Healthcare Quality: Why is it important?

Healthcare industry is one of the fastest evolving industries today. More research and advancements are directed towards improving health outcomes by developing treatment modalities and providing better tools to the clinical personnel.

Healthcare is leaping towards more and more standardization. Evidence-Based practices are encouraged to be followed by the physicians to reduce the nonconformity of treatment across the spectrum.

Healthcare quality is defined by two major components:

1.????? Standardized evidence-based practices while treating the patients.

2.????? Desired outcomes of the treatment according to the severity of illness.

One example of evidence-based practice is the AHA clinical guidelines for Stroke patients. When a potential stroke patient is brought to the hospital, time is of utmost importance. Every second is precious. It is counterproductive for a physician or the hospital staff to waste time on thinking what to do and what not to do. Instead, AHA gives the clinical staff a set of evidence-based guidelines that outlines clear course of action with stipulated timeframes. This makes the decision-making process easier for the clinical staff and eliminates any waste of precious minutes and resources. Prompt follow-up on evidence-based guidelines saves lives and leads to desired patient health outcomes.

Speaking of desired patient health outcomes, the fundamental expectation from every patient is that they get treated for the ailment they have, and at the least, don’t develop any new complication or a disease during their hospitalization. Hospital-acquired infections are a major concern for hospitals which not only adds to the patient’s stress and affects their health negatively, but it also increases a financial burden on the hospital. Hospital-acquired infection is an infection that a patient develops while in the hospital. Patient did not come with that infection.

For example, not following proper hand-hygiene while caring for two patients may lead to one patient’s infection spread to another. When it comes to hospital-acquired infection, prevention is the key. Education of the clinical staff is the solution.

?Most of the hospital-acquired infections can be prevented by following certain evidence-based practices while treating the patients. For example, to reduce catheter associated Urinary Tract Infection, following proper hygiene while placing the catheter is as important as assessing the necessity of the device daily. If the device is no longer needed, the clinical staff should be educated to promptly remove it to eliminate any chances of CAUTI.

Quality of healthcare is everyone’s responsibility. Not just a physician. All healthcare personnel must come together and commit to giving the efficient care to every patient.

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