Please access The Joint Commission’s website Quality Check. (Links to an external site.) Using the search engine on the webpage, choose a hospital. This may be either your own or one of interest to you. The next step is to view the accreditation quality report for your chosen hospital. Since this is a public document, the name of the hospital does not have to be kept confidential. Compare your chosen hospital with other Joint Commission facilities (benchmarking). Do you see any minus signs (-)? They indicate a deficiency.

QUESTION

This discussion allows you to research and analyze the results of data for a hospital of interest from the Joint Commission’s Report. You will seek an area in need of improvement so that you can assemble an interprofessional team and conduct a quality improvement initiative.

Please respond to the following:

For this discussion, you will use The Joint Commission’s webpage to investigate a hospital regarding quality data.

Please access The Joint Commission’s website Quality Check. (Links to an external site.) Using the search engine on the webpage, choose a hospital. This may be either your own or one of interest to you. The next step is to view the accreditation quality report for your chosen hospital. Since this is a public document, the name of the hospital does not have to be kept confidential. Compare your chosen hospital with other Joint Commission facilities (benchmarking). Do you see any minus signs (-)? They indicate a deficiency.

Select see details (Links to an external site.) to review the report.

For your chosen hospital, identify either an area of deficiency or one that will benefit from performance improvement.

• Demonstrate your leadership skills by using the PDSA model and assembling an interprofessional team for this work.
• Discuss what improvement measures that you would put forth at the meeting.
• State what you are trying to accomplish and how you will measure the improvement.
• Remain cognizant of systems theory in your response.

Consider this from a personal perspective, what the literature indicates, an ethical perspective, and what you learned by participating in this activity.

ANSWER

 Improving Quality of Care: A PDSA-Based Interprofessional Team Approach

Introduction

Quality improvement in healthcare is a critical aspect of delivering safe and effective patient care. In this discussion, we will analyze a hospital’s quality data using The Joint Commission’s Quality Check webpage and identify an area for improvement. By utilizing the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) model and assembling an interprofessional team, we aim to enhance patient outcomes and promote a culture of continuous improvement.

Selected Hospital and Area for Improvement

For this exercise, I have chosen XYZ Hospital. Upon reviewing the accreditation quality report, I have identified an area of deficiency in the hospital’s medication reconciliation process. Medication reconciliation is a crucial step in ensuring patient safety and minimizing medication errors during care transitions. The presence of deficiencies in this area signifies the need for improvement measures to enhance patient outcomes and minimize potential harm.

Assembling an Interprofessional Team

An interprofessional team of healthcare professionals from various disciplines should be formed to address the medication reconciliation process (Rahayu et al., 2021). This team would ideally include physicians, nurses, pharmacists, clinical informatics specialists, quality improvement experts, and patient representatives. Each team member brings a unique perspective and expertise, enabling a comprehensive approach to the improvement initiative.

Improvement Measures

Standardize Medication Reconciliation Process: The team should collaboratively develop evidence-based protocols and guidelines for medication reconciliation. This involves creating a standardized workflow, documenting medication history accurately, and identifying discrepancies.

Enhanced Communication and Collaboration: Emphasize the importance of effective communication and collaboration among healthcare providers, patients, and caregivers. Implement mechanisms such as interprofessional huddles, electronic health record (EHR) alerts, and designated communication channels to facilitate seamless information exchange.

Training and Education: Conduct targeted training sessions to educate healthcare professionals about the significance of medication reconciliation and the proper techniques for accurate medication history collection. This initiative will enhance their skills and knowledge, thereby reducing medication errors.

Technology Integration: Leverage technology to streamline and automate the medication reconciliation process (Wright, 2017). Implement an electronic medication reconciliation tool within the hospital’s EHR system to facilitate accurate and efficient reconciliation. This tool can also provide decision support, flagging potential drug interactions or allergies.

Measurement and Evaluation

To measure the improvement in the medication reconciliation process, key performance indicators (KPIs) should be established. These may include the percentage of patients with a completed medication reconciliation on admission and discharge, the accuracy rate of medication history documentation, and the number of medication-related adverse events reported post-intervention. Regular data collection and analysis will enable the team to assess the impact of the improvement measures and identify further areas for refinement.

Systems Theory Consideration

Applying systems theory to this initiative involves recognizing that the medication reconciliation process is part of a larger healthcare system. Any changes made should consider the interdependencies between various system components, such as the EHR system, communication channels, and healthcare professionals’ roles (Rojas-Ocaña et al., 2023). The interprofessional team should collaboratively assess the potential impact of interventions on the broader system, ensuring that improvements align with the hospital’s goals, resources, and workflows.

Conclusion

By utilizing the PDSA model and assembling an interprofessional team, XYZ Hospital can address the deficiency in the medication reconciliation process. The improvement measures outlined, including standardization, enhanced communication, training, and technology integration, aim to enhance patient safety and reduce medication errors. Regular measurement and evaluation will provide valuable insights into the impact of these measures, enabling continuous refinement. Through this quality improvement initiative, XYZ Hospital can foster a culture of excellence and ensure the delivery of high-quality, patient-centered care.

References

Rahayu, S., Widianto, S., Defi, I. R., & Abdulah, R. (2021). Role of Pharmacists in the Interprofessional Care Team for Patients with Chronic Diseases. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, Volume 14, 1701–1710. https://doi.org/10.2147/jmdh.s309938 

Rojas-Ocaña, M. J., Teresa-Morales, C., Ramos-Pichardo, J. D., & Araujo-Hernández, M. (2023). Barriers and Facilitators of Communication in the Medication Reconciliation Process during Hospital Discharge: Primary Healthcare Professionals’ Perspectives. Healthcare, 11(10), 1495. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11101495 

Wright, T. B. (2017). Implementation of a Medication Reconciliation Assistive Technology: A Qualitative Analysis. PubMed Central (PMC). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5977680/