Strategies to Improve Patient Care and Safety
Historically, the health care industry has grown with its treatments and medical procedures. However, the progress of patient care and safety has failed to match this progress. Because of this, hospitals face billions in unnecessary expenditures. Moreover, over 98,000 deaths occur each year due to avoidable medical errors. In an attempt to curb growing fatality rates, medical facilities must implement policies designed for patient care and safety. Strategies geared toward increased communication and observation are key to enhancing patient well-being and safety.
The topic of clinical data management have been the subject of numerous studies. While quality initiatives in healthcare are improving, the bulk of medical facilities still offer subpar services. To rectify this, quality and performance improvement in healthcare must utilize five distinct strategies, which include the stages of project approach, patient tasks, the medical approach, eliminating patient delays, and patient care plan pathways. For the stage of project approach the NHS Institute defines this strategy as identifying the necessary tools to implement a specific service. This strategy involves creating a detailed and concise method for initiating communication with patients, and subsequent diagnosing.
The patient tasks strategy includes the practice that medical professionals must identify how specific issues are addressed. For example, clarifying the process of creating a diagnosis and laying out methods for creative thinking. Other elements within this strategy involve mapping out the level of clinical engagement or streamlining the flow of treatment and communication between patient and practitioner. All patients require different medical approaches. While there are general guidelines, approaching patients with generalities is truly detrimental. By identifying the approach, medical teams reduce the likelihood of passing over key information for comprehensive care. Without a defined medical approach, potentially life-threatening issues could be missed or mishandled.
The most influential factor that determines patient care is the amount of patient delays. This strategy involves every medical team member. Throughout its steps, services are designed to improve the flow of treatment and communication. This is paramount within the topic of Healthcare quality improvement. In order to eliminate patient delays, the entire process of patient care must follow a succinct checklist. However, this checklist must remain fluid and open to alterations. The patient care plan pathways strategy involves the design and implementation of patient pathways. Moreover, these constructs how the patient will interact and move throughout the health care system. An effective pathway begins the moment a patient is admitted until he is discharged. Topics generally include how to handle action planning, bottlenecks in patient services, building trust among all parties and empowering patients throughout treatments.
