Research paper on methods of healthcare quality measurement Essay

Research paper on methods of healthcare quality measurement - Essay Example The following brief discussion will help the readers to understand the characteristics and aspects of these two measurement processes. Structural Quality Measurement Structural quality measurement generally comprises the resource characteristics in a healthcare system including groups of practitioners, individual practitioners, geographic location, accessibility of services, and systems of care. This structural quality measurement assesses the presumed capacity of practitioners (Donaldson, 1999). It helps to provide quality health care. The structural quality measurement helps the healthcare professional to assess specialty board certification, licensure and training structures. This measurement system helps to provide facility such private accreditation, safe physical attributes, government certification and effective procedures and policies. Process Quality Measurement The present quality of care literature is enriched with performance measurement discussion. It is one of the curre nt terminologies that are related to quality measurement. Process quality performance may include service, convenience, timeline and interpersonal aspects of care. This process quality performance measurement provides awareness and information to the patients. Moreover, it helps the patients to share their views and advice that can help in the decision making process. Example These two quality measurement methods are utilized in healthcare as important quality measurement tools. The following discussion will reveal the effectiveness of these two methods in the improvement of health care institution. Structural Quality Measurement in Healthcare The structural quality measurement method helps to assess nursing home care. It is evident that several complexities involved in the health care organization structure affect the quality of care. Due to the complexity, the health care institutions cannot follow the rules and regulations effectively (Penson & Wei, 2006). Therefore, in order to improve the organizational structure and level of care, several health care institutions implement the structural quality measurement process. A majority of patients in nursing homes used to file complaints against inadequate nursing care. The structural quality measurement helps the nurses or other health care staff to improve their skills and nursing care abilities. This process provides effective facility, training and staffing for the employees in a nursing home. Availability of patient care, nursing home workforce, and effective training programs needs careful review to judge the quality of care. Process Quality Measurement in Healthcare In nursing homes, several frequent problems include hazardous and uncertain environments, inadequate care plans and unsanitary food. In this kind of situation, process quality measurement methods are implemented in order to overcome the issues and improve the service and performance of healthcare. In terms of quality of the clinics, these measu rements generally focus on the management and diagnosis of the diseases. It also addresses preventive care such as disease screening (Brown & Remenyi, 2004). The results of these measurements are provided to the employees. It helps the employees to choose the health plans. A majority of healthcare systems provide consumer report cards. It helped the healthcare institutions to

Business Law - Ethical issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Business Law - Ethical issues - Essay Example International entrepreneur ship spans cultural boundaries and involves a variety of stakeholders, including the entrepreneur, investors and policy makers (Asel, 2003). "Social considerations must be given the same status as economic, financial and environmental concerns in a holistic approach. It is time for global thinking and local action. The implementation of the Core Labour Standards and the laws and regulations that give effect to them at national levels can be significantly enhanced if the capacities of national labour inspectorates are built up and strengthened. Labour inspectors have a crucial role to play because they are the only ones with the authority to directly access and impose changes in the workplace."(Albracht, 2005) The increased working hours pose several external costs to the employees and employers both. They give rise to different health problems such as heart problems, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal disorders, psychological wellbeing and circadian disruption. The resulting increase in sick leave makes the organisation bear the cost of the illness of employee. The external cost effect thus transfers to society in shape of increasing tax burden on taxpayers and on Government for the provision of more social care facilities (Dawson, McCulloch and Baker, 2001). But in order to compete internationally it is important to increase the working hours. As stated by Berry (2005) "Europe's productivity is lagging behind the US and Asia because inflexible labour laws are preventing companies restructuring and investing in new technologies, a report shows. A DTI-sponsored study, published to coincide with the UK's presidency of the EU, criticises member countries, particularly France, Germany, Spain and Italy, for not having the courage to reform labour laws. EU heads of state agreed a 10-year programme in 2000 to increase investment and make the EU "the most dynamic and competitive knowledge-based economy in the world". However, the DTI report said little progress has been made in achieving this goal. Companies in Europe have to pursue a policy of "creative destruction" to change the way they do business and learn from the "hire and fire" culture of the US to compete globally, the report said. At a conference key European players from business and government discussed the challenge of the future of information and communication technologies (ICT) policy. Viviane Reding, EU commissioner for information society and media, said many workers were concerned about their jobs and the EU would only strengthen economic growth by investing in ICT and abolishing "superfluous regulation" Although the hire and fire culture seems an easy way of achieving economic goals but the change in the policies regarding the employment can