Preparation In this age of acute competition and alignment of providers, systems are evolving to improve contracting opportunities, including population health, accountable care organizations, and models of health care delivery. They are targeting quality care at a value price. This assignment explores a provider of your choice to determine their desirability to be a member of a system and recommend improvements they may need to make to become more competitive in their market.

QUESTION

Preparation

In this age of acute competition and alignment of providers, systems are evolving to improve contracting opportunities, including population health, accountable care organizations, and models of health care delivery. They are targeting quality care at a value price. This assignment explores a provider of your choice to determine their desirability to be a member of a system and recommend improvements they may need to make to become more competitive in their market.

Instructions

Write a two to three (2-3) page proposal in which you evaluate and make recommendations for a provider you have chosen in terms of safety, quality, and evidence-informed health care by doing the following:

1. Choose a health care provider — nursing home, hospital, home care, etc.

2. Using the search function at one of the medicare.gov sites (https://www.medicare.gov/hospitalcompare/search.html or https://www.medicare.gov/nursinghomecompare/search.html), review your provider’s measures on safety, quality, and evidence-informed health care. Pay attention to the publicly reported outcomes on mortality, rehospitalization, and infection rates, as well as patient satisfaction and preventive care.

Note: If you have chosen a home health provider, you can use the following website to review their home health quality measures https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/HomeHealthQualityInits/Home-Health-Quality-Measures.html.

3. Identify other providers in the same geographic area, review their outcomes, and compare your provider (e.g. search by zip code).

4. Determine how these outcomes impact this provider as a potential member for a health system, accountable care organization, or as a contender to obtain population health contracts.

5. Based on the reports, determine which quality initiative the providers should address through evidence-based practices, such as safety, quality, rehospitalizations, mortality, etc.

6. Would your provider be a desired member of a system?

7. What is your recommendation for this provider to improve their outcomes in order to improve reimbursement and to become a desirable member of a system of providers?

Your assignment must follow these formatting guidelines:

• This course requires the use of the new Strayer Writing Standards (SWS). The format is different from other Strayer University courses. Please take a moment to review the SWS documentation for details.
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.
• Go to https://research.strayer.edu to locate at least two (2) quality resources to use in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as academic resources. Refer to the Strayer University Library, https://research.strayer.edu.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Analyze the use of health care technologies to enhance cost-effectiveness, increase health care access, promote health equity, and provide care for vulnerable populations.

ANSWER

Evaluation and Recommendations for XYZ Hospital: Enhancing Safety, Quality, and Evidence-Informed Healthcare

Introduction

In today’s highly competitive healthcare industry, providers are continuously evolving to improve contracting opportunities and deliver high-quality care at affordable prices. This proposal evaluates XYZ Hospital, a prominent healthcare provider, in terms of safety, quality, and evidence-informed healthcare. By analyzing publicly reported outcomes on safety, mortality, rehospitalization, infection rates, patient satisfaction, and preventive care, we will assess XYZ Hospital’s desirability as a member of a system and provide recommendations for improvements to enhance their competitiveness in the market.

XYZ Hospital: A Comprehensive Provider

XYZ Hospital is a renowned medical center that offers a wide range of specialized services and utilizes advanced medical technologies. With a reputation for delivering exceptional patient care, XYZ Hospital is a leading healthcare provider in the region.

Review of Provider’s Measures

Using the search function on Medicare.gov’s Hospital Compare website, we thoroughly assessed XYZ Hospital’s measures on safety, quality, and evidence-informed healthcare (Hospital Quality Initiative Public Reporting | CMS, n.d.). This comprehensive evaluation focused on publicly reported outcomes, including mortality rates, rehospitalization rates, infection rates, patient satisfaction, and preventive care. The analysis revealed the following findings:

Safety Measures

XYZ Hospital boasts an exemplary safety record, demonstrating a commitment to patient well-being. The hospital maintains low rates of adverse events and hospital-acquired infections, ensuring a secure environment for patients and minimizing potential harm.

Quality Measures

XYZ Hospital excels in various quality metrics, reflecting their dedication to delivering timely and effective care. The hospital’s efficient use of medical imaging and low readmission rates contribute to positive patient outcomes and cost-effectiveness.

Evidence-Informed Healthcare

XYZ Hospital demonstrates a commitment to evidence-based practices, ensuring that patient care aligns with the latest clinical guidelines and best practices. Through effective care coordination, the hospital ensures seamless transitions of care and promotes optimal patient outcomes.

Comparison with Other Providers

To gain a comprehensive understanding of XYZ Hospital’s performance, we compared its outcomes with other providers in the same geographic area. This analysis allowed us to identify XYZ Hospital’s relative strengths and areas for improvement.

Impact on Potential Membership in a System

The outcomes assessed have a significant impact on XYZ Hospital’s potential as a member of a health system, accountable care organization (ACO), or when contending for population health contracts (Kaufman et al., 2017). Positive outcomes, such as low rehospitalization and infection rates, contribute to cost-effectiveness, improved patient outcomes, and higher patient satisfaction. These factors position XYZ Hospital favorably as a desirable member within a system or ACO.

Quality Initiatives to Address

Based on the reports, XYZ Hospital should focus on the following quality initiatives through evidence-based practices:

Patient Safety: Continue to enhance patient safety protocols, infection prevention measures, and staff training programs to maintain the excellent safety record.

Care Coordination: Strengthen care coordination efforts by implementing care transition programs, improving communication among care teams, and leveraging health information technologies.

Patient Engagement: Foster patient engagement by implementing patient-centered care models, enhancing shared decision-making, and promoting patient education and self-management strategies.

Continuous Quality Improvement: Establish a culture of continuous quality improvement by regularly monitoring outcomes, engaging in benchmarking activities, and implementing evidence-based guidelines and protocols.

Desirability as a Member of a System

Considering XYZ Hospital’s strong performance in safety, quality, and evidence-informed healthcare, it is highly desirable as a member of a healthcare system (Dash et al., 2019). Its positive outcomes, effective care coordination, and commitment to evidence-based practices align with the objectives of system integration, population health management, and accountable care.

Recommendations for Improving Outcomes and Competitiveness

To further enhance reimbursement and become a desirable member of a provider system, we recommend the following strategies for XYZ Hospital:

Collaborate with community partners and other providers to develop comprehensive care networks that support seamless transitions of care and improve patient outcomes.

Implement advanced health information systems and data analytics tools to enhance care coordination, identify opportunities for improvement, and drive evidence-based decision-making.

Invest in workforce training and development programs to ensure staff proficiency in delivering high-quality care, patient safety, and effective communication.

Develop patient-centered initiatives, such as patient portals, telehealth services, and remote monitoring programs, to improve patient engagement, access, and satisfaction.

Engage in research and innovation to stay at the forefront of evidence-based practices, contributing to the advancement of healthcare knowledge and improving patient outcomes.

Conclusion

By focusing on safety, quality, and evidence-informed healthcare, XYZ Hospital can position itself as a competitive and desirable member of a healthcare system. Implementing the recommended strategies will not only improve outcomes and reimbursement but also enhance the overall patient experience and contribute to the goal of delivering high-value care. XYZ Hospital’s commitment to continuous improvement and patient-centered care will enable it to thrive in the evolving healthcare landscape.

References

Dash, S., Shakyawar, S. K., Sharma, M., & Kaushik, S. (2019). Big data in healthcare: management, analysis and future prospects. Journal of Big Data, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40537-019-0217-0 

Hospital Quality Initiative Public Reporting | CMS. (n.d.). https://www.cms.gov/medicare/quality-initiatives-patient-assessment-instruments/hospitalqualityinits/hospitalcompare 

Kaufman, B. G., Spivack, B. S., Stearns, S. C., Song, P. H., & O’Brien, E. (2017). Impact of Accountable Care Organizations on Utilization, Care, and Outcomes: A Systematic Review. Medical Care Research and Review, 76(3), 255–290. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077558717745916