Healthcare Quality Improvement

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer covers the reasons for implementing a quality improvement program. The writer then outlines three quality improvement programs which can serve as models for the hospital institution. Finally, this article recommends which elements of these quality improvement programs should be adopted in an eventual quality improvement program by the hospital. The writer notes that quality improvement in healthcare has always been a goal ever since medicine was first practiced. This paper deals with the increased incentives for quality improvement in healthcare, and discusses programs to improve quality. This paper focuses particularly on nursing and allied professions.

Outline:
Reasons for Adopting Quality Improvement in our Institution
Best Practices in 4 Hospitals
Tenet Healthcare
Cleveland Clinic Stroke Improvement Plan
Treatment of CHF Patients
Recommendations for Our Institution
Specific Program for our Institution

From the Paper:

"The healthcare institution is under competitive pressure in a way that was less obvious in previous decades. Alternative healthcare delivery means have been encroaching on the market share of "traditional" hospitals and clinics. HMO's have brought a capitated model with an emphasis on preventative care. Specialist hospitals have focused on high-profit procedures, such as heart catheterization and orthopedics, leaving traditional hospitals less-profitable procedures. These alternative institutions compete not on price, but quality of the outcomes and the patient experience. Traditional healthcare institutions must therefore adapt in order to compete."

Sample of Sources Used:

• CancerCenter. (2007). Cancer Treatment Centers of America. Retrieved November 23, 2007, from CCA: www.cancercenter.com
• Civitarese, L. A. (1999). Congestive Heart Failure Clinical Outcomes Study in a Private Community Medical Group. Journal of American Board of Family Practice , 467-472.
• Dana Farber. (2005). Dana-Farber attains nation's highest honor for nursing excellence; first cancer center in New England to earn Magnet recognition. Boston: Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
• Katzan, I. L. (2003). Quality Improvement and Tissue-Type Plasminogen Activator for Acute Ischemic Stroke. JAHA , 799-800.
• MedCath. (2007). MedCath. Retrieved November 23, 2007, from MedCath: www.medcath.com

More papers on Healthcare Quality Improvement:

• Research Paper # 72734 : "Healthcare Quality Improvement"
• Term Paper # 92597 : "Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)"
• Research Paper # 144956 : "Quality Improvement in Healthcare"

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