Introduction
Quality improvement initiatives are needed to ensure that healthcare facilities provide high-quality patient care. These initiatives aim to systematically improve healthcare processes, outcomes, and patient satisfaction. A comprehensive assessment of the services offered by the organization is carried out to identify areas for improvement. The purpose of this essay is to evaluate the standard of maternal health care provided by Wayne, New Jersey’s St. Joseph’s Hospital. This paper analyses one measure affecting the quality of services in maternal healthcare in the hospital and the proposed specific SMART goals for improving outcomes in this area.
Main Body
St Joseph’s Hospital provides various medical services, including maternal health. The mission of this institution is to provide safe, compassionate, and effective patient care (Women’s Health Services, n.d.). St Joseph’s Hospital offers various women’s health services, including breastfeeding, centers for high-risk pregnancy and maternal-fetal medicine, gynecological robotic surgery, intermediate care and neonatal intensive care, labor and delivery, and others (Women’s Health Services, n.d.). The hospital’s target audience is a wide range of patients, including expectant mothers and newborns in Wayne, New Jersey, and surrounding areas. The hospital recognizes the profound impact of quality assurance initiatives, especially in the context of maternal health.
Maternal health is essential to the health system because it affects both the woman and the child. The assessment of maternal health includes various parameters, such as maternal mortality rate, cesarean section rate, birth outcomes, quality of prenatal and postnatal care, and general indicators of interaction with patients. One of the evaluation measures within the chosen area is the participation of the hospital in state or national programs aimed at improving maternal and child health (St Joseph’s University Medical Center, 2023). St Joseph’s Hospital participates in such programs, which indicates the desire of the institution to provide quality services to its patients.
Within the framework of ensuring maternal health, hospital participation in different programs is of critical importance. First, such programs are often aimed at improving the safety of mothers and children. They use evidence-based practices (EBP) to develop various protocols for providing appropriate patient care. Through this approach, hospitals can deliver more efficient healthcare services (Publications, n.d.). As a result of EBP, on which these programs are based, hospitals might reduce maternal mortality and complications. Moreover, it improves the quality of prenatal and postnatal care for women, increasing patient satisfaction.
Second, such programs are most often developed by maternal health experts. Hence, they are based on the key standards and recommendations of the Joint Commission. Please comply with these principles to avoid the hospital’s loss of accreditation, causing a reduction in funding and a deterioration in the reputation of the medical institution. Adherence to established standards helps reduce errors and mistreatment, reducing the number of litigations. The Department of Health of New Jersey offers several programs to state hospitals to improve maternal and child health. As part of Family Health Services, these programs improve public health in the state (Department of Health, n.d.). Participating hospitals may receive additional funding and support from the state.
In its activities, St Joseph’s Hospital follows the standards and recommendations of the Joint Commission. These standards include patient assessment and monitoring, adherence to protocols for managing complications, and patient and family education as part of treatment (Publications, n.d.). Compliance with these standards is necessary for the operation of an accredited medical institution. In addition, the hospital’s activities are based on available facts and verified information (Publications, n.d.). Hospital staff receive specialized training to provide competent maternal health care.
In addition, the hospital is guided by the National Patient Safety Goals. St Joseph’s Hospital adheres to protocols for patient safety initiatives. These goals include improving communication, medication safety, infection prevention, and risk assessment quality (The Joint Commission, 2023). They guide the hospital’s operation and are the basis for effective patient care and safety.
SMART Goals
Goal 1
Increase participation in state and national maternal and child health programs by 20% over the next 12 months.
- Specific: Ensure that the hospital participates in more healthcare programs.
- Measurable: Achieve a 20% participation improvement.
- Attainable: The goal can be achieved through cooperation with relevant state and national agencies.
- Relevant: the goal is to improve maternal health.
- Time-bound: 12 months.
Goal 2
Within 24 months, ensure 100% compliance with maternal and child health program standards.
- Specific: Ensure that the hospital meets state and national standards.
- Measurable: Ensure 100% compliance.
- Attainable: The goal can be achieved through regular evaluation and adaptation of hospital activities.
- Relevant: Achieving the goal will improve the quality of maternal health.
- Time bound: 24 months.
Conclusion
In summary, St. Joseph’s Hospital offers comparatively high-quality maternal health care. However, based on statistical data analysis, some areas require improvement. Improving maternal health is paramount as it affects the child’s health. Therefore, hospital participation in state and national maternal health programs and adherence to the standards and patient safety goals developed by the Joint Commission are critical. Goals developed by SMART will help improve the quality of hospital services and the safety of mother and child.
References
Department of Health. (n.d.). Maternal and child health. State of New Jersey. Web.
Publications. (n.d.) Joint Commission Resources. Web.
St Joseph’s University Medical Center Inc. (2023). Medicare. Web.
The Join Commission. (2023). National Patient Safety Goals. Web.
Women’s health services. (n.d.). St. Joseph’s Health. Web.