actions. The nurse acts under a code of ethical conduct that is grounded in moral fidelity and respect for the dignity, worth and self-determination of patients.” (p. 9). The ANA developed the Code of Ethics for Nurses as a tool or guideline for the nurse to “carry out nursing responsibilities in a manner consistent with quality in nursing care and the ethical obligations of the profession” (ANA, n.d.). Nurses have a responsibility for the care they provide during their nursing practice. To whom is the professional nurse responsible and accountable? Nurses are accountable to the profession, their patients, their employers, and to themselves. Using evidence based...
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...Running head: AHRQ Health Care Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Research Training and Education is one of the programs the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has. Research and education are two primary mechanisms of the discipline as they direct the way to the advancement of new technologies, the innovation of new pathological treatments, and evidence based medicine. They both affect every aspect of the healthcare field. While pathologies change and invasive procedures are needed less and less, it’s important that research and education maintain pace to keep up with these changes and diseases and continue to grow. Therefore, it is essential these types of programs receive funding. Applications are accepted by the Training and Education program from persons interested in research and training for improving the quality of healthcare services. Students and researchers that are either interested in pursuing a career in the healthcare field or currently in the field can apply for these funds. Grants and stipends are awarded to researchers under defined time constraints. They have that time to establish their ideas for eliminating waste in hospitals, reduce the number of hospital related infections for example; CLABSI and MRSA, create environments free of medical error and overly expensive care, develop the functionality of the prescription drug market, and to increase funding of programs such as Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement. (AHRQ...
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...Introduction: The U.S. spends more per capita, and the highest percentage of GDP, on healthcare than any other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) country as reported in the March 2009, “Trends in Healthcare Costs and Spending” by Kaiser Family Foundation. Given the unusual relationships in healthcare between consumers, payers, and providers, the ethical implications involved in healthcare decisions, it is nearly impossible to define the “right” amount to be spend in healthcare. As our nation is debating what the appropriate amount to be spend on healthcare is, this project aims on understanding the drivers for this high cost and possible ways to control them. One of the important drivers for this high healthcare cost that we identified and will discuss in this paper is unnecessary care. Although there are number of factors contributing to unnecessary care, this paper focuses on four key issues mainly sterilization, hospital acquired infections, medical errors and hospital readmissions. Sterilization: Background of the issue Hospitals are hygienic paradoxes. It is where patients are cured from diseases and acquire a new one. Hospital hygiene is difficult to achieve. According to the World Health Organization estimates, “more than 1.4 million people worldwide are affected by infections acquired in hospitals” (Cleanhospitals.net). Why are there so many unclean hospitals and what body of people holds them accountable for medical negligence...
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...Top of Form Total views: 31 (Your views: 2) Promoting Quality and Safety through Standards Core measures developed by the Joint Commission and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid have provided goals and standards for improved patient care. One element of the core measures is pneumonia. The performance measures for patients diagnosed with pneumonia were developed in a collaborative effort including the Joint Commission (TJC), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA), the American Thoracic Society (ATS), the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (The Joint Commission, 2014). The core measures for pneumonia stipulate the timely collection of blood cultures and administration of appropriate antibiotics (RN.com, 2013). It also focuses on the 30-day readmission rate (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2013). According to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission in 2007, pneumonia was one of the seven conditions that account for nearly 30% of potentially preventable readmissions within 15 days of hospital discharge (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2013). Healthcare organizations report their performance as a percentage of compliance to TJC and CMS, which then effects both accreditation and reimbursement (RN.com, 2013). The increasing emphasis on quality of care, patient safety, and clinical care outcomes has resulted in impressive...
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...knowledgeis to prevent patient mortality rate by following the national clinical guideline. Therefore the purpose of this paper is to discuss information from the the clinical practice guideline for preventing and reducing the risk of surgical site infection. Practice Setting Problem The Practice seting problem chosen for this assignment is reducing the risk of surgical site infection by using clinical practice guideline. Surgical site infections (SSI)is an infection patient acquired from hospital after surgery, It has a significant representation of healthcare associated infections. According to Center for Dieases Control and Prevention (CDC) SSI is defines as “ an infection that occurs after surgery in the part of the body where the surgery took place.” (Spruce, 2014). The author, Spruce (2014) addressed the mortality rate of surgical site infection and further noted that SSI is the second most prevalent healthcare associated infection that are estimated to be 40% to 60% preventable. Spruce reported that $28.4 lillion to $45 billion is about the cost of hospital associated infections annually. “Preventing SSIs is a national priority (Spruce, 2014). Significant amount of informations and literature guidelines are available to help reduce the risk of surgical site infections. Important of the Clinical Problem and its Significant to Nursing Practice The important of preventing and reducing...
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