Does Hospital Investment in Quality Improvement Improve Quality? Evidence from a Panel Study of Florida Hospitals

Author(s):  
Richard B. Smith ◽  
Linda Dynan
2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 44
Author(s):  
Rony Trizudha ◽  
Sri Rahayuningsih ◽  
Ana Komari

As technology advances at this time, players in business are aware of the importance of product quality in the increasingly fierce competition in the industrial world due to the emergence of many similar companies. Therefore, companies must be able to compete to meet customer desires and try to retain customers. To maintain customers and their marketing areas, companies must have high competitiveness in order to survive by prioritizing quality improvement, increasing efficiency and increasing productivity to improve quality because by increasing quality, products can be accepted among consumers so that company goals can be fulfilled. Therefore, the company must carry out effective quality control which will result in high productivity, lower overall cost of making goods and the factors that cause production failure to be minimized. To improve quality, use the six sigma method, DMAIC and seven tools so that it can be known the cause of the damage and what actions are taken so that there needs to be a controversy to stabilize the processes of the production process so that we can know what percentage of damage and what factors cause damage, therefore there must be measurements and recommendations for improvement and control to reduce the causes From the analysis, it was found that the dent cup was 20.36%, the lid was 21.36% less dense, the lid was damaged in the finished product 18.72%, the cup was 19.28% less thick, the packaging was flexible 20.55%Seiring kemajuan teknologi pada saat ini pelaku di bisnis menyadari akan pentingnya kualitas produk dalam persaingan dunia industri yang semakin ketat karena banyak bermunculan perusahaan-perusahaan sejenis. Oleh sebab itu perusahaan harus dapat bersaing untuk memenuhi keinginan  pelanggan dan berusaha dapat mempertahankan pelanggan. Untuk mempertahankan pelangan dan wilayah pemasaranya perusahaan-perusahaan harus mempunyai daya saing yang tinggi untuk dapat bertahan dengan mengutamakan peningkatan mutu, peningkatan efisiensi dan peningkatan produktivitas untuk meningkatkan kualitas karena dengan peningkatan kualitas, produk dapat diterima di kalangan konsumen sehingga tujuan perusahaan dapat terpenuhi. Maka dari itu perusahaan harus melakukan pengendalian kualitas yang efektif akan menghasilkan produktivitas yang tinggi, biaya pembuatan barang keseluruhan yang lebih  rendah serta  faktor-faktor yang menyebabkan kegagalan produksi akan dapat ditekan sekecil mungkin. Untuk meningkatkan kualitas mengunakan metode six sigma, DMAIC dan seven tools agar dapat diketahui penyebab  kerusakan  dan  tindakan  apa  saja  yang dilakukan sehingga perlu ada kontror untuk menstabilkan  peoses proses produksi sehinga dapat di ketahui berapa persen  kerusakan dan faktor-faktor apa saja yang menyebabkan  kerusakan maka dari itu harus ada pengukuran dan  rekomendasi perbaikan serta melakukan kontrol untuk mengurangi penyebab kerusakan. Dari hasil analisis  di ketahui cup  penyok 20,36%, lid kurang  rapat  21,36%, lid  rusak  pada produk jadi 18,72%,cup kurang tebal 19,28 %kemasan lentur 20,55%


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nataliya Brima ◽  
Nick Sevdalis ◽  
K. Daoh ◽  
B. Deen ◽  
T. B. Kamara ◽  
...  

Abstract Background There is an urgent need to improve quality of care to reduce avoidable mortality and morbidity from surgical diseases in low- and middle-income countries. Currently, there is a lack of knowledge about how evidence-based health system strengthening interventions can be implemented effectively to improve quality of care in these settings. To address this gap, we have developed a multifaceted quality improvement intervention to improve nursing documentation in a low-income country hospital setting. The aim of this pilot project is to test the intervention within the surgical department of a national referral hospital in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Methods This project was co-developed and co-designed by in-country stakeholders and UK-based researchers, after a multiple-methodology assessment of needs (qualitative, quantitative), guided by a participatory ‘Theory of Change’ process. It has a mixed-method, quasi-experimental evaluation design underpinned by implementation and improvement science theoretical approaches. It consists of three distinct phases—(1) pre-implementation(project set up and review of hospital relevant policies and forms), (2) intervention implementation (awareness drive, training package, audit and feedback), and (3) evaluation of (a) the feasibility of delivering the intervention and capturing implementation and process outcomes, (b) the impact of implementation strategies on the adoption, integration, and uptake of the intervention using implementation outcomes, (c) the intervention’s effectiveness For improving nursing in this pilot setting. Discussion We seek to test whether it is possible to deliver and assess a set of theory-driven interventions to improve the quality of nursing documentation using quality improvement and implementation science methods and frameworks in a single facility in Sierra Leone. The results of this study will inform the design of a large-scale effectiveness-implementation study for improving nursing documentation practices for patients throughout hospitals in Sierra Leone. Trial registration Protocol version number 6, date: 24.12.2020, recruitment is planned to begin: January 2021, recruitment will be completed: December 2021.


2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 341-348 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naasson Gafirimbi ◽  
Rex Wong ◽  
Eva Adomako ◽  
Jeanne Kagwiza

Purpose Improving healthcare quality has become a worldwide effort. Strategic problem solving (SPS) is one approach to improve quality in healthcare settings. This case study aims to illustrate the process of applying the SPS approach in implementing a quality improvement project in a referral hospital. Design/methodology/approach A project team was formed to reduce the hospital-acquired infection (HAI) rate in the neonatology unit. A new injection policy was implemented according to the root cause identified. Findings The HAI rate decreased from 6.4 per cent pre-intervention to 4.2 per cent post-intervention. The compliance of performing the aseptic injection technique significantly improved by 60 per cent. Practical implications This case study illustrated the detailed application of the SPS approach in establishing a quality improvement project to address HAI and injection technique compliance, cost-effectively. Other departments or hospitals can apply the same approach to improve quality of care. Originality/value This study helps inform other hospitals in similar settings, the steps to create a quality improvement project using the SPS approach.


2021 ◽  
pp. bmjqs-2021-013110
Author(s):  
Sanjay Mahant ◽  
Jun Guan ◽  
Jessie Zhang ◽  
Sima Gandhi ◽  
Evan Jon Propst ◽  
...  

BackgroundTonsillectomy is among the most common and cumulatively expensive surgical procedures in children, with known variations in quality of care. However, evidence on health system interventions to improve quality of care is limited. The Quality-Based Procedures (QBP) programme in Ontario, Canada, introduced fixed episode hospital payment per tonsillectomy and disseminated a perioperative care pathway. We determined the association of this payment and quality improvement programme with tonsillectomy quality of care.MethodsInterrupted time series analysis of children undergoing elective tonsillectomy at community and children’s hospitals in Ontario in the QBP period (1 April 2014 to 31 December 2018) and the pre-QBP period (1 January 2009 to 31 January 2014) using health administrative data. We compared the age-standardised and sex-standardised rates for all-cause tonsillectomy-related revisits within 30 days, opioid prescription fills within 30 days and index tonsillectomy inpatient admission.Results111 411 children underwent tonsillectomy: 51 967 in the QBP period and 59 444 in the pre-QBP period (annual median number of hospitals, 86 (range 77–93)). Following QBP programme implementation, revisit rates decreased for all-cause tonsillectomy-related revisits (0.48 to −0.18 revisits per 1000 tonsillectomies per month; difference −0.66 revisits per 1000 tonsillectomies per month (95% CI −0.97 to −0.34); p<0.0001). Codeine prescription fill rate continued to decrease but at a slower rate (−4.81 to −0.11 prescriptions per 1000 tonsillectomies per month; difference 4.69 (95% CI 3.60 to 5.79) prescriptions per 1000 tonsillectomies per month; p<0.0001). The index tonsillectomy inpatient admission rate decreased (1.12 to 0.23 admissions per 1000 tonsillectomies per month; difference −0.89 (95% CI −1.33 to −0.44) admissions per 1000 tonsillectomies per month; p<0.0001).ConclusionsThe payment and quality improvement programme was associated with several improvements in quality of care. These findings may inform jurisdictions planning health system interventions to improve quality of care for tonsillectomy and other paediatric procedures.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa M Damush ◽  
Lauren S. Penney ◽  
Edward J. Miech ◽  
Nicholas A. Rattray ◽  
Sean A. Baird ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: The Protocol-guided Rapid Evaluation of Veterans Experiencing New Transient Neurologic Symptoms (PREVENT) program was a complex quality improvement (QI) intervention targeting transient ischemic attack (TIA) evidence-based care. The aim of this study was to evaluate program acceptability among the QI teams and factors associated with degrees of acceptability.Methods: QI teams from six Veterans Administration facilities participated in active implementation for a one-year period. We employed mixed methods to evaluate program acceptability. Multiple data sources were collected over implementation phases and triangulated for this evaluation. First, we conducted 30 onsite, semi-structured interviews during active implementation with 35 participants at 6 months; 27 interviews with 28 participants at 12 months; and 19 participants during program sustainment. Second, we collected participant automated response survey data during the team kick-off meeting. Third, we conducted debriefing meetings after onsite visits and monthly virtual collaborative calls. All interviews and debriefings were audiotaped, transcribed, and de-identified. De-identified files were qualitatively coded and analyzed for common themes and acceptability patterns. We conducted mixed-methods matrix analyses comparing acceptability by satisfaction ratings and by the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability (TFA). Results: Overall, the QI teams reported the PREVENT program was acceptable. At pre-implementation phase, reviewing quality data, team brainstorming solutions and development of action plans were rated as most useful during the team kickoff meetings. Program acceptability perceptions varied over time across active implementation and after teams accomplished actions plans and moved into sustainment. We observed team acceptability growth over a year of active implementation in concert with the QI team’s self-efficacy to improve quality of care. Guided by the TFA, the QI teams’ acceptability was represented by the respective seven components of the multifaceted acceptability construct.Conclusions: Program acceptability varied by time, by champion role on QI team, by team self-efficacy, and by perceived effectiveness to improve quality of care aligned with the TFA. A complex quality improvement program that fostered flexibility in local adaptation and supported users with access to data, resources, and implementation strategies was deemed acceptable and appropriate by front-line clinicians implementing practice changes in a large, national healthcare organization.Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02769338


2012 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 147-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nabil Elias

ABSTRACT Studying the impact of mandatory IFRS adoption on accounting quality in Australia provides a point of reference for comparison to other IFRS-adopting countries. It could also guide the process of transition for countries considering IFRS adoption. Similar to previous research, Chua et al. (2012) use earnings management, early loss recognition, and value relevance to surrogate accounting quality. The study concludes that there is accounting quality improvement as a result of less earnings management, early loss recognition, and increased value relevance. Although the reasons for the results are unexplored, this conclusion, similar to other prior research, is based on disputable interpretations that greater conservatism and lower earnings management reflect higher accounting quality.


2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Catherine Buttigieg ◽  
Prasanta Kumar Dey ◽  
Mary Rose Cassar

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop an integrated patient-focused analytical framework to improve quality of care in accident and emergency (A & E) unit of a Maltese hospital. Design/methodology/approach – The study adopts a case study approach. First, a thorough literature review has been undertaken to study the various methods of healthcare quality management. Second, a healthcare quality management framework is developed using combined quality function deployment (QFD) and logical framework approach (LFA). Third, the proposed framework is applied to a Maltese hospital to demonstrate its effectiveness. The proposed framework has six steps, commencing with identifying patients’ requirements and concluding with implementing improvement projects. All the steps have been undertaken with the involvement of the concerned stakeholders in the A & E unit of the hospital. Findings – The major and related problems being faced by the hospital under study were overcrowding at A & E and shortage of beds, respectively. The combined framework ensures better A & E services and patient flow. QFD identifies and analyses the issues and challenges of A & E and LFA helps develop project plans for healthcare quality improvement. The important outcomes of implementing the proposed quality improvement programme are fewer hospital admissions, faster patient flow, expert triage and shorter waiting times at the A & E unit. Increased emergency consultant cover and faster first significant medical encounter were required to start addressing the problems effectively. Overall, the combined QFD and LFA method is effective to address quality of care in A & E unit. Practical/implications – The proposed framework can be easily integrated within any healthcare unit, as well as within entire healthcare systems, due to its flexible and user-friendly approach. It could be part of Six Sigma and other quality initiatives. Originality/value – Although QFD has been extensively deployed in healthcare setup to improve quality of care, very little has been researched on combining QFD and LFA in order to identify issues, prioritise them, derive improvement measures and implement improvement projects. Additionally, there is no research on QFD application in A & E. This paper bridges these gaps. Moreover, very little has been written on the Maltese health care system. Therefore, this study contributes demonstration of quality of emergency care in Malta.


1970 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kasaw Adane ◽  
Mekonnen Girma ◽  
Teshiwal Deress

BACKGROUND: Assessing quality by considering input, process and output level quality variables is important to ensure improved quality services. Designing and execution of an effective quality management system are aimed for the purpose of quality improvement, error reduction and associated risks. Therefore, this review is designed to assess the value of accreditation on the performance of healthcare institutions in ensuring quality improvement interventions. Moreover, this review presents important concepts of accreditation and the aspects of quality.METHODS: Published articles were downloaded using EndNote® application software program from PubMed (NML) database, Web of Sciences (TS) and Google Scholar. From a total of 883 downloaded full-text published materials, only 28 journals and 1 report issued from 2010 to 2017 were used for the development of this review.RESULT: The overall quality of healthcare services in developing countries was error-prone and suffered from limitations. These could be associated with wrong interventions and increased risks. Accreditation schemes have been implemented to provide quality care and ensure safety.CONCLUSION: Evaluation feedback induces interventions aimed at quality improvement and ensures better management systems, good process design, wise resource utilization, meeting patients’ need and increased satisfaction. Hence, stakeholders must be engaged in the provision of improve quality patient care and reduce associated risks. Hence, giving special quality improvement attention helps to improve quality healthcare services.


2021 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
pp. 189-196
Author(s):  
Nandini Vallath ◽  
Michelle De Natale ◽  
Karl A Lorenz ◽  
Sushma Bhatnagar ◽  
Jake Mickelsen

Quality is central to healthcare and even more so in the field of palliative care. Palliative care approach is centered around discovering facets of care crucial to improving the quality of life of the patient; be it symptom control, emotional concerns, impact on social roles or reviving the sense of spiritual connectedness. Although there are essential and desirable standards for quality of services, the journey taken by a service, toward quality improvement (QI), is often complex and uncharted. It is up to individual service units to strive toward improvement and reach higher levels of quality. Evidence suggests using a structured methodology for successful improvement in healthcare quality, as most problems are complex and multifaceted. This article introduces the concept and application of QI methodology in the field of palliative care in India and provides an overview of the first cohort of QI projects, facilitated through an international collaborative. The sequence of training, the tools, and the key ingredients for success are enumerated.


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