BUS 4406
University of the People
Abstract
The Arnold Palmer Hospital is rated in the top 10% of hospitals participating in national quality ratings. This paper seeks to identify why this is so and explore whether additional measures of quality auditing or use of quality improvement systems might add to the quality care at the Arnold Palmer hospital. Additionally, some quality assessment tools will be displayed that might assist management in creating a snapshot of their observations and efforts, and their effects on quality at this institution.
Keywords: quality, continuous improvement, six-sigma, ISO certification
Quality commitment at Arnold Palmer Hospital
The Arnold Palmer Hospital (APH) management …show more content…
It might be considered by some, that APH may benefit from ISO certification. In my opinion, this would not serve this hospital better than the current six-sigma-like initiatives currently used by APH. My reasons for this supposition begin with the fact that the currently used system is getting results. If it isn’t broken; if quality is high and improving, a new system may retard improvement. Secondly, the currently used organic method of quality improvement has employee buy-in, as is observed in the results of patient survey and internal criteria. Organic initiatives typically get good results as those within the organization have ownership of the goal of constant improvement. Additionally, APH has a built-in employee mechanism for recommending change to provide better care, that has consistently been acted upon by management, gaining the trust of employees. Finally, ISO certification is not something that would be recognized, nor appreciated by its customers. APH is not a B to B or B to G type of business model. They get no competitive advantage from ISO certification. I would also add a fourth reason; that ISO certification can be costly and therefore, take valuable resources away from patient care and facility improvements. APH is so confident in its quality rating that they link to the healthcare quality sites such as medicare.gov and leapfroggroup.org so patients searching for the best care for their loved one can compare all hospitals. They know they …show more content…
These volunteers might have specific interests and passions that lead to innovation and compassionate care. An example might be a breast cancer survivor that develops a knitted product to be used as a softer prosthetic for other mastectomy patients in the first weeks after surgery. Or perhaps a volunteer that organizes bags of informational fliers and products that are relevant to cancer patients, to include a journal and calendar for tracking chemotherapy and other appointments, etc. This recommendation adds to the feeling of compassionate care and encourages patients toward wellness.
ICU quality variables. In an effort to identify a cause and effect relationship of quality to opportunities for error, the following Fishbone diagram is included for consideration:
Examples of currently used quality tracking tools. Two of the currently used tracking tools at APH are the Pareto chart and the flow chart. The following are provided as examples:
The 5 S’s. Consider how the 5 S’s model might be effectively used to improve process and quality.
1- Sort – All furnishings, consumables, inventory and staff need be sorted, evaluated and appropriately considered for appropriateness, viability and needfulness. That which is obsolete, ineffective or no longer considered the ‘best method’ of care should be scrapped. Removal of waste and feeing of expensive square footage is the goal