Generally Recognized Indicators of the Health Care Effectiveness

Topic: Health Words: 952 Pages: 3

Table of Contents

Introduction
Hospital Quality Report
Critical Indicators from a Patient’s Perspective
Critical Indicators from a Risk Manager’s Perspective
Conclusion
References

Introduction

The effectiveness of health care in any medical facility is characterized by different, generally recognized indicators. Patients’ safety and the quality of provided medical assistance are essential factors that determine the performance of a hospital. The purpose of this paper is to list the safety indicators that pertain to long-term care from a patient’s and risk manager’s perspectives and present the rationale and measurement that are relevant to specific parameters.

Hospital Quality Report

As an example, a specific medical facility will be utilized to assess its performance indicators. According to the safety report from the Shelby Baptist Medical Center (n.d.), this medical facility performs well in a variety of situations. That is why 70% of patients state that they would recommend to others to get treatment here (“Shelby Baptist Medical Center,” n.d.). The workers at this hospital professionally deal with respiratory failures after surgeries, as well as with injuries during medical care. In addition, up to 80% of patients report that they felt comfortable communicating with doctors and nurses about given medications and overall details about the treatment (“Shelby Baptist Medical Center,” n.d.). For this reason, as someone who would be looking for a good place to seek medical care, I would definitely choose this medical center.

The hospital’s performance corresponds with one’s expectations or even surpasses them in many fields. For instance, mortality ratings of strokes are better than anticipated, while procedures regarding cardiac diseases are as expected (“Shelby Baptist Medical Center,” n.d.). However, the staff does not perform as well in spine surgeries and that is why their rating is low (“Shelby Baptist Medical Center,” n.d.). For this reason, patients with such problems should probably search for another medical facility.

Critical Indicators from a Patient’s Perspective

There are many elements that contribute to assessing people’s health indicators, including patients’ experience, the ability to deal with complications properly, and communication with physicians. For a patient, the quality of care is the most critical parameter of the hospital’s performance. However, aside from this, the importance of communication between patients and staff cannot be overestimated. The effectiveness, content, and result of treatment strongly depend on the nature of these relationships.

Aside from taking into account a patient’s perspective, one should also consider what safety indicators are essential from the standpoint of a risk manager. For instance, long-term care for older adults is becoming an increasingly urgent problem. During the past few years, many hospitals have faced the challenges of meeting the needs of older patients who need prolonged care. There are different factors in this area, which could indicate the quality of the medical facility’s performance.

Critical Indicators from a Risk Manager’s Perspective

Table 1. Worsening of depressive moods.

Indicator	The worsening of depressive moods when in a clinical environment.
Rationale	“Depression rates are substantially higher among older adults in long-term care when compared with older adults in the community” (Chau et al., 2019, p. 225). The severity of the situation intensifies due to the high possibility of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, which, in turn, contributes to increasing the risks of severe mental disorders.
Measurement	A feedback-system that allows patients to regularly reflect on their experience with doctors and nurses. However, the data from patients’ families and those who are legally responsible for mentally incapacitated patients should also be considered. In this way, it would become possible to measure the effectiveness of long-term care and make potential interventions based on the results obtained.

Table 2. Development of pressure ulcers.

Indicator	The development of pressure ulcers when a patient with reduced mobility stays in a clinical environment for a long time.
Rationale	The indicator is suitable for the area of long-term care because patients who are forced to stay in bed for a long time may acquire them. This condition is progressive in nature, and bedridden or immobile people are most likely to suffer from it, particularly if they are not taken care of (Bhattacharya & Mishra, 2015).
Measurement	In addition to the information about the number of pressure ulcer cases in a specific clinical setting, tracking data on treatment methods is also vital. This mechanism may help patients evaluate the effectiveness of treatment and assess the quality of care. With the help of the information regarding this factor, one can decide whether it is worth seeking help from a particular medical facility or not.

Table 3. Restraint methods to ensure patient safety.

Indicator	Restraint methods to ensure the safety of immobile patients or people with mental disorders.
Rationale	The procedure is considered unethical since it not only has an “inadequate effect of protection but also has negative effects on residents” (Lan et al., 2017, p. 411).
Measurement	The hospital should track data on cases when such methods have been used. If there would be any, an explanation as to why the patient was restrained should be provided.

When taken together, these indicators help cover the aspects of quality in long-term care and contribute to promoting patient safety standards. They help address both physical issues, such as pressure sores, and psychological issues related to depression or an emphasis on interacting with patients with mental disorders. From a risk manager’s perspective, analyzing these indicators is a meaningful practice to establish a highly productive care process and create a treatment environment in which every patient can be safe.

Conclusion

In the field of long-term care, specific health indicators are essential parameters that determine the quality of medical assistance, and their assessment from a patient’s and risk manager’s perspectives is a valuable practice. As an example of a healthcare facility, the Shelby Baptist Medical Center is selected to analyze its standards. When taken together, the provided indicators create a safe and high-performing patient care environment.

References

Bhattacharya, S., & Mishra, R. K. (2015). Pressure ulcers: Current understanding and newer modalities of treatment. Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery, 48(01), 4-16.

Chau, R., Kissane, D. W., & Davison, T. E. (2019). Risk factors for depression in long-term care: A systematic review. Clinical Gerontologist, 42(3), 224-237.

Lan, S. H., Lu, L. C., Lan, S. J., Chen, J. C., Wu, W. J., Chang, S. P., & Lin, L. Y. (2017). Educational intervention on physical restraint use in long-term care facilities – Systematic review and meta-analysis. The Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences, 33(8), 411-421.

Shelby Baptist Medical Center. (n.d.). 2020, Web.