During the past decade, quality improvement (QI) has become the primary approach for health care organizations to measure performance and implement change. From a historical perspective, QI has multiple origins: in sy...
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During the past decade, quality improvement (QI) has become the primary approach for health care organizations to measure performance and implement change. From a historical perspective, QI has multiple origins: in systems engineering, as a way of defining production processes;in quantitative analysis, as a methodological approach for collecting and analyzing data;and in organizational behavior as a way of understanding how el fits with an organization's structure and management philosophy. Although eland evaluation share similar goals, as modes of inquiry, they del eloped in very distinct and separate settings, to fulfill different needs. However these differences are now beginning to merge as el gains acceptance as a desirable and legitimate approach for health care organizations to enhance service delivery and outcomes. This article describes the conceptual foundations on which el is based and identifies historical events that have influenced the development of el and its adaptation by health care organizations. (C) 2000 Sage Publications, Inc.
Background: The field called "infection control" has expanded beyond hospitals to include many health care locations, some aspects of personnel health, elements of noninfectious complications, and occasional...
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Background: The field called "infection control" has expanded beyond hospitals to include many health care locations, some aspects of personnel health, elements of noninfectious complications, and occasionally the epidemiology of other problems that occur in care facilities. A research agenda that addresses these newer segments and provides a framework for answering fundamental questions is essential for the field and for the work of The Research Foundation for Prevention of Complications Associated with Health Care (formerly APIC Research Foundation). Methods: We used a multiple-round iterative consensus process (Delphi technique) with 50 experts and a validation round among participants at the 4th Decennial Conference. Results: The expert panel reduced 102 separate items to 21 high-ranked research priorities. The highest-ranked subject areas involved research to improve compliance 4 with excellent practices, to study antibiotic usage and resistance, to measure the financial impact of complications and value of interventions, to perform surveillance of infectious and noninfectious complications across the spectrum of care delivery, and to study effectiveness of interventions to prevent complications at specific sites. There were differences in education and discipline between the expert panel and the 4th Decennial participants and with respect to ranking some of the individual priorities Among respondents from outside the United States and Canada, occupational health issues were ranked more highly. Conclusions: The research priorities provide a blueprint for future progress and will require a collaborative, multicenter, multinational approach.
Emergency department (ED) crowding has become a major barrier to receiving timely emergency care in the United States. Despite widespread recognition of the problem, the research and policy agendas needed to understan...
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Emergency department (ED) crowding has become a major barrier to receiving timely emergency care in the United States. Despite widespread recognition of the problem, the research and policy agendas needed to understand and address ED crowding are just beginning to unfold. We present a conceptual model of ED crowding to help researchers, administrators, and policymakers understand its causes and develop potential solutions. The conceptual model partitions ED crowding into 3 interdependent components: input, throughput, and output. These components exist within an acute care system that is characterized by the delivery of unscheduled care. The goal of the conceptual model is to provide a practical framework on which an organized research, policy, and operations management agenda can be based to alleviate ED crowding.
This review deals with the practical management of hospital pharmacies based on experience in Indian Christian hospitals with capacities ranging from about 30 to 500 beds. However the standards of pharmacy management ...
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This review deals with the practical management of hospital pharmacies based on experience in Indian Christian hospitals with capacities ranging from about 30 to 500 beds. However the standards of pharmacy management should not depend on size;they should be kept under review and improved as staff and financial considerations allow.
Good airway management depends on a system that emphasizes teamwork to expedite care and minimize errors. By understanding the accreditation and licensing requirements, appropriate personnel and equipment can be alloc...
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Good airway management depends on a system that emphasizes teamwork to expedite care and minimize errors. By understanding the accreditation and licensing requirements, appropriate personnel and equipment can be allocated along cost effective guidelines. Newer techniques for management of the difficult airway, such as the laryngeal mask airway (LMA;LMA North America, San Diego, CA) and flexible fiberoptic bronchoscope, provide alternatives to the emergency cricothyrotomy. A program of continuous quality improvement and clinical guidelines will enhance patient care and suggest intelligent use of airway resources.
BACKGROUND: Managing patient referrals for surgical consultation in an academic practice has traditionally emphasized clinical rather than service expertise. However, assuring both efficiency and accuracy in the initi...
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BACKGROUND: Managing patient referrals for surgical consultation in an academic practice has traditionally emphasized clinical rather than service expertise. However, assuring both efficiency and accuracy in the initial consultation have become critical early measures of quality care. METHODS: In partnership with the academic medical center administration, current practice was analyzed. Performance and communication standards were established around an ideal patient experience. A new ambulatory consultation process was developed;and flowcharting methods for resource allocation, statistical process control, and pre-visit data collection were used to reduce patient administrative time. Automated referral reports engaged referring physicians throughout the consultation, RESULTS: Accurate insurance and referral authorization have been provided for all patients, including the 4% who are underinsured. Patient, provider, and referring physician satisfaction has increased significantly. Staff time investment has progressively declined from 52 +/- 11 (95% confidence) minutes to 34 +/- 10 minutes for most patients. Realignment of tasks has reduced the administrative time spent by the patient by 32% without compromising clinical time. New patient volume increased by 29% per year, maintaining regional market share. CONCLUSIONS: Expertise in the process of consultation delivery is feasible and will be increasingly critical to the survival of academic surgical practice in a competitive market. (C) 2000 by Excerpta Medica, Inc.
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