Analysis Of Healthcare Consumer Experience : The Quality Of Health Care

Healthcare is in a constant state of change with movements that impact rates, access and quality of care. Hospitals have become more competitive due to the rising cost of care delivery and the reduction in reimbursement from payers. This causes difficulty in delivering quality care to all patients, which is being measured by mandated patient perception surveys, Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS). HCAHPS scores are part of value

By 2001 it was brutally apparent that the U.S. Health Care system was in dire need of a reform in regards to quality and patient safety. Following two separate reports issued by The Institute of Medicine (IOM), To Err is Human (1999) and Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health Care System for the 21st Century(2001) the U.S. Congress requested the IOM review quality processes across multiple government funded health care programs. And understandably, “these reports described America’s healthcare system as a tangled, highly fragmented web that often wastes resources by duplicating efforts, leaving unaccountable gaps in coverage, and failing to build on the strengths of all health professionals” (Brown J., p. I – 15, 2013). Thus, the Committee on the Quality of Health Care in America released 6 aims to address key dimensions that require improvement in our health care system. These aims propose that our system needs to strive to be more Safe, Effective, Patient-Centered, Timely, Efficient, and Equitable (STEEEP). All of which were created to help overhaul our current health care system and, more importantly, narrow the quality chasm.

It is shocking to know that every year 98000 patients die from medical errors that can be prevented(Kohn, L. T., Corrigan, J. M., & Donaldson, M. S. (Eds.), 2000). Medical errors are not a new issue in our healthcare system; these have been around for a long time. Hospitals have been trying to improve quality care and patients safety by implementing different strategies to prevent and reduce medical errors for past thirty years. Medical errors are the third leading cause of death after heart disease and cancer in America (Allen, 2013). In addition medical errors are costing our healthcare system an estimated $735 billion to $980 billion (Andel, Davidow, Hollander, & Moreno, 2012).

The surveys are meant to be specific and consistent and are not just used to evaluate the organizations for improvement but are also to educate in the best practice standards adopted throughout health care and to help staff in ways to continually improve an organizations performance. For this purpose, in 1996 the Quality Check website was launched to help the Joint Commission provide information regarding the performance of accredited organizations to consumers and organizations. Users are able to search for accredited or certified organizations; they can locate organizations by either type of service or geographical area and lists of certified organizations as well as a hospital’s performance measures can be obtained.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is a federal health reform legislation engineered to provide Americans with high quality, affordable cost and better access to health care [1]. To address these overarching aims, the ACA requires the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a National Strategy for Quality Improvement in Health Care, also known as the National Quality Strategy (NQS) [2]. The strategy sets three aims. First, to make health care more reliable,

Ransom, E. R., Joshi, M. S., Nash, D. B., & Ransom, S. B. (Eds.). (2008). The healthcare quality

There are several types of health agencies within the United States that share common goals and complete similar tasks. Most agencies works together to provide good quality of care and patient’s safety. In today’s society, every health care organization should provide a proof of accreditation and are subject to a three-year

Since the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), consumers are utilizing different resources to gain more knowledge about healthcare choices. While many consumers survey websites from healthcare organizations, they also viewed websites from quality agencies and medical information sites generated by their favorite search engine. These websites provide information on medical concerns that influence the choices that consumers make regarding healthcare. By using quality agency websites, consumers can acquire essential information on healthcare organizations and providers in order to make educated decisions about the quality care they receive.

When it comes to health care in the United States, the initial thought many people have are the many growing controversies concerning Obamacare, vaccinations, and making sure all Americans have access to affordable and quality health care. However, what many people fail to realize is a certain aspect in the medical community that, since the early 80’s with the infamous study by Berkman and Frankel, is increasing at such a tremendous rate that the Columbia Medical Review has referred to it as an “epidemic in the medical community.” The statistics regarding the number of individuals who die each year due to medical errors is rising; slowly becoming a major concern in the field. Doctors are busy individuals and at the end of the day still

falls short compared to other countries stating that our annual deaths due to medical errors are in the tens of thousands (Filson, Hollingsworth, Skolarus, Quentin-Clemens, & Hollenbeck, 2011). They view this lack of quality of care as depending on what provider you see and where. The United States compared to other countries is in last place when it comes to mortality rates and quality of care (Davis, K, et al, 2014). The authors go on to say that the millions of people who are uninsured and those who are considered to be under insured only add to the gap of quality because these individuals do not have access to basic health care and this also adds to the $130 billion spent on those folks who are not insured or that do not take advantage of preventative

Charles HaydenTatia Green, onlineMB208-ICD-1012/3/2015Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health CareIn 1979, a nonprofit organization was established to assist ambulatory health care organizations in improving the quality care provided to patients. This organization which some may know of is called Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, Inc. which: "Encourage and assist ambulatory health care organizations to provide the highest achievable level of care for recipients in the most efficient and economically sound manner. The AAAHC accomplishes this by the operation of a peer-based assessment, consultation, education and accreditation program." American College Health Association, Ambulatory Surgery Foundation, The American Group Practice Association, Group Health Association of America, Medical Group Management Association and the National Association of Community Health Centers are the six founding members of AAAHC. A few things that this association does are measure performance, provide consultation and education, review and revise standards. AAAHC accreditation means the organization participates in an ongoing self evaluation, peer review and education to continuously improve its care and services. Not only does this organization live up to its standards, but commits thorough onsite survey by AAAHC surveyors whom are also health care professionals. When surveying an organization, the AAAHC includes the following as listed: Patient RightsAre patients

Medical errors are avoidable mistakes in the health care. These errors can take place in any type of health care institution. Medical errors can happen during medical tests and diagnosis, administration of medications, during surgery, and even lab reports, such as the mixing of two patients’ blood samples. These errors are usually caused by the lack of communication between doctors, nurses and other staff. A medical error could cause a severe consequence to the patient in cases consisting of severe injuries or cause/effect any health conditions, and even death. According to recent studies medical errors are not the third leading cause of death in the United States. (Walerius. 2016)

Quality measures are strategies that gauge, evaluate or compute health care processes, results, discernments, patient insight, and administrative structure. In addition, quality measures are frameworks that are connected with the capacity to deliver first-class health care and/or that are able to identify with one or more quality objectives for medicinal services. These objectives include: compelling, protected, effective, quiet focused, impartial, and opportune consideration. Quality measures can be used to measure quality improvement, public reporting, and pay-for-reporting programs specific for health care providers (CMS.gov, 2016). There are an assortment of quality measures in which health care organizations can use to determine the status of the care they are delivering. Many are appropriate, but few are chosen for this research paper. Among them are: National Health Care Surveys, Hospital IQR Programs, Scorecards, and Political, Power, and Perception/Data for Decision-making tools.

In today's modern world with plenty of technology, it is hard to believe that we cannot figure out how to reduce Medical errors. The issue of medical error is not new in health care organizations. It has been in spot light since 1990's, when government did research on sudden increase in number of death in the hospitals. According to Lester, H., & Tritter, J. (2001), "Medical error is an actual or potential serious lapse in the standard of care provided to a patient, or harm caused to a patient through the performance of a health service or health care professional." Medical errors

Quality is one of the most essential elements of healthcare. As stated by the Agency of Health Research and Quality, “Everyday, millions of Americans receive high-quality health care that helps to maintain or restore their health and ability to function” (Agency of Health Research and Quality, 2014). Improvements have become vital to the success of health care organizations and in the Healthcare Quality Book, it is explained that quality in the U.S. healthcare system is not at the standard that it should be (Ransom, Joshi, Nash & Ransom, 2008). Although this has been a reoccurring issue, attempts to fix the insufficiency have been less successful than expected.