Why is it important to provide quality care to patients?
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Under a Creative Commons license Open access Highlights• “Quality care” definitions must encompass the perspectives of physicians, nurses and patients. •“Quality care” judgments are mainly based on care processes, less on structures or outcomes. •Successful communication and staff motivation are core indicators of high-quality care. •“Hippocratic pride” in response to care successes constitutes a new quality care indicator. •“Rapid reactivity” in response to (near) failures constitutes a new quality care indicator. AbstractObjectiveExisting quality of care frameworks insufficiently integrate the perspectives of physicians, nurses and patients. We collected narrative accounts from these three groups to explore if their perspectives might add new content to these existing definitions. MethodsNinety-seven descriptions of “good” and “poor” care episodes were collected from a convenience sample of physicians, nurses and outpatients at eight regional hospitals. Two coders classified the narrative contents into themes related to structures, processes and outcomes of care. ResultsThe physicians, nurses and patients raised the following “quality of care” aspects: Successful communication among staff, with patients and care companions; staff motivation; frequency of knowledge errors; prioritization of patient-preferred outcomes; institutional emphasis on building “quality cultures”; and organizational implementation of fluid system procedures. ConclusionRespondents primarily referred to care processes in their descriptions of “quality of care.” “Hippocratic pride” (in response to care successes) and “Rapid reactivity” (in response to (near) failures) emerged as two new outcome indicators of high-quality care. Practice implicationsThis study provides a first qualitative fundament for understanding the components of “quality of care” from a triangulated frontline perspective. Future research needs to validate our findings with quantitative data to explore their usefulness for completing existing quality frameworks. KeywordsHealthcare quality Quality culture Quality assessment Quality improvement Data availabilityThe data underlying this article will be shared on reasonable request to the corresponding author. Cited by (0)© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. In patient-centered care models, an individual’s needs and the desired health outcomes are the driving force behind all care decisions. Healthcare professionals must practice patient-centered care – in which they anticipate the anxiety or fear that patients sometimes experience when receiving care – and take responsibility for comforting and reassuring their patients at every step, ensuring patients and their families and caregivers are at the center of everything they do. As patients become more engaged with the delivery of their care, and evidence of its clinical efficacy continues to mount, technology and information delivery is also maturing. In the current environment, patients expect a high-quality experience, so a culture of patient-centered care isn't a "nice to have," it's a "need to have." The importance of a patient-centered care modelA patient-centered care model encourages active collaboration and shared decision-making between patients, families, caregivers and providers. Here are some of the things to consider in delivering patient-centered care:
The value of evidence-based practiceEvidence-based practice is a widely used problem-solving approach in the clinical setting, but it's also crucial to delivering patient-centered care. It integrates clinical expertise with the latest and best research evidence, along with known patient values, in order to deliver the best possible patient care. One of the most important elements of evidence-based practice in nursing is taking into account the needs and wants of the individual patient. We need to understand what's most important to our patients — what are their preferences when it comes to treatment options, and how do they define quality of life? All of these things come together to make up the definition of evidence-based healthcare The link between evidence-based nursing and value-based careIn recent years, the healthcare industry has been moving toward a value-based purchasing (VBP) and a value-based care (VBC) model that reimburses based on healthcare outcomes instead of healthcare services. In a VBC model, healthcare providers are incentivized to make changes that improve care value — by practicing patient-centered care, evidence-based medicine, and empowering patients. In order to transform how healthcare providers are reimbursed for services rendered, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has itself introduced an array of VBC models, such as the Medicare Shared Savings Program, Next Generation ACO Model, and Pioneer Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Model. Private payers meanwhile, have, in turn, adopted similar models of VBC. The measures for value-based reimbursements range from hospital readmissions to the patient experience. So, employing the evidence-based practice of taking the patient's needs and wants into account positively impacts patient engagement and thus reimbursements. What is the goal of value-based care models?The goal of a VBC program is to standardize healthcare processes through best practices. Although the U.S. healthcare system is unique from others around the world, the overall goal of healthcare is the same — to provide the highest quality, most cost-effective, evidence-based care that improves patient outcomes. So, in the end, it's important to never lose sight of the fact that all patients deserve to be respected and must be at the center of focus during every healthcare encounter. Patients expect nurses and other healthcare professionals to be knowledgeable, competent, and confident, but also kind and understanding too. Nurses are ambassadors for their institutions, the profession, and for their patients. For more about patient-centered care, watch Reimagining the Future: The Culture of Caring presented by From the Desk of the Chief Nurses on nursingcenter.com. Learn how Lippincott Solutions supports evidence-based decisions and patient engagement at the point of care. What are the benefits of improving quality care to the patient?Quality improvement can lead to increased patient safety, more effective and efficient care, and improved patient outcomes. It can also help to reduce the cost of health care. Quality improvement is a continuous process that should be a part of every health care organization.
Why is quality so important in healthcare?Quality of care is the degree to which health services for individuals and populations increase the likelihood of desired health outcomes. It is based on evidence-based professional knowledge and is critical for achieving universal health coverage.
What is the most important aspect of quality patient care?Patient-centeredness - High-quality care is respectful of and responsive to individual patient preferences, needs, and values and ensures that patient values guide all clinical decisions. Timeliness - High-quality care minimizes wait times and harmful delays for both those who receive and those who provide care.
How do you provide quality care to patients?5 Ways to Improve the Quality of Healthcare. Collect Data and Analyze Patient Outcomes. If you can't measure it, then you can't manage it. ... . Set Goals and Commit to Ongoing Evaluation. ... . Improve Access to Care. ... . Focus on Patient Engagement. ... . Connect and Collaborate With Other Organizations.. |
