Performance Improvement Initiative A. Propose an initiative that will address this problem within the department of your chosen healthcare organization. What specific relevant quality standard will this quality initiative address? B. Discuss the data determinants of success, as related to this initiative. In other words, what type of data will be indicative of a quality outcome? IV. Implementation of the Plan in the Organization A. What interdepartmental communication channels will be used for plan implementation? B. What manner of data interpretation will be used to communicate the findings within the organization? C. If this initiative was implemented, what do you believe would be the hypothetical effect(s) on patient care outcomes? How will health information systems support those improvements in patient care? D. What do you think the hypothetical effect of the quality or performance initiative will be on the culture of safety within the organization?
Running Head: HEALTHCARE1 HEALTHCARE2 Milestone One: Identifying an Organizational Problem Jazmyne L. George Southern New Hampshire University IHP 430: Healthcare Quality Management Instructor: Craig Conrad May 13, 2020 Table of Contents 1. Organizational Problem3 A. Contextual Basis for the Organizational Problem3 B. Organizational Challenges posed by the Problem3 2. Evidence-Based Support3 A. Data that Supports the Existence of the Problem3 B. Strategies Used to Address the Presented Issue in the Past4 C. Relevant Regulatory Standards to Address the Issue4 References5 1. Organizational Problem Healthcare organizations are usually crowded due to increasing service demands; therefore, one of the major issue I faced while working at ‘Monomida Health center’ was lack of staff and management of cultural diversity. A. Contextual Basis for the Organizational Problem ‘Monomida Health center’ was located in a neighborhood surrounded by native communities. There were only 4 nurses and 2 doctors appointed at the health Centre and only 2 of them, including me, were able to understand the native language. Therefore, the health center was not only understaffed but also failed to manage the staff according to cultural diversity. Currently in Australia 3.5 practicing doctors are made available per 1000 people; however, considering Monomida Health center, there was only 0.8 practicing doctors made available per 1000 native people in the community. B. Organizational Challenges posed by the Problem Due to the issue of understaffing and lack of effective communication, doctors as well as nurses failed to understand proper issues of patients. Likewise, quality of care was hampered because doctors could not provide proper time and timely checkups to every patient. Further, safety of workers was also at risk because of overwork. 2. Evidence-Based Support A. Data that Supports the Existence of the Problem ‘Australia has always been facing shortage of nurses and doctors majorly because of several challenges and increasing population. Production of healthcare staff within nation is very less; therefore, doctors and nurses are also hired from overseas. Further, Australia requires more generalists instead of specialists, and this increasing the issue of lack of general practitioners of general physicians. Likewise, The International Council of Nurses and World Health Organization also emphasized upon the fact that healthcare also faces issues related to diversity management and inclusion of workplace diversity (Twigg, Gelder & Myers, 2015). B. Strategies Used to Address the Presented Issue in the Past In order to address staffing shortage, doctors and other healthcare professionals have been hired from overseas. Likewise, there have been immense development in the technology such as electronic health record (EHR) and many other tools have been made available to the doctors (Thomas, Bloomfield, Gordon & Aggar, 2018). This has increased proficiency and efficiency of existing number of doctors; however, it does not solve the issue of workplace diversity. Despite using multi-cultural approach and government’s emphasis on the inclusion of native communities in healthcare sector, very less professionals are from native communities. C. Relevant Regulatory Standards to Address the Issue Workplace safety of employees including healthcare professionals has been mandatory; therefore, over work or over burden on the healthcare professionals have been specifically addressed. Further, Australian government to address healthcare quality issues especially for native communities has implied inclusion of multicultural approach. These regulations not only empower the native communities to seek medical help, but also it allows healthcare professionals to understand the requirements of these communities better. ‘Commitment to workplace diversity’ along with ‘Reconciliation action plan’ and ‘Accessibility Action Plan’ sets some standards for the inclusion and importance of workplace diversity (Safety and Quality, 2014). Australian Commission on safety and quality in healthcare also addresses work place diversity policy. References Safety and Quality, (2014) Australian Commission on safety and quality in healthcare, 2014 (PDF) Retrieved from https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/sites/default/files/migrated/Workplace-Diversity-Policy-Jan-2015.pdf Thomas, T. H., Bloomfield, J. G., Gordon, C. J., & Aggar, C. (2018). Australia’s first Transition to Professional Practice in Primary Care Program: Qualitative findings from a mixed-method evaluation. Collegian, 25(2), 201-208. Twigg, D. E., Gelder, L., & Myers, H. (2015). The impact of understaffed shifts on nurse‐sensitive outcomes. Journal of advanced nursing, 71(7), 1564-1572. Running Head: HEALTHCARE1 HEALTHCARE2 Milestone One: Identifying an Organizational Problem Jazmyne L. George Southern New Hampshire University IHP 430: Healthcare Quality Management Instructor: Craig Conrad May 13, 2020 Table of Contents 1. Organizational Problem3 A. Contextual Basis for the Organizational Problem3 B. Organizational Challenges posed by the Problem3 2. Evidence-Based Support3 A. Data that Supports the Existence of the Problem3 B. Strategies Used to Address the Presented Issue in the Past4 C. Relevant Regulatory Standards to Address the Issue4 References5 1. Organizational Problem Healthcare organizations are usually crowded due to increasing service demands; therefore, one of the major issue I faced while working at ‘Monomida Health center’ was lack of staff and management of cultural diversity. A. Contextual Basis for the Organizational Problem ‘Monomida Health center’ was located in a neighborhood surrounded by native communities. There were only 4 nurses and 2 doctors appointed at the health Centre and only 2 of them, including me, were able to understand the native language. Therefore, the health center was not only understaffed but also failed to manage the staff according to cultural diversity. Currently in Australia 3.5 practicing doctors are made available per 1000 people; however, considering Monomida Health center, there was only 0.8 practicing doctors made available per 1000 native people in the community. B. Organizational Challenges posed by the Problem Due to the issue of understaffing and lack of effective communication, doctors as well as nurses failed to understand proper issues of patients. Likewise, quality of care was hampered because doctors could not provide proper time and timely checkups to every patient. Further, safety of workers was also at risk because of overwork. 2. Evidence-Based Support A. Data that Supports the Existence of the Problem ‘Australia has always been facing shortage of nurses and doctors majorly because of several challenges and increasing population. Production of healthcare staff within nation is very less; therefore, doctors and nurses are also hired from overseas. Further, Australia requires more generalists instead of specialists, and this increasing the issue of lack of general practitioners of general physicians. Likewise, The International Council of Nurses and World Health Organization also emphasized upon the fact that healthcare also faces issues related to diversity management and inclusion of workplace diversity (Twigg, Gelder & Myers, 2015). B. Strategies Used to Address the Presented Issue in the Past In order to address staffing shortage, doctors and other healthcare professionals have been hired from overseas. Likewise, there have been immense development in the technology such as electronic health record (EHR) and many other tools have been made available to the doctors (Thomas, Bloomfield, Gordon & Aggar, 2018). This has increased proficiency and efficiency of existing number of doctors; however, it does not solve the issue of workplace diversity. Despite using multi-cultural approach and government’s emphasis on the inclusion of native communities in healthcare sector, very less professionals are from native communities. C. Relevant Regulatory Standards to Address the Issue Workplace safety of employees including healthcare professionals has been mandatory; therefore, over work or over burden on the healthcare professionals have been specifically addressed. Further, Australian government to address healthcare quality issues especially for native communities has implied inclusion of multicultural approach. These regulations not only empower the native communities to seek medical help, but also it allows healthcare professionals to understand the requirements of these communities better. ‘Commitment to workplace diversity’ along with ‘Reconciliation action plan’ and ‘Accessibility Action Plan’ sets some standards for the inclusion and importance of workplace diversity (Safety and Quality, 2014). Australian Commission on safety and quality in healthcare also addresses work place diversity policy. References Safety and Quality, (2014) Australian Commission on safety and quality in healthcare, 2014 (PDF) Retrieved from https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/sites/default/files/migrated/Workplace-Diversity-Policy-Jan-2015.pdf Thomas, T. H., Bloomfield, J. G., Gordon, C. J., & Aggar, C. (2018). Australia’s first Transition to Professional Practice in Primary Care Program: Qualitative findings from a mixed-method evaluation. Collegian, 25(2), 201-208. Twigg, D. E., Gelder, L., & Myers, H. (2015). The impact of understaffed shifts on nurse‐sensitive outcomes. Journal of advanced nursing, 71(7), 1564-1572.