Quality Concepts

In order to apply health care quality concepts to a health care issue or a facility using the measurement-related concept of structure, process, or outcome, it is necessary to understand that the three complement each other. In other words, one is not more important than the other. Criteria and standards are essential to evaluating the three. A criterion is typically evidence driven and based on efficacy. Standards should be set at a “minimal, ideal, or achievable level to meet the goals behind specific quality of care evaluations” (Joshi et al., 2014, p. 44).

For this Discussion, you will select a health care quality concept; apply that concept to a real health care issue; identify the issue as structure, process, or outcome; and apply it to the Six Quality Dimensions you read about in Crossing the Quality Chasm.

To prepare:

• Review the Learning Resources on health care quality concepts.
• Select a health care quality concept from the Learning Resources.

Note: For this Discussion you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleague’s postings. Begin by clicking on the “Post to Discussion” link and then select “Create Thread” to complete your initial post. Remember, once you click submit, you cannot delete or edit your own posts, and cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before clicking Submit!

Assignment: Improving Population Health—Letter to the Editor

There are mechanisms in place that are used to improve population health, including (1) health statuses and outcomes, (2) determinant factors, and (3) interventions that address determinant factors and improve outcomes (Joshi et al., 2014 p. 549). How health care is provided and how it can be improved is the focus of this assignment, which lends itself to a perfect opportunity for you to put your analysis skills into practice. The Learning Resources section this week provides you with data from the patient experience of care that also sheds light on expectations that have and have not been met. The Healthy People 2020 data provides measurements and goals for health care into the future, along with reasons for achieving those goals.

For this Assignment, you will read a scenario, analyze an existing problem using the data/resources provided, and make recommendations to address the issues.

To prepare:

Review all Learning Resources for the week that relate to improving population health

The Assignment:

Read the following scenario:

The community of Springfield (population approximately 100,000) is made up of hardworking, mostly older, factory laborers who contributed to both the city and county growth from the late 1950s through early 2005. Since the plant closed, many of the former workers have little to look forward to. There are few jobs available and they are now aging; most are 60 years of age or older.

The Memorial Hospital has been in existence since the mid-1950s and has several primary care physicians and nurse practitioners, a couple of general surgeons, and one cardiologist, but no cardiac surgeons.

Many nurses are recruited from the nearby community college, and the hospital serves as the facility for clinical rounds in their education.

The community is pretty sedentary, with the exception of an occasional game of horseshoes. Cigarette smoking is prominent.

Serious concerns surround the continued existence of the hospital because many residents seek and obtain health care services elsewhere.

Compare the population of this city to other problem areas using the Healthy People sources. The town’s population is approximately 100,000, making the comparison fairly straightforward.

Using the information provided in the scenario and the:

HCAHPS Data and Healthy People 2020 Data

From this week’s Learning Resources, write a 2-page Letter to the Editorof the local paper that includes:

• An evaluation of the issues that would be the focus on need for quality improvement
• An analysis of existing problems/issues based on data/resources provided
• 2 or 3 recommended strategies to address each quality improvement issue