Measuring_Quality

Measuring Quality Shalene Bolton Axia College of University of Phoenix HCA 210: Introduction to Health Care Katherine Cavanaugh, PhD. January 27, 2008 Measuring Quality Healthcare professionals have to undergo an extremely tricky process when assessing patients to ensure they have an accurate road to recovery. The first step to determine the outcome of a patient is to identify the patient’s demeanor. This step it often noticed within the first few moments a healthcare professional is assessing a patient. The second approach to measuring a patient’s positive outcome is by doing a thorough investigation of a patient’s medical and social histories. When a heath care professional knows more about the individual he or she is treating, he or she will be able to make the best medical decisions. Knowing more about patients will help them recover such as by determining an appropriate length a patient should endure physical therapy. Identify the patient’s demeanor When a person has a negative outlook on life it is only natural for him or her to often feel depressed. Moreover, when a person is depressed, he or she usually does not have any motivation towards making a positive difference in life. One may feel like he or she is in an everlasting rut that cannot seem to be ended. For instance, when a senior undergoes a hip replacement with a negative attitude, he or she is more apt to just lie in bed, instead of trying to walk around to speed up their recovery. Coincidentally, when a healthcare professional notices that a patient does not have the will to live or the positive motivation to recovery he or she will begin to realize that the outcome is at greater distances away. It is imperative, for healthcare professionals, to attempt to turn their frown upside down; they need to give patients a better outlook on life. This will ultimately accelerate the recovery process or, in some cases, ensure a recovery. Thoroughly investigate medical and social histories. A person’s past can tell a great deal about a person’s future endeavors. Likewise, when patients have a strong social history of hard drug use such as methamphetamines, it is likely they will have a lower immune system that will slow the recovery process down. Low immune systems can also cause many complications such as by making it easier to get an ultimately fatal staff infection. According to the Health Insurance Institute (1979) as quoted by Barksukiewicz, Raffel & Raffel (2002, Chapter 11, page 192, para. 3) " It is now possible to accumulate and analyze multiple types of data from billing records, patient encounters, and even computerized medical records. Such data will make it possible to identify the variations in practice that provide the best outcomes”. Moreover, if a healthcare professional learns that a patient has a strong history of getting pneumonia, he or she should begin to realize that him or her can get it very easily again. This realization should initiate close monitoring of the patient. If a healthcare professional is fully aware of whom the patient truly is it will make it much easier for him or her to make the correct judgment on the patient treatments. This will ultimately ensure a better outcome for the patient. Conclusion If a patient has an exceptional attitude on life, is completely truthful on recording his or her medical and social histories, a positive and speedy outcome is in store for that patient. A patient must have to will to live and immense motivation towards recovery in order to recover. Likewise, another indicator for a positive outcome for a patient is for the healthcare professional to know a patient’s complete medical and social histories. This will help the healthcare professional better understand who the patient is and where he or she is coming from. After all, the role that healthcare professionals play in determining quality care is to try to get to know the patient. If the patient feels comfortable, it will put them in a happier mood and on a more rapid track to recovery. References Barsukiewicz, C., Raffel, M., Raffel, N. (2002). The U.S. health system: Origins and functions. 5th ed.