Health care delivery and the organizations that provide, manage, and reimburse for it are growing at an explosive rate. As part of this trend, the allied health job sector is the largest employment sector, with job growth projections in the 14% plus range for the period 2018-2028 (according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018).
Expansive growth is a response to current and predicted need for services, and while encouraging, sustained and rapid growth will inevitably affect safety, risk management, and quality provision on scales not yet seen by health care organizations.
In an essay of 1,250-1,500 words, provide your assessment, with recommendations, for how the United States, as a country, can best manage quality assurance in the health care workplace going into the future.
Questions to consider include:
- How best can the United States, as a country, manage this growth in the allied health sector? What role does the 2008 Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA), accrediting body requirements for workplace safety, risk management, and quality care, play in this effort? Provide examples.
- Analyze the core safety, risk management factors, and quality management tools in the health care industry through accreditation that assist in the decision-making process for implementation in allied health care.
- Describe the decision-making process for safety, risk management, and quality management in allied health care.
- What steps might the United States take, from the global to the organizational level, to maintain high standards for providing outstanding care-based services?
- Describe the core safety, risk management, and quality management tools in the health care industry.
- What are two or more performance-based trends in patient safety, risk management, and quality management in health care organizations currently being followed to meet this goal?x
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
The growth of the healthcare industry in the United States is projected to continue at an exponential rate, with the allied health sector being the largest employment sector. This growth demands effective quality assurance measures to ensure safety, risk management, and quality provision of healthcare services. This essay discusses the best ways for the United States to manage quality assurance in the healthcare workplace in the future.
1. How best can the United States, as a country, manage this growth in the allied health sector? What role does the 2008 Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA), accrediting body requirements for workplace safety, risk management, and quality care, play in this effort? Provide examples.
To manage the growth in the allied health sector, the United States can strengthen the MIPPA, which aims to improve the quality and safety of healthcare, reduce the cost to the industry and consumers, and enhance the transparency of healthcare services. Additionally, accrediting body requirements for workplace safety, risk management, and quality care help to ensure quality in the healthcare industry by providing standards that healthcare organizations must adhere to. For example, The Joint Commission (TJC) is an accrediting body that evaluates healthcare organizations for compliance with safety and quality standards.
2. Analyze the core safety, risk management factors, and quality management tools in the health care industry through accreditation that assist in the decision-making process for implementation in allied health care.
Accreditation provides an evaluation of healthcare organizations against specific criteria. These criteria include core safety and risk management factors such as patient safety, infection prevention and control, and emergency management. Accreditation also assesses the quality management tools used by healthcare organizations for decision-making processes, such as continuous quality improvement, patient-centered care, and evidence-based practice.
3. Describe the decision-making process for safety, risk management, and quality management in allied health care.
The decision-making process for safety, risk management, and quality management in allied healthcare involves identifying risks and determining mitigation strategies to prevent adverse events. The process also involves collecting data to evaluate the effectiveness of current strategies, implementing changes, and monitoring outcomes. The ultimate goal is to achieve high-quality healthcare services that are safe and reliable for patients.
4. What steps might the United States take, from the global to the organizational level, to maintain high standards for providing outstanding care-based services?
The United States can maintain high standards for providing outstanding care-based services by reinforcing the existing regulations and policies that support safety, risk management, and quality provision. The policy should also create an enabling environment where healthcare organizations can learn, share, and adopt best practices in the industry. Additionally, organizations should be encouraged to engage their staff, patients, and other stakeholders to create a culture of safety that values patient-centeredness, continuous quality improvement, and performance-based accountability.
5. Describe the core safety, risk management, and quality management tools in the health care industry.
Core safety, risk management, and quality management tools in the healthcare industry include root cause analysis, incident reporting, and risk assessments. Root cause analysis is a problem-solving process that identifies and mitigates the underlying causes of adverse events to prevent recurrence. Incident reporting is a tool used to report adverse events and near-miss incidents to enable better analysis and prevention. Risk assessments help to identify potential hazards and develop strategies to prevent them.
6. What are two or more performance-based trends in patient safety, risk management, and quality management in health care organizations currently being followed to meet this goal?
Two performance-based trends in patient safety, risk management, and quality management in healthcare organizations include the use of electronic health records (EHRs) and the incorporation of patient and family-centered care. EHRs support effective communication, documentation, and exchange of patient information between healthcare providers, leading to better quality management. Patient and family-centered care recognizes the importance of patients and their families as partners and collaborators in the care process, leading to improved outcomes and greater satisfaction.
