Explain why patient satisfaction is an essential component of health care business.
Create a 5-6 page report that will help the Director of Quality Management at Vila Health to understand the current trend of patient satisfaction numbers, and propose potential solutions to any problems.
Demonstrating the organization’s ability to be respectful of and responsive to the needs of their consumers will in turn improve upon the quality and safety of the care being delivered, decrease costs, and increase provider satisfaction. Organizations that seek to remain relevant in the industry, improve business operations, continue to capture market share, and continue quality improvement efforts, should always be focused on establishing patient safety as an improvement priority. Patient safety should never fall off the improvement radar, as organizations can quickly suffer from the implications of declined satisfaction if they are not monitoring the needs of their consumers. Organizations that fail to prioritize patient satisfaction run the risk of losing business and reimbursements. Given that reimbursements are tied to patient satisfaction, quality, and outcomes, any organization wishing to remain relevant in the industry would make patient satisfaction a priority within their strategy.
The quality improvement team is a diverse group of individuals who are tasked with carrying out improvement efforts. The team should include individuals who will be impacted by the improvement efforts being worked on. With this in mind, several teams may exist and be working on a variety of improvement efforts simultaneously within the organization. Each team is responsible for addressing the improvement initiative and tracking its progress toward achieving the anticipated improvement.
Common tools utilized by the team include lean methodology, six sigma, DMAIC, value stream mapping, and fishbone diagrams. The fishbone diagram (also known as the cause-and-effect diagram) is a visual tool utilized to highlight potential causes of a problem, including delays in care, in order to determine the root causes (Kros & Brown, 2013). Lean methodology focuses on making rapid improvements toward the goals of delivering value, eliminating waste, establishing flow, and pursuing perfection. Reducing unnecessary and wasteful steps is key in creating a dramatic improvement in flow in the value stream resulting in improved efficiency and speed—the main goal of the methodology. DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve, and control) is a five-step process utilized in the six sigma method, which is focused on eliminating defects and waste, resulting in improved quality and efficiency (Kros & Brown, 2013). The data-driven strategy requires use of all five steps in order to ensure the best possible results.
Reference
Kros, J. F., & Brown, E. C. (2013). Health care operations and supply chain management: Operations, planning, and control. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Demonstration of Proficiency
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the course competencies through the following assessment scoring guide criteria:
Competency 1: Describe when and how the senior leader would directly impact health care operations.
Describe why leaders should select declining patient satisfaction as a performance improvement initiative.
Competency 2: Analyze the impact of the various success factors of a health care organization.
Explain why patient satisfaction is an essential component of health care business.
Competency 3: Analyze the concept of competitive strength by considering efficiency and effectiveness of organizational processes.
Complete a fishbone diagram of the situation presented in this assessment.
Describe the purpose of a performance improvement team.
Competency 4: Apply management concepts to lead an efficient health care system.
Describe lean methodology.
Explain the DMAIC model for a data-driven improvement cycle.
Competency 5: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and respectful of the diversity, dignity, and integrity of others and is consistent with health care professionals.
Write following APA style for in-text citations, quotes, and references.
Write clearly and logically, with correct use of spelling, grammar, punctuation, and mechanics.
Preparation
This assessment is based on the Vila Health: Patient Flow media simulation, which is linked in the Vila Health: Patient Flow section of Assessment 2. Go to that section to complete the scenario at this time. The scenario presented in this media piece will provide you with the baseline information and context to create a report that addresses utilizing process improvement techniques and strategies to improve upon patient flow within and out of Independence Medical Center.
In addition to the information presented on fishbone diagrams and quality improvement strategies within the simulation, you may also want to conduct more in-depth research before create your report. You are encouraged to research topics on patient flow, DMAIC, patient satisfaction, and performance improvement teams.
Instructions
Based on the media simulation you completed, the Director of Quality Management has asked you, in your position in the quality assurance department, to create a report on the declining patient satisfaction at Independence Medical Center. In addition to your findings, you have been asked to present potential solutions and rationale for why these solutions are potentially relevant and valuable to pursue at IMC.
Include the following in your report:
Explain why patient satisfaction is an essential component of a health care business.
Identify a competitive advantage of the organization depicted in Vila Health: Patient Flow.
Explain the organization’s strategic initiatives.
Explain why patient satisfaction is a strategy for this organization.
Describe why leaders should select declining patient satisfaction as a performance improvement initiative.
Describe potential reasons for patient satisfaction decline.
Define a performance improvement initiative.
Complete a fishbone diagram of the situation presented in the Vila Health: Patient Flow media piece.
Discuss the process to identify the top categories of an issue.
Describe how to organize the subtopics when producing a fishbone diagram.
Describe the purpose of a performance improvement team.
Identify the positions or roles that are necessary to form a performance improvement team.
Describe the stakeholders that should be represented in a performance improvement team.
Describe lean methodology.
Define lean methodology.
Determine what kinds of projects benefit from the use of lean methodology.
Explain the define, measure, analyze, improve, and control (DMAIC) model for a data-driven improvement cycle.
Define the problem or scope that is depicted in Vila Health: Patient Flow.
Discuss what data you have to collect respective to the identified problem.
Define the root causes of the problem.
Determine the possible recommendations the team would offer.
Define possible recommendations and what would affect them.
Write clearly and logically, with correct use of spelling, grammar, punctuation, and mechanics.
Apply the principles of effective composition.
Determine the proper application of the rules of grammar and mechanics.
Write following APA style for in-text citations, quotes, and references.
Determine the proper application of APA formatting requirements and scholarly writing standards.
Assess the relevance and credibility of information sources.
Additional Requirements
Written communication: Writing is clear, precise, scholarly, and free of errors that detract from the overall message. Concepts flow in a logical order.
References: A minimum of three scholarly references.
Length: 5–7 pages.
APA: Correct use of APA style and formatting. Refer to the APA resources in the NHS Learner Success Lab (located in the courseroom navigation menu) if you have questions about APA style or format
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