Patient Satisfaction Quality Improvement Project

Patient Satisfaction Quality Improvement Project

There is no doubt that technology is becoming increasingly important in today’s community resulting in the digital era. In fact, technology has shaped and improved almost every aspect of medical care to include service delivery. Perhaps one of the factors that has galvanized the use of technology in the health industry is the need to achieve patient-centric care that improves patient satisfaction and care quality as a primary objective. As such, innovative technological solutions are being implemented at a steadily increasing pace to improve outcomes for patients (Maki & Peterson, 2013). In this respect, the health industry is adopting innovative technologies to improve patient satisfaction, reduce costs, and extend engagement Patient Satisfaction Quality Improvement Project.

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• Explain the types of information technology systems you used to gather data.

There are five principal systems for use in collected data. Firstly, prescribing systems create prescription orders to expedite the prescription process to avoid medication mix-ups and improve patient safety. Secondly, medical billing software that automatically files insurance claims and bills patients to include presenting alerts for late payment. Thirdly, scheduling software that direct patients into their accounts while scheduling convenient appointments. Fourthly, patient portals that includes the information found in electronic medical records (EMR) and health records (EHR) systems present information on medication, treatment and history. Finally, practice management systems that integrate clinical and administrative aspects of medical care by centralizing information (Davis & LaCour, 2014)Patient Satisfaction Quality Improvement Project.

• Explain how the use of nursing informatics applies to your department or unit (Chosen Unit is Medical-Surgical/Telemetry unit) and how it relates to your quality improvement initiative.

Nursing informatics programs are used in the medical-surgical unit to improve patient safety while reducing documentation. This occurs through a range of strategies that include creating computing stations and presenting portable devices to facilitate charting activities. For instance, ensuring that there are no duplications and patient care is tracked from first contact so that care planning shows a logical progression that relies on evidence. Documentation is reduced by presenting a summarized and centralized information system that includes all key data points. In addition, they are used to offer patients’ direct care since the programs document electronic medical records for patients. This allows for better tracking and efficient trending of data on patient outcomes (Feldman, 2012). For example, it can include the patient’s comments on areas that require improvement and areas where nurses performed well so that the nurse manager is able to plan for future care that addresses all the reasonable needs presented by the patient. Besides that, the programs act as decision support alerts to guide documentation and practice since the collected information can be leveraged to improve patient safety and streamline workflows. For instance, if an infective pain management trend is noted, that pain management strategies can be revised to target the low performance areas. Such as if the patients complain that their pain medication is ineffective, then frequency and quantity offered can be revised to ensure that the patients’ pain is addressed. With regards to quality improvement initiatives, nursing informatics presents up to date and quick access to information on patients to support better care outcomes and reduces errors through alerting nursing concerning potential conflicts, checking for issues about new prescriptions, and keeping a record about allergies and medications (Feldman, 2012). Overall, nursing informatics presents data on care trends using visual tools that facilitate comparisons so that future care planning is optimized for the best possible outcomes.

• Evaluate the influence of information technology on patient care.

• • Does it improve patient care?

Information technology improves patient care through its unique qualities. Firstly, it uses standard formats that reading as opposed to handwritten notes that could be hard to decipher. Secondly, it allows nursing personnel to easily revisit patient information. Thirdly, it uses intuitive systems that improve the ease and precision of communication such as a surgical nurse reading documentation from the patient’s dietician. Finally, it reduces medication errors by matching and verifying prescriptions through medication reconciliation (Grain & Schaper, 2013).

• • How much nursing time does technology take away from patient care?

Although it is unclear whether technology take time away from patient care since the information management process does not change except for improving accuracy and access, it has resulted in significant changes that impact time. This occurs through improving the capacity to track, trend and communicate information so that nursing personnel spend less time on these activities. Still, it can be accepted that it has reduced the time spent together, especially when remote information technologies (such as smartphone with tracking applications) are used that allow patients to track their condition at home without having to visit a medical facility (Grain & Schaper, 2013).

• • Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of barcoding.

Barcoding advantages include reducing time spent in identifying product details (such as type and name) when an automatic reader is used. Also, it improves inventory tracking and checkout procedures. The disadvantages include overreliance on labels that could be damaged to prevent code reading. Besides that, it is a costly technology since it requires labels, database for the codes, readers, and specially trained personnel to operate the technology (Davis & LaCour, 2014)Patient Satisfaction Quality Improvement Project.

• Analyze systems that contribute to the management and maintenance of change for the organization.

The organization uses Avatar Solution as the system that manages data for all departments. The system conducts all forms of data manipulation and presentation to include performance evaluation, data measurement, and surveys. To be more concise, the system serves six critical functions in managing and maintaining change. Firstly, encouraging collaboration to streamline the execution of change activities and improve acceptance. This occurs by acting as a platform for multidisciplinary teams to collaborate across different departments. Secondly, automating the change management system using a closed-loop workflow that guides routing while improving documentation, implementation, approval, planning, evaluation and requests. For instance, including due dates for tasks ensures that appropriate reminders are presented so that these tasks are completed on schedule. Thirdly, using a risk-based approach that considers the situation, change purpose, and related risk values. Fourthly, integrating the change within quality ecosystem that includes tracking issues, quality of suppliers, control of documents, and management of audits. Fifthly, applying a configurable and flexible change solution to accommodate the fluid patient and regulatory environments. Finally, using built-in regulatory and compliance standards that include ISO. For example, incorporating secure e-signature functionality to control access to patient records (Maki & Petterson, 2013). In this respect, an appropriate change management system should be straightforward, flexible and integrated while avoiding isolation, rigidity, and complications to improve adoption, reduce risk and facilitate adaptation.

• Analyze the Health and Medicine Division recommendations for integrated information systems (MediTech).

MediTech is a privately-held technology company that employs 3,750 personnel. The company supplies EHR compliant technologies to medical facilities in the USA. In fact, the company controls 19% of the market share with annual revenues of exceeding $475 million. The company’s technology products are particularly popular among midsize facilities with low budgets that cannot afford the high costs linked with acquiring EHR compliant technology from leading suppliers that include Cerner Corp. and Epic Systems Corp. With its origins in 1966 that saw the development of MUMPS system for Massachusetts General Hospital, which was commercialized in 1969, the company has approximately five decades of extensive experience in presenting EHR systems. Currently, the company offers administrative and clinical applications that are integrated with its MediTech operating software to serve more than 100 million patients across the country. These applications include Telehealth monitoring, Medication reconciliation, Readmission data tracking, Mobile-based physician rounding, population health management, and revenue cycle management (TechTarget, 2018).

In acquiring MediTech tool to manage its integrated information systems, the company would realize unique benefits that also act a justification for implementation. Firstly, the tools present EHR that exceeds the limitations of paper records to include eligibility, difficult to storage, hard to sharing, high cost, and possibility of destruction. The EHR would digitize and computerize medical records for rapid trend analysis and retrieval. Secondly, it improves productivity and efficiency by ensuring that information is available to authorized persons when and where required thus saving money and time. For instance, facilitating speedy retrieval of laboratory results while reducing redundant paperwork through interfacing the different department and units. Thirdly, the tools improve patient safety and care quality. This occurs through presenting summary lists at a glance, clinical decision supports, reminders, eliminating duplication, improving access, and improving legibility. Fourthly, it helps in meeting public and government expectations. The public expects a system that will ease interactions with the facility to include making appointments easily and accessing hospital profiles from anywhere. The government expects that facility to conform to legislation, which includes HITECH Act that encourages EHR use. Fifthly, the tools would save the facility money that would have otherwise been spend on record clerks, and call backs between departments. A direct saving will be from the templates that have medical personnel spend less time on the recording information and more time in handling patients. Finally, the tools would aggregate to improve accuracy and quality, and integrate data to facilitate sharing (Davis & LaCour, 2014)Patient Satisfaction Quality Improvement Project.

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• Determine other types of applications of technology, other than the electronic medical record system, to implement the quality improvement project.

Other than EMR, there are other technology applications that can be implement to improve quality. Firstly, creating facility eTools in the form of online pages that have control access with the required information for each stakeholder. For instance, having a page for patients where they can make appointments, and track prescription. Medical personnel should also have their own page that presents patient information while collecting service reviews. Secondly, applying revenue cycle management software that facilitates estimation of prices and processing payments to aid patients in planning for care based on costs while increasing revenue collections. Thirdly, practice management software that manages the clinical and administrative features of care. Fourthly, scheduling software for online appointments to ease vital processes. Fifthly, medical billing software that automates insurance claims filing and patient billing. Finally, ePrescribing software that displays prescription information at the physician and pharmacy (Davis & LaCour, 2014).

References

Davis, N. & LaCour, M. (2014). Health information technology (3^rd ed.). Amsterdam: Elsevier.

Feldman, A. (2012). Understanding health care reform: bridging the gap between myth and reality. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

Grain, H. & Schaper, L. (2013). Health informatics: digital health service delivery – the future is now. Amsterdam: IOS Press.

Maki, S. & Petterson, B. (2013). Using the electronic health record: in the health care provider practice (2^nd ed.). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.

TechTarget (2018). Meditech (Medical Information Technology Inc.). Retrieved from https://searchhealthit.techtarget.com/definition/Meditech-Medical-Information-Technology-Inc Patient Satisfaction Quality Improvement Project.