Healthcare benchmarks最新文献

The computerization of patient records is viewed not only as a factor in making real-time patient care easier, but also as an aid in measuring quality performance. In the eyes of some, the computerization of patient records, ultimately leading to the establishment of the electronic health record (EHR) as industry standard, has the potential of dramatically improving the delivery of health care services. Taking the steps toward the EHR can require a great commitment of resources on the part of the health care enterprise.

California became the first state to require all patient care units in hospitals to meet fixed minimum nurse-to-patient ratios. In a hospital environment where patients are sicker, and care is more complex, according to American Nurses Association (ANA) president Beverly L. Malone, "Cutting the numbers of RNs and substituting unlicensed aides for registered nurses are exactly the wrong moves." ANA's "Principles of Nurse Staffing" call for staffing decisions to be made on the basis of three sets of principles: those related to patient care, staff-related issues, and institution/organization concerns. The California legislation currently contains no specific numerical requirements. ANA's 10 Nursing-Sensitive Quality Indicators for Acute Care Settings is comprised of a series of measures that represent the nursing community's current conception of how nurse staffing levels impact patient care.

The adult day services (ADS) center is an approach to the treatment of adults whose ability to live independently is threatened or impaired. In practice, it can be referred to by many names, including adult day support centers, adult day health care, medical day care, day treatment, and Alzheimer's day care programs. As a model of care, the ADS concept has taken on many different "flavors" as far as the mix of services it offers in response to community-level needs, which is not an altogether good thing. An assessment tool that will enable performance measurement and help establish bench-marks for ADS centers is now being field-tested.

The notion persists that quality improvement efforts cause more contention than cooperation between health care plans/payers and physicians. Some plans are overcoming this by investing a variety of resources in physician quality improvement projects--and involving physicians from the start. Aetna U.S. Healthcare Research takes a collaborative approach to physician quality improvement. Detroit's Health Alliance Plan has awarded +3.9 million in grants to fund physician quality improvement projects--as drawn up by its physician groups.

Diabetes mellitus currently affects some 16 million Americans, and more than 150,000 people die from diabetes and its complications each year. Studies show that many, if not all, of the complications of diabetes can be slowed or even prevented by better management on the part of the health care team and the patient. A 17-month study by Roche Diagnostics and Sierra Health Services examined the impact of expediting the availability of patient and treatment-option information on patient outcomes.

Key points Heart attacks kill nearly 600,000 Americans annually. The early signs of a heart attack are often ignored--with potentially disastrous results. A chest pain center (CPC) provides readily accessible facilities for the immediate medical evaluation of chest pain. The hallmark of a CPC is its emphasis on streamlined procedures that triage patients into one of five clinical pathways, or tracks. CPCs are increasingly being recognized as cost- and mission-effective.