For many years, hospital accreditation bodies assumed that if the structural cri
ID: 126679 • Letter: F
Question
For many years, hospital accreditation bodies assumed that if the structural criteria were met, that is, that the physical plant, the qualifications of the staff, and the necessary equipment were in place, the quality of the services would automatically be acceptable. Subsequently, accreditation groups decided that they had also better look at the medical records to see how the services were being provided. They assumed that, if the necessary structure was in place, and the required services were delivered as prescribed, the quality of care would be acceptable. Now, these same accrediting groups find it necessary to look at the outcomes of care as well.
Describe "structure, process, and outcome" in the assessment of the quality of medical care, and provide examples of each dimension.
How are the three dimensions related?
Can these relationships be trusted to assure the quality of care in the complex, high-tech world of modern medicine? If not, why?
Explanation / Answer
The accrediting groups should have a strategy plan from where to start as it is a vast process.Quality care is of the utmost importance in any healthcare organisation,structure process and outcome are one the best quality of medical care that has to be observed carefully. Indicators for performance and outcome measurement allow the quality of care and services to be measured. This assessment can be done by creating quality indicators that describe the performance that should occur for a particular type of patient or the related health outcomes, and then evaluating whether patients’ care is consistent with the indicators based on evidence-based standards of care. Indicators may vary in their validity and reliability. Validity is the degree to which the indicator measures what it is intended to measure, i.e. the result of a measurement corresponds to the true state of the phenomenon being measured. A valid indicator discriminates between care otherwise known to be of good or bad quality and concurs with other measures that are intended to measure the same dimension of quality.
Structural measures:It gives consumers a sense of a healthcare providers capacity,systems,and processes to provide high quality care;whether the healthcare organisation uses electronic medical records or medication order entry systems;the number of proportion of board certifies physicians;the ratio of providers to patients.
Processs measures:It indicates what a provider does to maintain or improve health,either for healthy people or for those diagnosed with a health condition.These measures typically reflect generally accepted recommendations for clinical practice.example: the percentage of people receiving preventive services,the percentage of people with diabetes who had their blood sugar tested or controlled.,all these comes under quality indicators.
Outcome measures:It reflects the impact of the healthcare services or intervention on the health status of patients.example: the percentage of patients who died as a result of surgery,the rate of surgical complications or hospital acquired infections
Thes can be mostly trusted even in modern medicine as quality of care would be analysed in a same manner.Continous monitoring and improvement in quality in hospitals can gain accreditation in any level.
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