Scenario: You were recently hired as the Director of Planning for a mid-sized hospital and the CEO has asked you to develop a brief memo that explains the role of the governing body as it relates to the oversight of quality. The CEO also asked that you identify 2-3 specific actions used by progressive healthcare organizations to better engage the board in quality oversight. In addition to describing these best practices, be sure to compare and contrast the strengths and limitations of each model.
Requirements:
- The memo should be at least one, but no more than two pages in length, single-spaced.
- Use terms, evidence, and concepts from class readings.
- You need to cite at least three sources for this assignment, outside of the textbook. The CSU-Global Library is a great place to find resources.
- Your paper must be formatted according to the CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA.
- If you need assistance with your writing style, start with the links under the Research Help and Writing Help tabs on the CSU-Global Library’s homepage
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
The governing body in a hospital plays a crucial role in ensuring quality oversight. As the Director of Planning for a mid-sized hospital, it is important to understand the role of the governing body and identify best practices that can be used to engage them in quality oversight.
Answer:
Memo: Role of Governing Body and Best Practices for Quality Oversight
To: CEO of Mid-sized Hospital
From: Director of Planning
Subject: Role of Governing Body and Best Practices for Quality Oversight
As requested, this memo explains the role of the governing body in relation to quality oversight. It also identifies two to three best practices used by successful healthcare organizations to better engage the board in quality oversight. Moreover, this memo compares and contrasts the strengths and weaknesses of each best practice model.
Role of Governing Body: The governing body in a hospital holds the accountability for quality oversight. According to the Institute of Medicine, the board should ensure that healthcare providers are providing safe and effective care to patients. The governing body is responsible for ensuring that the hospital is adhering to established quality standards and is equipped with adequate resources to maintain those standards.
Best Practices for Engaging the Board in Quality Oversight: Healthcare organizations use different best practices to better engage the board in quality oversight. Two to three best practices are identified below, along with their respective strengths and limitations.
1. Quality Dashboards: One best practice is through the use of quality dashboards that provide real-time, comprehensive data on the hospital’s performance indicators. The strengths of this model are that it provides easily accessible and timely information to the governing body, which enables them to make better decisions on quality oversight. On the other hand, the limitations of this model are that the data provided can be overwhelming to the governing body, and it is not always clear how to take action to improve performance based on the information provided.
2. Regular Board Education and Training: Another best practice is through the use of regular board education and training sessions that help the governing body better understand the complex processes involved in quality oversight. The strengths of this model are that it helps the board fully comprehend the information provided to them by the hospital staff, enabling them to make more informed decisions. The limitations, however, are that it can be time-consuming and can lead to fatigue if not properly structured.
3. Engagement with Clinical Leaders: A third best practice is engagement with clinical leaders, such as the Chief Medical Officer, Chief Nursing Officer, and other healthcare unit leaders, who provide the board with insights into the challenges and successes of quality oversight. The strengths of this model are that it enhances communication and mutual understanding between clinical leaders and the board, which can result in better decision-making and ultimately better quality oversight. A limitation of this model is that it can be difficult to maintain ongoing engagement and communication with clinical leaders due to their busy schedules.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the governing body plays a crucial role in quality oversight and must ensure that healthcare providers are effectively delivering care to patients. Healthcare organizations use different best practices to better engage the board in quality oversight, such as quality dashboards, regular training and education sessions, and engagement with clinical leaders. Each model has its strengths and limitations, and it is important to tailor the approach to the specific needs of the hospital and its governing body.
