MMHA 6900 Walden University Healthcare Quality Management Essay
Concepts of Health Care QualityThe quality of care is more than a concept in the health care industry and is essential to patient well-being and financial survival. Quality of care concepts and the multiple definitions are important in the delivery of health care. Historical perspectives help in understanding the evolution of quality in the health care industry and reports and events help shape the role quality plays in this industry. Key principles and definitions are essential to health care quality as well (Buttell, Hendler, & Daley, 2007). Definition-related, measurement-related and quality-cost relationships are specific to what will be discussed here. In addition, quality-cost relationships are equally important to better understand the future challenges faced in health care quality as it relates to the rationing of care to reduce costs. Definition-related defines quality of care in terms of technical performance, access, and cost effectiveness (to name a few) to individual clinicians (especially physicians), patients, payers, and even society as a whole. Measurement-related is just that. A concept used to measure quality. Structure, process and outcome, as first introduced by Dr. Donobedian, is used to measure the quality of care in those three areas. Structure examines care providers in various settings; process addresses events that occur during the delivery of said care, and outcomes dictate whether or not the desired outcome was achieved. These concepts are then applied to the foundation of health care reform, the Six Quality Dimensions of health care as developed by IHI that include safety, effectiveness, and efficiency as well as equitable, timely and person centered (Institute of Medicine, 2001).In this week, you will examine these concepts and the theory that puts all evaluations of quality of care into one of three areas of structure, process or outcome. You will also be asked to differentiate between structure, process, and outcomes and apply these health care quality concepts to the Six Quality Dimensions.Learning ObjectivesStudents will:Apply health care quality concepts to health care issuesDifferentiate between structure, process, and outcomesApply health care quality concepts to the Six Quality DimensionsLearning ResourcesRequired ReadingsNash, D. B., Joshi, M. S., & Ransom, E. R., & Ransom, S. B., (Eds.). (2019). The healthcare quality book: Vision, strategy, and tools (4th ed.). Chicago, IL: Health Administration Press.Chapter 1, “Overview of Healthcare Quality” (pp. 5-44)Deming, W. E. (2000). Out of the crisis. London, U.K.: The MIT PressThis is a seminal document which influenced concepts of quality health care.Colla, C. H. (2014). Swimming against the current—What might work to reduce low-value care? New England Journal of Medicine, 371(14), 1280–1283.Institute of Medicine, Committee on Quality of Health Care in America. (2001). Crossing the quality chasm: A new health system for the 21st century. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.McLees, A. W., Nawaz, S., Thomas, C., & Young, A. (2015). Defining and assessing quality improvement outcomes: A framework for public health. American Journal of Public Health, 105(Suppl. 2), S167–S173.Application of Health Care Quality ConceptsIn order to apply health care quality concepts to a health care issue or a facility using the measurement-related concept of structure, process, or outcome, it is necessary to understand that the three complement each other. In other words, one is not more important than the other. Criteria and standards are essential to evaluating the three. A criterion is typically evidence driven and based on efficacy. Standards should be set at a minimal, ideal, or achievable level to meet the goals behind specific quality of care evaluations.For this Discussion, you will select a health care quality concept; apply that concept to a real health care issue; identify the issue as structure, process, or outcome; and apply it to the Six Quality Dimensions you read about in Crossing the Quality Chasm.To prepare:Review the Learning Resources on health care quality concepts.Select a health care quality concept from the Learning Resources.Post a cohesive response to the following:Describe the health care quality concept you selected. Apply it to a health care issue in your health care facility or one you are familiar with. Identify the issue as a structure, process, or outcome and explain why you made this differentiation. Then apply it to the Six Quality Dimensions found in Crossing the Quality Chasm.Support your response by identifying and explaining key points and/or examples presented in the Learning Resources.