HOW DO WE MEASURE QUALITY HEALTHCARE

HOW DO WE MEASURE QUALITY HEALTHCARE?

In order for us to improve quality, we must measure quality.  A good starting point is with the definition of quality provided by Avedis Donabedian (1988).  According to Donabedian, quality consists of three important dimensions.  Please describe each of these as they relate to quality healthcare: 

1.  Structure

2.  Process

3.  Outcomes.  

 HOW DO WE INCENTIVIZE QUALITY CARE?

The health care environment has financial, policy and other drivers that influence provider behavior.  We could perhaps hook on to one or more of these incentives to require quality to improve.  We lack strong evidence of when, how, how much, and why most potential incentives will be effective in achieving our goal of quality.  However, we must start somewhere.  Please discuss each of these six drivers, define and state whether you think it will work in incentivizing improved quality care.

1.  Professionalism

2.  Public Reporting

3.  Payment

4.  National and Regional Quality Improvement Initiatives

5.  Consumerism

6.  Regulation

 RECENT DEVELOPMENTS AFFECTING QUALITY

You are a Practice Administrator, and you are a sitting member of the Board of Directors of your physician practice.  Achieving high-quality health care is a high priority for many stakeholders.  So…new forces are at work. You are charged with determining ways that quality can be improved.  Jonas & Kovner offers you some help.  Please describe how each of these four can produce higher quality health care:

1.  The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)

2.  Role of Nongovernmental Organizations

3.  Lean

4.  Patient and Family Engagement