Malaysia has seen extraordinary economic growth for the past 20 years, but its healthcare sector is still developing. The mushrooming public and private institutions leave much room for improvement, from infrastructure and facilities to the quality of services.
Ameliorating healthcare quality is contemplated on both a macro and micro level. It doesn’t always have to be a complete systemic change; individual doctors can practice many things for their patients.
For anyone in the healthcare industry, inaugurating greater transparency is an excellent first step. Medical practitioners should also use patient-centred electronic health records (EHRs) to boost accessibility for providers and patients alike. After all, primary care providers are in the best position to impact the heart of healthcare quality.
The following tips may assist you in your efforts surrounding better patient outcomes and safety, efficiency, coordination and so on.
1. Analyse Data and Patient Outcomes
Noteworthy management consultant Peter Drucker once said, “If you cannot measure it, you cannot manage it.” Before beginning your quest for improvement, you must first analyse your data to identify the current opportunities. For instance, patient population, organisational operations or what have you.
Then, start establishing baseline outcomes. Electronic health records (EHRs) were meant to enable more patient-centric care, but most practices emphasise better billing and increasing revenue. While this is understandable, improving quality healthcare requires otherwise.
Relocate the rigorousness of tracking billing to tracking patient wellness instead. Examine trends and statistics from EHRs, outcome studies and other data sources to pinpoint critical areas needing improvement.
2. Set Pragmatic Goals
Once you have a comprehensive understanding of your data, it’s time to set concrete goals that are executable. Try to be as precise and quantitative as possible. There are many health organisations with customary quality and consistency measures that you can sample during this stage.
In short, healthcare should be: safe, effective, patient-centred, timely, efficient and equitable. Your organisation must also commit to ongoing evaluation as boosting healthcare quality is an evolving process.
3. Gather a Balanced Team
A balanced team is an effective team. Ensure that yours comprises members from different backgrounds with diverse skills and experience levels. Of course, a senior leader must oversee, advise and advocate for the team, making informed clinical decisions. There should also be a project manager who can keep the team on track and perform daily tasks successfully.
4. Focus on Patient Engagement
Doctors are powerfully positioned to engage patients to be proactive healthcare consumers. However, patient engagement doesn’t stop with them. Providers can devise more holistic ways to encourage communication between families, insurance providers, social services, etc.
The improved connection between all parties involved will undoubtedly benefit the patient’s entire healthcare journey.
5. Research and Collaborate with Other Organisations
What better way to improve than learning from other flourishing organisations? Regular research on those that excel in particular areas can aid you in your quest. Read the literature, research online, attend conferences and reach out to them. You can implement specific changes at your own practice or even partner with these organisations to enhance patient outcomes.
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