Quality Improvement
Information technology is regarded as one of the ways to improve the US healthcare system. The use of electronic health records and the focus on data collection and analysis are viewed as a crucial component of the process of improvement (Sollecito & Johnson, 2013). At the same time, information sharing is another pivotal element of the provision of high-quality care. The government is often regarded as the major supervisor that ensures quality and compliance with standards. In the US, patients’ voices are also heard, but the existence of various organizations and agencies ensure that these voices are listened to. For instance, Families USA is the organization that focuses on the improvement of the US healthcare system through bridging patients and hospitals as well as governmental bodies (Families USA, 2017). This paper includes a brief discussion of the organization and its contribution to the improvement of American health care.
The organization in question helps people to translate their hopes, concerns, and needs into effective policies. The organization pays specific attention to underprivileged groups as these people often have limited access to high-quality health care. This goal is achieved through the dissemination of information and bringing different stakeholders together (Families USA, 2017). The website is a platform for delivering healthcare consumers’ opinions and feedback that can encourage healthcare providers to improve the services they offer and governmental agencies to develop effective policies and standards. The organization in question empowers patients and their relatives to stand for their right to receive high-quality care.
This type of use of information technology is becoming quite common and is associated with positive results. Knowledge sharing is regarded as one of the pillars of a strong healthcare system (Institute of Medicine, 2012). Patients are the most vulnerable group as their concerns and even needs are often neglected or ignored. Importantly, these stakeholders often feel powerless and do not express their ideas or share their concerns. Such organizations as Families USA serve as initiative groups that make the stakeholders pursue their interests. Bringing patients’ concerns to the fore facilitates the change as healthcare providers compete and try to win as many customers as possible while the government can see the existing gaps and address them.
Another important contribution of the organization under analysis is the provision of information about different health-related organizations. Families USA is the platform for sharing opinions, data, and ideas concerning the quality of the received services (Families USA, 2017). The website provides ratings and feedback associated with the services received from particular healthcare professionals and healthcare facilities. This information is instrumental in the development of the entire system as healthcare professionals and health-related companies have to compete (Ramesh, 2013). Such ratings can affect these organizations’ reputation and profits or funding, so this kind of information sharing is vital for the improvement of the system.
On balance, it is possible to state that the use of technology aimed at improving the US healthcare system can take different forms. Healthcare facilities benefit from the use of EHRs or other types of software. However, health-related organizations can also win if they pay attention to patients’ voices. Such watchdogs as Families USA are effective platforms for information sharing that can facilitate change. Patients, policymakers, and healthcare professionals can find the most effective ways to improve the American healthcare system and ensure equality in this sphere.
References
Families USA. (2017). About Families USA.
Institute of Medicine. (2012). Health IT and patient safety: Building safer systems for better care. Web.
Ramesh, R. (2013). Private health groups may have to sell hospitals, competition watchdog rules. The Guardian.
Sollecito, W. A., & Johnson, J. K. (2013). Continuous quality improvement in health care (4th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.