Identification of Two Measures Below Benchmark for Selected Minority Population
Two measures are far from the benchmark for the selected minority population that have been identified. The first includes adults who have visited in the past 12 months and did not find it easy to get care, tests, treatment, or Medicare free-for-all services. The second one includes individuals complaining about how staff did not consider their family or caregiver’s preferences about discharge healthcare. The former has a 229% distance from the benchmark, while the latter – has a 232% distance (National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report, 2023).
Importance of the Two Selected Measures
These metrics are essential to judge health disparities based on race. In particular, these two show how difficult it is for black populations in New Jersey to receive healthcare and how dissatisfied they are with the lack of control they have over treatment and discharge methods and preferences. As a result of these disparities, patients are more vulnerable to diseases and are more likely to face harsher health complications.
Plan for Prioritizing Quality Improvement Efforts
The proposed solution to quality improvement in these specific areas is two-fold. The plan involves tutoring all nurses and healthcare specialists about the importance of culture-tailored care. That way, all specialists would have the necessary knowledge to carry out their duties. The second part involves providing mechanisms for quick patient feedback about the quality of care they received. This mechanism would allow for disciplining personnel who ignore patient needs and provide a way to detect and improve inefficient processes in providing pre- and post-discharge care.
Obstacles to Implementing the Quality Improvement Plan
Some obstacles to the proposed solution include genuine distrust from black patients towards the healthcare system and the difficulty with which any significant changes would be implemented. The first issue could be overcome by offering genuine ways to provide anonymous feedback. The second one could be bypassed by streamlining and improving hospital-wide decision-making processes. Empowering nurses to make changes in their fields of competence is the key to long-term success.
Reference
National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report. (2023). Benchmark achievement results by race & ethnicity: New Jersey. Web.