Improving Clinical Performance in Healthcare: Improving Clinical Outcomes
Kevin Lewis
Vice President at BlueBin | Transformational Healthcare Performance Leader | Resilience | Sustainability | United Nations Speaker | White House Advisor | 130+ Articles | Published by TIME, N.Y. Times, The Wharton School
Excellence in clinical performance is not just a matter of regulatory compliance or financial viability; it is a fundamental requirement to fulfill the healthcare sector's most basic promise: to care for and improve human life. In this context, resilience — the ability to adapt to challenges and disruptions, recover from setbacks and continuously improve — is not just a desirable attribute but a critical component of any strategy aimed at enhancing clinical outcomes. Here, we explore five actionable strategies that healthcare organizations, hospitals and non-acute healthcare facilities can adopt to bolster their clinical performance through resilience.
Implement Robust Data Analytics
Implementing robust data analytics, including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and robotic process automation (RPA), enables healthcare organizations, both acute and non-acute, to improve clinical performance by making patient care more predictive and personalized. For basic-level healthcare facilities, integrating simple ML algorithms with their existing electronic health records (EHR) can help in identifying high-risk patients and optimizing treatment plans. This could start with deploying predictive analytics to flag potential readmissions based on historical patient data. For advanced healthcare organizations, the focus should include the implementation of real-time monitoring systems using AI to predict acute events, such as sepsis, before they occur, allowing for timely intervention. Additionally, employing RPA for administrative tasks can free up healthcare professionals to focus more on patient care. Constantly updating these analytics tools and methodologies with the latest data ensures that healthcare providers can adapt to evolving health trends and maintain the highest standard of patient care.
Foster a Culture of Continuous Learning
Fostering a culture of continuous learning within healthcare organizations directly impacts clinical performance by ensuring that staff members are up-to-date with the latest medical knowledge and practices. For entry-level healthcare facilities, a practical step is to schedule monthly training sessions focused on recent clinical guidelines and patient management strategies. Additionally, providing access to online platforms that offer courses relevant to their field can encourage self-driven learning among staff. For advanced healthcare organizations, investing in high-fidelity simulation labs where clinicians can practice and master complex procedures in a risk-free environment is crucial. These facilities should also establish a system for analyzing and discussing adverse events and near-misses without assigning blame, to extract learning points from each case. Encouraging staff to engage in peer-to-peer learning sessions where they can share insights and experiences can further enhance the learning culture. By prioritizing continuous education and creating an environment that views mistakes as learning opportunities, healthcare organizations can ensure their teams are competent, confident and capable of delivering high-quality patient care.c
Nurture and Maximize Interdisciplinary Collaboration
To improve clinical performance in healthcare organizations, including both acute and non-acute facilities, it's crucial to foster interdisciplinary collaboration. This involves forming teams from various healthcare disciplines to ensure a comprehensive approach to patient care. For basic-level healthcare organizations, a practical step is to organize regular interdisciplinary case review meetings. These meetings allow team members from different specialties to discuss patient cases, share insights and develop coordinated care plans. Additionally, implementing shared educational sessions can enhance mutual understanding of each discipline's role and contributions. For more advanced healthcare organizations, establishing integrated care pathways that require input and cooperation from all involved disciplines can be effective. Leveraging EHR systems to facilitate real-time information sharing among team members ensures that everyone is updated on patient progress and care plans. This approach not only leads to innovative problem-solving but also significantly improves the organization's capacity to provide patient-centered, resilient care.
Invest in Technology & Infrastructure
Investing in cutting-edge cloud technology and infrastructure empowers healthcare organizations, including both acute and non-acute facilities, to improve their clinical performance significantly. For entry-level healthcare organizations, starting with the adoption of cloud-based EHR is essential. This move enables seamless access to patient data by healthcare professionals from any location, ensuring that patient care decisions are informed and timely. Additionally, these organizations should consider implementing basic cloud-based telehealth solutions, allowing for remote consultations which can expand access to care and reduce the strain on facility resources. For more advanced healthcare organizations, integrating cloud-based AI, ML and/or RPA supplemented analytics tools into their EHR systems can lead to more informed decision-making by analyzing patient data to identify trends, predict outcomes and tailor patient care plans more effectively. These organizations can also explore advanced telehealth platforms that offer more comprehensive services, such as virtual reality for patient education and rehabilitation. By investing in these cloud technologies, healthcare facilities not only streamline their operations and enhance patient care but also position themselves to adapt quickly to new healthcare challenges and demands.
Activate Patient-Centered Care & Supply Chain
Focusing on patient-centered care and a patient-centered supply chain is key to boosting clinical performance in healthcare settings, from hospitals to outpatient clinics. For basic-level healthcare organizations, practical steps include implementing patient surveys to gather insights into their care preferences and using this feedback to adjust the procurement and stocking of medical supplies and equipment. This ensures that the most needed and preferred types of supplies are always available, directly impacting patient satisfaction and care quality. Advanced healthcare organizations can leverage technology, like inventory management systems integrated with EHR, to predict patient needs based on historical data and upcoming appointments. This approach not only optimizes the supply chain but also supports personalized care plans by ensuring that specialized equipment and medications are ready for each patient's visit. Furthermore, these organizations can adopt RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) technology for real-time tracking of equipment and supplies, minimizing waste and ensuring that critical resources are always at hand for both patient care and staff use. By prioritizing the needs and preferences of both patients and staff in their supply chain strategies, healthcare organizations can significantly enhance operational efficiency, patient care outcomes and overall satisfaction.
In an era where healthcare faces unprecedented challenges, from global pandemics to the rapid advancement of medical technology, resilience is the cornerstone upon which clinical performance improvement must be built. By focusing on actionable strategies that embed resilience at every level, healthcare organizations can not only navigate the complexities of modern healthcare but thrive within them. The journey towards excellence in clinical outcomes is continuous, demanding constant vigilance, adaptation and commitment. Yet, with a resilient approach, healthcare providers can ensure they deliver the highest standard of care, meeting the needs of the communities they serve today and in the future.
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