Patient outcomes are achieved by improving the quality of care, operational efficiency, and patient satisfaction. But what exactly are patient outcomes and what are health outcomes measurements? In this article, we discuss both and the impact for medical practices handling chronic diseases, including coronary artery disease and more. Improved patient outcomes are the end result of quality assurance, operational efficiency, and patient satisfaction. Learn how each enhances clinical outcomes for patients.
Quality Assurance
Healthcare professionals and care teams should always aim to provide better patient outcome meaning good quality patient care; this is especially important for managing chronic disease. Improving health outcomes is firstly achieved by ensuring the patient has timely access to care, positive patient outcomes, no readmissions, etc. These represent how healthcare systems track the quality of care and enhance clinical outcomes in any medical practice.
To measure good or improved quality of care, medical professionals look at the following:
- Patient safety: Were preventable injuries and medical mistakes avoided during health administration?
- Readmissions: Did the medical professionals and care teams follow the best practices of the hospital to help ensure the patient does not have to be readmitted following surgery?
- Effectiveness: Did the medical professionals and care teams use scientific knowledge and evidence-based practices to achieve desired and better outcomes?
- Equity: Was the patient given consistent care regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, geographical location, or socioeconomic status?
Operational Efficiency
Any healthcare provider should have operational systems that aim to provide quality measures to improve patient outcomes in all aspects of patient care. Unfortunately, these operational systems dictate poor or positive patient outcomes daily.
The World Health Organization (WHO) includes efficiency on the list of factors in providing adequate health care. The WHO calls for available care but recommends using the resources of the hospital or health care providers wisely and avoiding waste. Expensive tests are not ordered unless truly needed. Clinical outcomes are met given the available resources and personnel on site; otherwise, the patient will be recommended to another hospital; This helps with the end goal of improving patient and health system outcomes through clinical data.
Patient Satisfaction
Naturally, patient satisfaction is a key component of positive patient outcomes and patient outcomes solution. Healthcare providers rely on the level of patient satisfaction of every patient and how they relay their experience with family, friends, online, or other public platforms. In the healthcare industry, it is essential to have patient satisfaction surveys to get firsthand feedback on the care and treatment provided. Good or bad feedback affects every healthcare provider.
Patient satisfaction not only depends on successful clinical outcomes or the patient-centered care that was administered. They can also be critical of the health systems that affect patient safety, the discharge process from a hospital, the questionnaire on their medical history, diagnostic procedures, clinical monitoring, any medical errors or incorrect treatment, the process in the emergency department, and many others that affect patient outcomes. The well-being of every patient is undoubtedly a priority for every medical professional to improve patient outcomes.
Using technology such as Electronic Health Records (EHRs) to analyze patient data with healthcare research is one effective way to improve patient outcomes, including those with chronic diseases. EHRs utilize software to collect and store patient information, keeping the standard clinical data of every patient’s medical history, diagnosis, medications, and treatment plans. They make tools accessible to healthcare professionals, helping them make decisions about a patient’s primary care.
Measuring health outcomes allows medical professionals and healthcare providers to decide how to best care for patients and ways to improve patient outcomes. In addition, the patient reported outcome measures help predict the patients who might benefit from a particular intervention. Lastly, it helps to identify any improvement in patient care after an intervention is provided.
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