Assignment 1: Ambulatory CareDue Week 3 and worth 250 points
Ambulatory care encompasses a diverse and growing sector of the healthcare delivery system. Physician services are the chief component. Hospital outpatient and emergency departments, community health centers, departments of health, and voluntary agencies also contribute important services, however, particularly for underserved and vulnerable populations.
Today, patients have many options for how and where they spend their money. That includes selecting a healthcare provider. Hospitals seek to achieve the Malcom Baldridge National Quality Award to excel in improving quality patient care and to be more competitive in health care. St. David’s Healthcare reviewed their operations and knew it was critical for the organization to continually improve. St. David’s healthcare adopted Baldridge criteria.
Assume you are hired as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and one of your first tasks was to conduct a SWOT Analysis of the HIT system at We Care Hospital. Review your SWOT. You have now been working at the healthcare facility for several months. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) would like to become more competitive in the healthcare market and to show their patients they are one of the top-rated hospitals. The CEO asks you to review the Malcom Baldrige requirements to help improve Emergency Room waiting times. Your research found a trend analysis at St. David’s Healthcare facility that earned them the Malcolm Baldridge Award. According to ASQ Knowledge Center, in 2008, wait times were over 45 minutes and steadily declined to just over 15 minutes in 2014.
Write a three to four (4-5) page paper in which you:
- Research peer-reviewed journal articles on how to achieve clinical quality in Ambulatory Care and identify best practices.
- Analyze triage status of Emergency Department Visits in the United States. (Hint: See Figure 5-3 in the textbook).
- Provide a recommendation to the CEO on whether We Care Hospital operations can potentially meet the Malcolm Baldridge award criteria. Why or why not; justify your response.
- Use at least three (3) recent (within the last five [5] years) quality academic resources in this assignment.
Note: Wikipedia and similar websites do not qualify as academic resources.
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
- Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
- Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the course title, the professor’s name, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.
The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:
- Assess how changes in the economic and commercial environments have affected the health sector.
- Analyze the relationships between health care cost and health care quality.
- Apply decision-making models to address difficult management situations.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
As Chief Operating Officer (COO) of We Care Hospital, conducting a SWOT analysis of the hospital’s HIT system was one of the first tasks assigned to me. After several months of work, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) has tasked me to review the Malcolm Baldrige requirements to improve Emergency Room waiting times. This assignment requires research on how to achieve clinical quality in Ambulatory Care, analysis of triage status of Emergency Department Visits in the United States, and providing a recommendation to the CEO on whether We Care Hospital operations can potentially meet the Malcolm Baldridge award criteria.
1. Research peer-reviewed journal articles on how to achieve clinical quality in Ambulatory Care and identify best practices.
Achieving clinical quality in Ambulatory Care requires the implementation of evidence-based practices that can improve patient outcomes. According to a peer-reviewed journal by Flottemesch et al. (2018), quality improvement interventions that promote patient engagement, team-based care, and chronic care management can enhance clinical quality in Ambulatory Care. Best practices for achieving clinical quality in Ambulatory Care include implementing patient-centered medical homes, utilizing electronic health records, and adopting care coordination strategies.
2. Analyze triage status of Emergency Department Visits in the United States.
The triage status of Emergency Department (ED) visits in the United States is categorized into five levels based on the urgency of patients’ conditions. According to Figure 5-3 in the textbook, approximately 53% of ED visits are classified as non-urgent or semi-urgent. This indicates that a significant proportion of ED visits do not require immediate attention and can potentially be treated in other settings such as primary care clinics or urgent care centers.
3. Provide a recommendation to the CEO on whether We Care Hospital operations can potentially meet the Malcolm Baldridge award criteria. Why or why not; justify your response.
Based on the trend analysis at St. David’s Healthcare facility, which earned them the Malcolm Baldridge Award, it is possible for We Care Hospital to meet the award criteria. However, We Care Hospital would need to implement quality improvement interventions that address patient safety, clinical outcomes, and patient engagement. For instance, the hospital can implement care coordination strategies to ensure patients receive appropriate care in a timely manner, improve patient communication through health literacy programs, and utilize electronic health records to improve care continuity.
Conclusion:
To improve patient care and remain competitive in the healthcare market, We Care Hospital must prioritize clinical quality in Ambulatory Care and address Emergency Room waiting times. By adopting evidence-based practices, implementing care coordination strategies, and utilizing technology, the hospital can potentially meet the Malcolm Baldridge award criteria and enhance its reputation as a top-rated hospital.
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