Discussion: Defining Quality
As health care consumers, we all expect quality care and positive outcomes. It is important as professionals that we meet these demands of health care consumers. Consider the work of the major theorists you examined in this week’s Resources and think about how these theories apply to your own experience as a health care customer and/or practitioner.
ASSIGNMENT IS AS FOLLOW
***Post your definition of quality, and apply it to the work of one major quality theorist (e.g., Donabedian, Juran, Deming, Triple Aim (IHI) – Berwick). Identify a practice problem ( PATIENT EDUCATION/TEACHING IN REGUARDS TO THEIR HEALTHCARE) that you have had some experience with as a customer or as a practitioner and explain how eliminating wasteful practices could have improved the experience. Include how your definition of quality applies to that experience.
Support your response with references from the professional nursing literature. Your posts need to be written at the capstone level.
Notes Initial Post: This should be a 3-paragraph (at least 350 words) response. Be sure to use evidence from the readings and include in-text citations. Utilize essay-level writing practice and skills, including the use of transitional material and organizational frames. Avoid quotes; paraphrase to incorporate evidence into your own writing. A reference list is required. Use the most current evidence (usually ≤ 5 years old).
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction: Quality in healthcare is a crucial aspect that ensures that patients receive the best possible care and achieve positive outcomes. Many theorists have contributed to the understanding and implementation of quality in healthcare. In this assignment, I will define quality in healthcare and apply the concept to the work of one quality theorist. Additionally, I will examine a patient education/teaching practice problem and explain how eliminating wasteful practices can improve the experience while also discussing how my definition of quality applies to the experience.
Question: What is your definition of quality in healthcare, and which major quality theorist’s work do you see this definition aligning with?
Answer: My definition of quality in healthcare is the provision of patient-centered care that is safe, effective, equitable, timely, efficient, and patient-centered. I believe this aligns with the work of Dr. Avedis Donabedian, who introduced the concept of assessing healthcare quality through three domains: structure, process, and outcomes. Donabedian’s work emphasizes the importance of ensuring that healthcare providers have the necessary resources, are performing the right processes, and are achieving positive outcomes.
Question: Please identify a practice problem (patient education/teaching in regards to their healthcare) that you have had some experience with as a customer or as a practitioner and explain how eliminating wasteful practices could have improved the experience.
Answer: As a healthcare practitioner, I have noticed that one of the practice problems with patient education is the lack of personalized and tailored education to individual patients. Instead, some healthcare providers provide generalized information to patients without considering their individual health status and needs. Eliminating wasteful practices such as providing unnecessary information not pertinent to the patient’s needs, can improve the patient experience. Providing tailored education based on patients’ health status and knowledge gaps can improve their understanding of their health status, promote self-management, and improve health outcomes.
Question: How does your definition of quality apply to the patient education/teaching practice problem that you identified?
Answer: My definition of quality aligns with the patient education/teaching practice problem I identified by emphasizing the importance of patient-centered care. Quality healthcare services should include patient education that is personalized and tailored to each patient’s individual health status, knowledge gaps, and needs. Such education should be delivered in a safe, effective, equitable, timely, efficient, and patient-centered manner. Quality education can improve patient satisfaction, compliance, and health outcomes.