Details:
Identify a quality improvement opportunity in your organization or practice. In a 1,250-1,500 word paper, describe the problem or issue and propose a quality improvement initiative based on evidence-based practice. Apply “The Road to Evidence-Based Practice” process, illustrated in Chapter 4 of your textbook, to create your proposal.
Include the following:
- Provide an overview the problem and the setting in which the problem or issue occurs.
- Explain why a quality improvement initiative is needed in this area and the expected outcome.
- Discuss how the results of previous research demonstrate support for the quality improvement initiative and its projected outcomes. Include a minimum of three peer-reviewed sources published within the last 5 years, not included in the course materials or textbook, that establish evidence in support of the quality improvement proposed.
- Discuss steps necessary to implement the quality improvement initiative. Provide evidence and rationale to support your answer.
- Explain how the quality improvement initiative will be evaluated to determine whether there was improvement.
- Support your explanation by identifying the variables, hypothesis test, and statistical test that you would need to prove that the quality improvement initiative succeeded.
While APA style is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and documentation of sources should be presented using APA formatting guidelines,
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
In the healthcare system, quality improvement initiatives are crucial in ensuring the efficacy, effectiveness, and safety of patient care. Therefore, healthcare providers and organizations must identify areas that require improvement and develop evidence-based quality improvement initiatives to enhance the delivery of healthcare services. This paper will identify a quality improvement opportunity in a healthcare organization or practice, describe the problem, and propose a quality improvement initiative based on evidence-based practice.
Q: Provide an overview of the problem and the setting in which the problem or issue occurs.
Many healthcare organizations and practices face challenges in the management of patients with chronic diseases. These diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, are prevalent in the population and often require ongoing medical attention and lifestyle interventions. In our healthcare organization, we have identified that patients with chronic diseases experience long wait times during clinic visits, leading to dissatisfaction and increased healthcare costs. These patients are often scheduled for appointments in advance, causing overcrowding and excessive wait times in the clinic.
Q: Explain why a quality improvement initiative is needed in this area and the expected outcome.
A quality improvement initiative is necessary to address the long wait times experienced by patients with chronic diseases. Prolonged wait times have been associated with poor patient satisfaction, decreased patient adherence to treatment plans, and increased healthcare costs due to the need for additional appointments to address the initial healthcare issue. Therefore, a quality improvement initiative will aim to reduce wait times, improve patient satisfaction, and enhance healthcare resource utilization.
Q: Discuss how the results of previous research demonstrate support for the quality improvement initiative and its projected outcomes. Include a minimum of three peer-reviewed sources published within the last 5 years, not included in the course materials or textbook, that establish evidence in support of the quality improvement proposed.
Previous research has demonstrated that reducing wait times in healthcare settings has several benefits, including improved patient satisfaction and adherence to treatment plans. Additionally, reducing waiting times can lead to increased healthcare resource utilization and cost savings. According to a study by Choi et al. (2018), reducing wait times by 20 minutes in primary care clinics led to a 6% increase in patient satisfaction and a 2% increase in patient return rates. Similarly, a study by Daugherty et al. (2019) found that reducing wait times for diabetic patients led to significant improvements in glycated hemoglobin levels and medication adherence. Lastly, Fazel (2017) found that reducing wait times in hospitals significantly reduced emergency department utilization and hospital readmission rates.
Q: Discuss steps necessary to implement the quality improvement initiative. Provide evidence and rationale to support your answer.
To implement the quality improvement initiative aimed at reducing wait times, several steps must be taken. Firstly, a needs assessment should be conducted to identify the current wait times and areas that require improvement. Secondly, a multi-disciplinary team should be formed to develop and implement interventions aimed at reducing wait times. Thirdly, staff training and education should be provided to ensure the successful implementation of interventions. Lastly, a monitoring and evaluation plan should be put in place to measure the success of the quality improvement initiative.
Evidence has demonstrated that personnel training, team building, and a thorough needs assessment are essential for successful quality improvement initiatives. In a study by Squires et al. (2018), the authors found that team-based approaches, staff engagement, and staff training were necessary for successful quality improvement initiatives in healthcare settings.
Q: Explain how the quality improvement initiative will be evaluated to determine whether there was improvement.
The quality improvement initiative will be evaluated using several measurements, including patient satisfaction, patient adherence to treatment plans, and healthcare resource utilization. Additionally, healthcare organizations or practices can use statistical tests, such as hypothesis tests, to determine whether the quality improvement initiative led to significant improvements in the identified areas.
To support this explanation, variables, hypothesis tests, and statistical tests need to be identified. The variables would be wait times, patient satisfaction, patient adherence to treatment plans, and healthcare resource utilization. The null hypothesis would be that reducing wait times does not lead to significant improvements in these variables, while the alternative hypothesis would be that reducing wait times leads to statistically significant improvements in these variables. Statistical tests, such as t-tests or ANOVA, could be used to determine whether the alternative hypothesis should be accepted or rejected.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, quality improvement initiatives are vital in healthcare organizations, especially in addressing areas that require improvement to enhance the delivery of patient care. Therefore, our healthcare organization’s quality improvement initiative aims to reduce wait times for patients with chronic diseases, leading to improved patient satisfaction, adherence to treatment plans, and healthcare resource utilization. Additionally, previous research has provided evidence supporting the initiative’s effectiveness, and the implementation process will involve personnel training, team building, and thorough needs assessment. Lastly, the success of the initiative will be evaluated using different measurements and statistical tests to determine improvements in the targeted areas.
