Defining quality in health care
Quality in health care can be measured in many different ways. At JPS, we define quality as "being in partnership with customers, defining and meeting needs in order to achieve mutual goals."
Attributes of Quality Health Care Services
- Safe - avoiding injuries to patients from the care that is intended to help them.
- Effective - providing services based on scientific knowledge to all who could benefit and refraining from providing services to those not likely to benefit (avoiding underuse and overuse, respectively).
- Patient-centered - providing care that is respectful and responsive to individual patient preferences, needs and values and ensuring that patient values guide all clinical decisions
- Timely - reducing waits and sometimes harmful delays for both those who receive and those who give care. *
How can you judge quality?
There are many ways to judge quality, but most experts agree that some of the indicators of a quality health care organization are:
Accreditation by JCAHO - The Joint Commission (JCAHO) is an independent, not-for-profit organization, established more than 50 years ago. JCAHO is governed by a board that includes physicians, nurses, and consumers. JCAHO sets the standards by which health care quality is measured in America and around the world. JCAHO evaluates the quality and safety of care for more than 16,000 health care organizations. To maintain and earn accreditation, organizations must have an extensive on-site review by a team of JCAHO health care professionals, at least once every three years. The purpose of the review is to evaluate the organization's performance in areas that affect your care. JPS was first surveyed in 1959 and has been continuously accredited since then.
Teaching status - Teaching hospitals serve as research and training facilities that are more likely to have expert specialists and the latest technology and techniques. As mentors, experienced physicians and scientists must keep up to date with the latest medical knowledge to be able to train staff. Teaching hospitals are providers of primary care and routine patient services, as well as centers for experimental, innovative and technically sophisticated services. Many of the advances started in the research laboratories of medical schools are incorporated into patient care through clinical research programs at teaching hospitals. Additionally, teaching hospitals are special places that help the underserved and provide comprehensive and unique services for the general population.
JPS is a major teaching facility for medical education. JPS sponsors the largest graduate medical education (GME) program for Family Practice physicians in the U.S. along with specialty GME training programs in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Psychiatry, Orthopedic Surgery, Podiatry and a Transitional Residency program. JPS has cooperative agreements with the University of North Texas Health Science Center and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School to provide postdoctoral training in Internal Medicine, Otolaryngology, Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery, Ophthalmology, a Geriatric Fellowship and a Sports Medicine Fellowship. JPS provides postdoctoral training in General Surgery through an integrated agreement with Baylor University Medical Center.
Patient Satisfaction - Results of patient satisfaction surveys can provide valuable information about how people rate their health care experiences.
Go to the patient satisfaction page
Patient Safety - In 2002, JPS implemented a patient safety program called the Big Blue Button that allows staff to report a patient safety concern directly to the Patient Safety Officer. In addition, specific patient safety training was provided for staff through the Human Factors Training Institute" (HFTI). HFTI is the world leader in Human Factors safety training. This technology-based training is designed to provide staff with tools in the areas of threat and error management, decision making, communication, and leadership thereby helping reduce errors.
Outcomes - Although it is not possible to eliminate all risks of death and complications, especially for seriously ill patients, risks can be reduced by choosing a hospital with a lower mortality rate and/or a higher long-term survival or success rate. Risks generally will be higher for patients over age 65 who have other medical conditions such as diabetes, who are having a repeat coronary procedure, or who are undergoing multiple procedures. JPS uses the state of Texas risk-adjusted mortality rates by disease category to rate its performance in this area.
Quality Indicators - It is impossible to directly measure the quality of health care but indirect measurements can be used, and these ratings are called quality indicators. JPS uses a variety of indicators to monitor and improve the quality of care. Because JPS is a public tax supported institution, it monitors business and financial indicators in addition to the quality of care indicators.
undefinedQuality Indicators - It is impossible to directly measure the quality of health care but indirect measurements can be used, and these ratings are called quality indicators. JPS uses a variety of indicators to monitor and improve the quality of care. Because JPS is a public tax supported institution, it monitors business and financial indicators in addition to the quality of care indicators.