To improve patient outcomes, you must look beyond the numbers on a chart. You must consider the broader picture of what patients care about. Improving patient outcomes has ramifications that extend well beyond the individual’s health and well-being.
When a person has diabetes, health care professionals typically check their hemoglobin A1C levels. These values are vital, but the impact of a specific A1C level on a patient’s general well-being and quality of life is essential. How can medical practitioners focus on all elements of health care to improve patient outcomes?
Leaders in the field are thinking about the subject as they work to improve people’s health, increase patient satisfaction, and comply with insurance requirements of care. Patient outcomes are investigated in leadership programs like the Executive Master of Health Administration from USC Sol Price School of Public Policy.
How to Improve Patient Outcomes
It is critical to have a collaborative approach to improving patient outcomes. The following are the typical members of a team:
- Hospital decision-makers
- Health care facility advocates
- Team leaders
- Team members who steer improvements
Consider the following seven key actions that seek to improve patient outcomes:
- Reduce Medical Shortcomings and Improve Patient Safety
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one of the top ten causes of death worldwide is unsafe medical treatment. Medication mistakes, infections, and diagnostic errors are examples of things that can endanger patient safety. By performing the following tasks, you may help reduce medication error rates:- Adhering to uniform safety procedures
- Coordinating initiatives among care providers and pharmacists
- Detecting health concerns as carefully and fast as possible
- Improving compatibility of health records
- Offer Telehealth and Similar Modern Medicine
Telehealth solutions and technological tools can assist patients in gaining access to healthcare services and medical records. People may more easily navigate the healthcare system to obtain the care they need when utilizing their computers or smartphones to get information and knowledge or communicate with their healthcare team. - Manage Chronic Diseases
Chronic diseases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), including heart disease and cancer, are the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. In reality, 40% of adults suffer from more than one chronic condition. Provide patients with simple access to tools, positive reinforcement, and routine check-ups to assist them in managing these conditions. - Ensure Consistent Care and Discharge Procedures
Coordinate treatment plans with a patient’s other providers to help guarantee high-quality care. When discharging hospital patients, produce detailed summaries that enable all caregivers to stay uniform in treatment. - Communicate with Patients and Sensitize Them About Their Health
Assist patients in comprehending their health issues and care plans. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), there are a variety of communication strategies:- Teach-back. Inquire from patients about their experiences.
- Warm handoff. Assist the patient in understanding their diagnosis and treatment options.
- Medication review. Discuss the entire list of drugs the patient is taking.
- Create Forums for Staff Support and Development
By providing health care providers with opportunities to grow as professionals, you may help improve patient outcomes. The possibilities could range from training on the newest developments to their required resources to execute successfully. - Analyze Data
Determine where your hospital or other healthcare facility may develop by accessing data. Examine demographic information and operational processes to establish a baseline for patient outcomes. Electronic health records (EHRs) and patient satisfaction surveys are two examples of methods for monitoring success and expenses.
The Importance of Patient Outcomes
Achieving better patient outcomes is linked to high-quality care, operational efficiencies, patient happiness, and positive relationships with insurance providers. Here’s how those components ensure that all patients get superior treatment.
The Standard of Care
What measures have you used to assess the quality of care? Has a patient had timely access to health care? What was the experience like for a patient? Was it necessary for a patient to be readmitted to the hospital? Healthcare systems use these questions and others to assess the quality of care — and the answers influence patients’ outcomes. The following are some of the quality-of-care indicators:
Safety – Preventing preventable injuries and medical errors
Readmissions – Following hospital best practices to minimize the chance of a patient with heart failure being readmitted to the hospital after surgery
Effectiveness – In the case of our heart patient, for example, we would want to achieve specific goals, such as a healthy heart.
Equity – Gender, race, ethnicity, geographic location, or socioeconomic status should not determine the level of care provided.
Operational Efficiencies
The difference between poor and excellent patient outcomes may be determined by operational efficiencies. Sitting in a waiting room for hours, for example, puts those in need of emergency care at risk of significant health issues.
As a medical entrepreneur, Mr. Edward James Letko has extensive experience with patient care. It is the core of the medical field, and every patient has the right to immediate, effective, and reliable medical care. Visit our website to discover much more!
