Summary: The Role Of Surveillance In Healthcare

Shaw, P. & Elliott, C. (2012). Quality and Performance Improvement in Healthcare. 5th Edition. (pgs. 156, 157, [VitalSource Bookshelf version]. Retrieved from

Overall Strength: in general, the article provides structure to a concept that is very intangible by: (a) describing the nature and the functions of control; (b) segregating the MCS into categories: core control system, organizational structure, and organizational culture; (c) illustrating how to apply the control model (satisfied my approach) (d) provides a basis for designing and evaluating the system. The manner, in which the model is presented, with its use of figures, further emphasizes the structure of the model. See below on further emphasis on parts (a) -(c).

Data collected provides the health care organization, providers, administrators and the patients with valuable information. Tools assist the organization by measuring the performance data that provide the information to improve the patient experience and improve their care. These tools engage the organization in self-evaluation on an ongoing basis. These tools also provide and effective method of containing costs and provides the means to meet the regulatory requirements to improve quality care. Tools allow organizations to provide a

A concept we learned about in Business Leadership that relates to the main point in this book is control systems. We looked at the importance of control in management and learned about various different systems. In this book, systems are shown to greatly help customer service. Systems are predetermined ways to get a specific result and still ensure consistency. Andrew, the plant manager said “Systems give you a floor, not a ceiling”. Thus, a system is the sort of thing you build on, a starting point. An external control measure, for example, involves

Amidst the futile clamor and commotion of national healthcare reform legislation debated on the national political stage, everyone in the medical industry from patients to doctors alike are searching for ways to effectively and efficiently trim the cost of delivering quality healthcare. While the inexcusable waste and graft of the insurance industry, runaway medical malpractice litigation and the importance of lifelong preventative care are all issues that have been thrust to the forefront of the political discourse, a tremendous leak in the system has escaped notice and continues to drain resources from both hospitals and those they treat. The threat of additional infections afflicting a patient who requires treatment for an original condition is prevalent throughout American hospitals, and according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services "Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs)" or "infections that patients acquire while receiving treatment for medical or surgical conditions "¦ occur in all settings of care, including hospital acute care units and same day surgical centers, ambulatory outpatient care clinics, and long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes and rehabilitation centers" (HHS Action Plan, 2011). Whether one attempts to gauge the overall price of healthcare-associated infections in terms of the financial expenditure, the human suffering or the diversion of valuable resources they impose on the healthcare system, it is quite clear that these

Second, legislative initiatives gained ground leading to case management being considered as a primary way of integrating services. Third, employers began creating case management programs for medical claims aimed at cost containment. Fourth, the rise of chronic illnesses as a leading health problem made the coordination of multiple systems of care a necessity. Finally, acute illness prevention efforts can be coordinated by case management providers (as cited in Corcoran & Roberts, 2015, p. 867).

Hospital acquired or nosocomial infections are defined as “infections acquired in hospitals or other healthcare facilities. To be classified with a nosocomial infection, the patient must have been admitted for reasons other than the infection. He or she must have shown no sign of active or incubating infection.” (Stubblefield, 2014) Due to the increased rate of preventable hospital acquired infections Medicaid has changed their policy on how to reimburse hospitals. In 2008, they “created a new rules denying hospital reimbursement for costs

Berger identifies five models case management in the hospital setting; primary care case management, medical case management, social case management, medical-social case management, benefit case management, and case management team. Slight differences separate the models, but they share commonalities. Of significance is sequencing activities for effectiveness and efficiency, facilitating high-quality care, and cost-effectiveness (as cited in Corcoran & Roberts, 2015, p. 869).

According to studies from both developed and limited-resource countries, the most important clinical consequences due to VAP have increased death rates, significant disease, increased the length of stay, and additional health care costs. Although hospitals in limited-resource countries do implement infection control programs, agreement with infection control practices is inconsistent. A multicenter, potential, before-after observation study was conducted using International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium Surveillance Online System. (V.D. Rosenthal et al/American Journal of Infection Control

Disease surveillance is not a new phenomenon that has just appeared over the last 15 years. Monitoring the spread of disease around the globe has been a challenge health practitioners for hundreds of years. However, the current state of disease surveillance system have become a critical necessity with the increasing threats from terrorists and our ability to easily travel and trade goods more freely around the world.

Active surveillance, according to Porche (2004) is a system that allows public health officials to conduct periodic field visits to health care institutions or laboratories to collect surveillance data; this type of surveillance is also referred to as active case findings. In addition, Nsubuga et. al, states that active surveillance provides the most accurate and timely information as well as a more complete estimate of disease frequency however, it is very expensive and labour intensive. Setting aside the cost factor active surveillance plays a crucial role in monitoring and reporting of diseases such as

Active surveillance testing screening of patients to detect colonization even if no evidence of infection because, when clinical culture results alone are used to identify MRSA carriers, more than half of all MRSA colonized patients remain unrecognized. The rationale for active surveillance testing is to identify all colonized patients so that additional precautions can be applied for example; contact precautions. Real-time or near-real-time sharing of hand hygiene data broken down by unit and by type of health care worker is a great way to ensure success in improving hand hygiene and to diminish certain types of hospital-acquired infections. Having the ability to compare the hand hygiene data of various teams within the same institution and

Public health surveillance can be both passive or active. In passive surveillance, there is a regular reporting of diseases by health care organizations, whereas in active surveillance, there is review of documentation/records; the health

Controlling is monitoring the performance of the organization, identifying deviations between planned and actual results, and taking corrective action when necessary. With all these four functions that are involved in the process of management, if all are followed correctly the organization will be properly ran and will have few complications.

Controls are measuring sticks to see if the desired goals are being met. Successful managers create parameters for their employees and implement controls within a criteria to confirm if the job is being done to standard. Case in point, I give quarterly performance counseling’s to each subordinate in my department on performance, being efficient at the job and using problem solving techniques. Controls to an extent border along the lines of micromanaging, but it can also be used to emphasize how well the subordinate is doing too. All quarterly counseling’s are not corrective in nature, but it is a great assessment tool for exceptional job performance as well. The usage of controls is part of my responsibility as a supervisor to ensure the goals are being achieved to standard.