Group items tagged

Patient quality and safety in healthcare: Patient quality and safety are core aspects of healthcare. They need to be administered and assessed in the backdrop of a variety of factors. Many healthcare professionals see patient quality and safety in healthcare as being part of the broad canopy of healthcare. There is some disagreement and confusion as to the exact meaning of the terms patient quality and safety, but that is only when it comes to semantics. In broad terms, one can understand patient quality and safety in healthcare as efforts and steps and processes meant to improve the quality care given to patients. Patient quality and safety in healthcare relates chiefly to: Improving the safety of patients and augmenting the quality of health care in the various areas of health Bringing about a reduction in infections that are sometimes a byproduct of provision of health care Reduction in the incidence of adverse drug events Quality healthcare, of which patient quality and safety in healthcare are an integral part, is defined as "…doing the right thing, at the right time, for the right person, and having the best possible result" by The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The AHRQ also describes patient safety as "the act of doing no harm", and which "…underlies all aspects of quality health care." Measuring patient quality and safety: Measuring patient quality and safety in healthcare is of utmost importance because no system or practice is meaningful unless it is capable of being measured. The level and success of patient quality and safety in healthcare is measured against the following parameters: How many patients who underwent surgery experienced infections? How many patients were required to be admitted for a second or subsequent time following discharge from hospital because of complications such as infections or recurrence of the problems for which the patient was admitted? To what extent did the healthcare

The alerts moderately increased adherence to the guidelines, as compared with a control group of practices that did not have access to the alerts but could make use of embedded asthma tools if they proactively entered and searched the electronic record.

The program has reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure, particularly for those with the highest readings entering the program, and generated high levels of patient satisfaction.

The tool uses information such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar levels to help determine a level of risk for heart problems. Upon completing the questionnaire, users can print various reports to help them make a plan with their doctor to reduce their risk.

The program had no impact on the clinical management of these patients or the frequency of adverse events. Program developers nonetheless believe the approach could be highly effective if the alerts and decision support were better integrated into existing workflow and the system made easier to use. They are working on these refinements and plan to test a revamped program in the future.

The program also provides real-time electronic information to support the provision of appropriate care and offers significant financial incentives that reward practices for becoming recognized as a National Committee for Quality Assurance Patient-Centered Medical Home™. The program has improved the provision of appropriate care and services and reduced utilization and growth in health care spending.

"incentives plus information equals transformation"