Patient Safety and the Problem of Poor Service Delivery

Introduction

In a medical institution, poor quality of services could be a threat to the patients’ safety since it would lower the output and reputation of a hospital. In this regard, the hospital’s management has to prioritise quality improvement measures to enhance the standards of healthcare that the facility offers.¹ Therefore, this proposal highlights and justifies the problem of poor service delivery that the hospital faces, it outlines the objectives of the study, and describes the methodology to be used. Finally, it provides the anticipated outcome that the health facility will realise as it seeks to reduce the challenges it might experience while improving the patient’s safety.

Justification of Choice of Area; Statement of the Problem

As a result of growth, the hospital will experience various structural and administrative challenges, which could jeopardise the entire provision of healthcare services for the patients if not adequately dealt with early. The number of patients visiting hospitals will steadily grow, thereby, necessitating administrating changes to improve the quality of service delivery. Moreover, this trend could be coupled with continuous and systematic quality development initiatives to promote growth.² In this case, quality improvement initiatives should focus on particular patients to facilitate service delivery. Moreover, the support that the healthcare service providers offer to the patients should promote optimum outcome for those in need. This practice will also make sure that the process adheres to the business practice in terms of its effectiveness.³ The challenges the hospital is facing due to its growth and development could be effectively dealt with through a number of initiatives. For example, the hospital will have to carry out clinical outcome review, performance appraisal, peer review, and variance analysis because they are the best techniques for quality improvement.

Research Aims and Objectives

First, the research aims at creating a suitable and healing setup where allied healthcare professionals, physicians and subordinate staff work in harmony to provide the much needed medical support at a personalised level.⁴ Second, it seeks to advance healthcare schedules and improve the available healthcare and human resources to meet the basic Medicare needs of the patients in the area of coverage. Third, the research intends to help the hospital carry out its duties in a fiscally responsible and ethical manner without ignoring the patient’s rights and needs.

Methodology and/or Academic Approach

In this study, descriptive research methodology will be implemented. The researcher will specifically use approaches such as surveys, questionnaires and interviews to obtain data for analysis. The survey will be administered to a predetermined number of participants drawn from the target population.⁵ The participants will be expected to fill the survey forms and send them back to the researcher for analysis. The questionnaire will contain questions, which elicit answers directly related to the topic under study.⁶ The questionnaires will contain both structured and semi-structured questions. Participants of the study will fill in questionnaires. They will answer questions during one on one interviews with research assistants. In this case, the assistants will use both the structured and semi-structured questions as interview guides.⁷ In all cases, the researcher will compile the data and analyse them using statistical software such as SPSS.

Conclusion

The anticipated outcome of this research is that it will provide quality improvement measures such as efficiency, effectiveness, equity, timeliness, safety, and patient centered service delivery. This means that non-competent physicians would not have the opportunity to serve in the hospital. The Medicare providers have to devote more time, ideas and interests to achieve the hospital goals.⁸ The patients will also be required to cooperate with the healthcare providers and physicians.

Reference List

Archbold L. Four steps to planning, mapping, implementing, and controlling improvements in all types of healthcare environments. Michigan: MCS Media Inc; 2009.

Bergh D, Ketchen, D. Research methodology in strategy and management. London: Sage Publications; 2009.

Besterfield D. Quality improvement (9^th Ed.). New York, NY: Prentice Hall; 2012.

Blessing L. DRM, a design research methodology. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 2009.

Kenney C. Transforming healthcare: Virginia mason medical center’s pursuit of the perfect patient experience. London: CRC Press; 2010.

Shaw P. Quality and performance improvement in healthcare. Texas: AHIMA Press; 2009.

Sollecito W, Johnson J. Mclaughlin and Kaluzny’s continuous quality improvement in healthcare. Burlington: Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2011.

Zhu J. Quantitative models for performance evaluation and benchmarking. New York, NY: Springer; 2008.

Footnotes

1. Archbold L. Four steps to planning, mapping, implementing, and controlling improvements in all types of healthcare environments. Michigan: MCS Media Inc; 2009.
2. Besterfield D. Quality improvement (9^th Ed.). New York, NY: Prentice Hall; 2012.
3. Shaw P. Quality and performance improvement in healthcare. Texas: AHIMA Press; 2009.
4. Kenney C. Transforming healthcare: Virginia mason medical center’s pursuit of the perfect patient experience. London: CRC Press; 2010.
5. Bergh D, Ketchen, D. Research methodology in strategy and management. London: Sage Publications; 2009.
6. Blessing L. DRM, a design research methodology. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 2009.
7. Zhu J. Quantitative models for performance evaluation and benchmarking. New York, NY: Springer; 2008.
8. Sollecito W, Johnson J. Mclaughlin and Kaluzny’s continuous quality improvement in healthcare. Burlington: Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2011.