Family Care Center is a hospital that provides clinical health care to both adult and children in psychiatry. Family Care Center started giving health care services since 1990 before it was acquired by UK health care in 2009. The facility is known for its good clinical care offered to residence of Lexington and is currently satellite of Polk-Dalton Clinic. Family Care is known for its triple-board residence program provided by resident physicians. The overall role of Family Care Center is providing of general care to adult and child psychiatry. Family Care Center is among the listed by Care Quality Commission (CQC) health care service providers in England according www.cqc.org.uk/providers . It is equally important to asses and analyzes the quality of health care service provided by Family Care Center.
Health care is essential for human life and health care quality therefore should be give high priority within the Family Care facility. Basic health care refers to the ability of health care facility to offer client the necessary health care services. Quality can be defined in many terms, for instance, United States Institute of Medicine (2001) define quality health as safe, timely, patient-centered, efficient, effective and equitable health care. Quality health care services on the other hand represent improved health care services given to clients for various health needs. Health care service operation management in this sense plays an important role in assessing health care quality. Health care quality assessment process can be conducted through engagement with key stakeholders, national and international literature and analysis of health care available indicators (Cantiello, Kitsantas, Moncada & Abdul 2016, pp 2).
It is important to assess the quality of health care services provide to client in Family care facilities across United Kingdom. Some of the key stakeholders that are also clients in the health care facility are patients, health care consultants, health care practitioners and health care management. Firstly, patients are the key participants in the health care services provision. Getting feedback from patients on the quality of services they receive is critical for quality management. Secondly, health care consultant professionals have the necessary information to improve quality of health care services in Family Care facility. Thirdly, health care practitioners are aware of the kind of services that are available in the care facility. In addition, health care professionals have the information on the state of health care facilities that gives good quality assessment results. Finally, the general public also has information at their disposal on quality of care available the health care facilities (Apekey, McSorley, Tilling & Siriwardena 2011, pp 311-318).
There are several literature materials that provide indicators of quality health care service. There are many researches that were conducted to assess quality of health care services. For instance, at the national level quality management agencies has conducted numerous research on quality of health care services with United Kingdom. Dixon et al (2015), for example presents Indicators of quality of care in general practices in England, US Institute of Medicine also presents many literature materials that can be used to assess quality of health care in United States care facility. In addition, there are also health consultant websites, quality assurance websites and different health care data available that show quality of health care being provided in different facilities throughout England and beyond (Marjoua & Bozic 2012, pp 265–273).
Health care indicators are different domains that are used to show the quality of services provided by different health care facilities. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has cited some six quality indicator that can be used to assess the quality of health care provided in Family Care Center. These six quality indicators are: safety, outcome of care, effectiveness of health care, patient centered, timely care, accessibility of health care, value of money, efficiency of care, capacity of health care, and equity in provision of care, healthy living and health improvement (British Medical Association Board of Science/Health Policy and Economic Research Unit 2000).
The safety aspect of workers and clients is very important for assessment of quality of health care services. According to Consultation Response, the capacity of a health care system to have preventive measures for injury or illness at the care facility is good indicator for good quality. Occupational health safety is the overall program that aims to create as safer health care work place. Family Care facility safety as an indicator for quality is also couple with strength and weaknesses.
Strength of safety health care indicator for quality
The three aspects or measures for occupation health safety show the strength of safety indicator that makes it good quality management. There are three aspects of occupational health safety that make occupational health safety works and these are compliance and maintaining of health care legislations, occupational health safety improvement and continuous learning for better performance. Firstly, the legislation that regulates health care service provision outlines the requirement for safety health work place. Compliance and maintenance of these legislations is key to safety health care facilities. Secondly, occupation health care safety is a measure that ensures there is improvement on the safety situation in health care systems (Gillam, Siriwardena, Steel 2012, Pp 461-468). Thirdly, continuous learning for better performance of health care includes different learning programs that aim to teach health care practitioners on the occupational health safety.
Weakness for safety health care indicator for quality
Occupational health safety is accompanied by laxity to assess the level of safety within the health care system that leaves safety as lagging indicator. Failure to regulate the health care policies of each health care facility weakens the service provision and safety of these health care facilities. In addition, personal accountability of health care givers is important for safety within the premises. Finally, many health care practitioners fail to acts professionally making the health care facility capable of injuries or illness (Smith 2002, pp 295– 316).
Outcome of the treatment or health care service offered to patients determines the quality of health care systems. The outcome of health care services offered to client is an indicator of effectiveness of health care services or management (Mainz, 2003, pp 523–30). Outcome of health care services can be grouped in to level ranging from patient, health care service to health care system. Firstly, the outcome of clients attending a facility can indicate the quality of health care services since it determines the mortality rate with the facility or health sector. Secondly, care services that are given to certain population such as infant or maternal mothers indicate the quality of such service. Thirdly, outcome of health care services within Family care indicate the quality of health care system within the facility (Arah, Westert, Hurst, Klazinga 2006, pp s5–13).
Strength of outcome of care as indicator for quality
Outcome of care services such as maternity care, pediatric care or emergency care is directly related to mortality rate of on the facility offering these services. Consolidated data on mortality rate for this care services clearly indicate the quality of service or health care management. Moreover, health care system keeps the data on various outcomes of treatments, care services and mortality data from different care departments through Family Care facility (Sluijs & Wagner 2003, pp 223-234).
Weaknesses of outcome of care services
Statistical data on patient’s outcomes for outpatients is difficult to consolidate and keep. This make is difficult to determine the quality of care services that is given to patients that are not officially admitted to the health care facility. In addition, outcome of some health care services is difficult to estimate since patients are on continuous care services.
Patient-centered care is one of the most discussed forms of care that clearly indicate the quality of health care management. Patient-centered care is type of health care that is directed with respect to individual patient. Patient centered care is based on value, needs and preference of patient. In this sense patient centered care act in timely manner to ensure patients or clients receive the required services in time. Quality health care services are determined with provision of health care that is patient centered (Dixon et al 2015, pp 4-34).
Strength of patient centered care as Performance indicators
Patient centered care is stronger indicator for quality of health care management as it gives many required services. As quality indicator patient centered care respect patients value, preference, and needs. Patient care is also coordinated in this type of care service. Patients receive all the necessary care that leads to good quality of care. Moreover, patient centered care provides both physical and emotional support to patient and other clients involve in the care. Finally, patient centered cares ensure the continuity of care in case to shift between different cares providers (Scerri & James 2010, pp 41–53).
Weaknesses of patient centered care as indicator of quality.
Some scholars cite how the patient centered care is expensive and limited to facilities or individual patient that can afford the care. The center of this expensive augment is also based on the type of facility that offers care. Facility determines the ability of health care providers to concentrate on a single patient. Furthermore, some health care facilities normally require patient centered care as compared to the general health care facility. This implies that those facilities that do not have high level of care cannot apply patient centered care difficult to determine quality (Steel & Willems 2010, pp.117-25).
Capacity of health care facilities
Capacity of health care facility refers to the readiness of health care facility to offer the required health care services. Health care facility capacity is also the availability of space to offer inpatients services. The capacity of health care facility and its readiness to provide health care services. Quality of health care services is also determined by the capacity of care facilities to receive and treat patients throughout the year (Magee, James & Scerri 2012, pp 239–61).
Strength of capacity of health care as indicator of quality
Readiness of a health care facility and its capacity to contain many clients and offer the required care services show the quality of health care. Capacity of health care facility also indicates the efficiency of care that is provided in the facility. Moreover, capacity of health care facility clearly reflects the level of performance. Finally, health care facility readiness to receive clients and offer the best services can be used to assess health care performance (Smith 2002, pp 295– 316).
Weaknesses of capacity of health care as indicator of quality
Health care facilities are categorized based on their level of operation differs from one facility to another. Some health care facilities are smaller and are capable of giving good quality services as compared to other facility. In contrast, some large facilities are also capable of giving quality service as compared to small health care facilities. The variations in size and performance of health care facility make it difficult to use as indicator for quality.
Equity in provision of health care services as primary health care indicates the level of quality of health care service available in a country. Equity in health care provision also does not consider the racial or ethnic background of clients. To achieve the primary health care service provision inequalities in health acre systems need to be identified particularly on the outcome of patient care. The following are strength and weaknesses of health equity as indicator for quality (Freeman 2002, pp 126–37).
Strength of equity health care as indicator for quality
According to Marshall et al (2014, pp745 – 751), equitable provision of primary health care show the quality of health care system offered in a country. For good use of equity provision of health care vulnerability of the population to inequalities should be reduced to ensure health care services are provided in right manner. Financing the health care sector also assist the health care to deliver health care equity health care service.
Weaknesses of equity health care as indicator for quality
Equitable provision of health care services is the primary role of health care system in England. The regulations that control provision of health care services in Family Care facility require health care management to ensure equitable health provision. This implies that using equitable provision of health care services need to be primary mandate of health care management. Finally, some health care facilities are situated in areas that have limited vulnerable population and therefore normally have equity in provision of services (Smith 2002, pp 295– 316).
Healthy living encompasses mental wellbeing, free emotional stress, and actions that affect health. Healthy living is attributed to the ability of citizens to leave a life that has limited factors that cause illness or injury. A research conducted by Klazinga (2000, pp 183-189), clearly shows that the living condition of someone affects their health. Furthermore, the living condition that a group of individuals leaves is directly related to the quality of health services available. For instance, though people living in rural areas with minimal health care services has poor quality of health care services.
Strength of healthy living as indicator for quality
Behavioral health is the health conditions that are connected to the way people leave. Healthy living therefore is determined with the behavioral health of a group of people or individual’s health. The living conditions are key indicator of the health services that are offered to such people. It is the role of health care providers to educate the citizens on the importance of healthy living. Finally, to measure quality of health services within a country Collopy (2000, pp 211–16) cites that it is important to determine the data on clients with contagious disease that result from poor living conditions.
Weaknesses of healthy living as indicator for quality health
It is quite difficult to measure the living conditions of citizens that leave in places near Family Care facility. The difficulty arises due to the behavioral differences between different people. It is quite important to note that some people choose to leave their lives and controlling their life through provision of quality health care services is also difficult. The only appropriate way to determine or change the health conditions of people is through offering education to public on healthy livings.
Improvement of health care service provision is the basis of using improved health care as quality indicator. The assessment of improvement on service delivery and service provision in health care sector is important for assessing quality of health care service. National Quality Board normally assesses the improvement of health care service over period of time. In addition, National Quality Board, monitor the quality of health that is provided by various health care departments through Family Care facility. The following are strength and weaknesses for using health improvement as indicator for quality (Berwick, James & Coye 2003, pp I30–I38).
Strength of health improvement as indicator for quality
Data on reduced mortality within health care facilities provides the level of improvement in the quality of health care services. For instance, reduction in mortality rate shows that there are improved health care services. Improved health care is accompanied with decrease or reduction of infant and maternal mortality show improvement of quality of health. Therefore, improvement in health can be used to determine the quality of health care management (Renedo & Marston 2015, pp 122).
Weaknesses of using health improvement as quality indicator
Improved health care service do not necessary reflect the quality as there may be improvement in terms of financial allocation. Health care quality directly corresponds to the management of health care system which may be without improvement. It is also difficult to measure improvement of health parameters such as healthy living which are also indicator of quality health care service management.
Performance of the local health care systems is also indicator of health service quality. It is important to assess performance of each health care facility according to the legal requirement of Department of Health or National Quality Board. According to Brown (2008, pp 349–363), benchmarking performance of health care sector with other facilities in countries such as United States of America is also good for determining performance of health care management.
Strength of using performance of health care system
Auditing of the health care records, statistics is critical for assessing quality of health care management. Report released by Bevan and Hood (2006, pp 419–22) shows that over the past records of health care systems indicate some progressive growth. This has been conducted through collaboration between National Health Service and National Quality Board and compared to other countries. This performance analyses enable government to monitor the health care quality.
Weaknesses of using performance of health care system as quality indicator
Health care facility performance include many factors that when used to show health care may result in erroneous results. Performance of health care system in Family Care facility can be determined by professionalism of health care practitioners which is not clear indication of quality of the whole system. Assessing health care records on the other hand is subject to manipulation by auditors and other key players in the health sector (Berwick, James & Coye 2003, pp I30–I38).
Based on the quality indicators there are some recommendation for improvement of quality of health care system in Family Care facility. Firstly, the management should develop quality monitor system that will promote sensitivity to inequalities that are witnessed in the health care systems. Quality monitor initiative will enable service delivery within Family Care facility sore highly as it attracts accountability (Rose 2005, p. 41). Secondly, Scerri & James (2010, pp 41–53) indicate that accountability initiative will be the next quality improvement tool that makes all health care givers to be responsible and accountable for their practice. Thirdly, much research needs to be done on the service delivery to assess ways to improve quality of health care. Research is conducted in comparison with other health care delivery in other countries to monitor weaknesses in health care services. Fourthly, measurement of health care quality needs assessment pathways between organizations and in the health care system (Nagraj et al 2013, pp 89). Family Care facility management should consider developing transparency check that can increase the level of accountability. Since health care provision is based on provision of good services to all clients Family Care facility therefore need to have quality assurance department that will ensure that all the recommendation are implemented.
Conclusion
In conclusion, health care service in Family Care facility needs improvement in terms of quality. The quality of health care services are determined by many factors called quality indicators. These quality indicators assess quality of health care services delivered ranging from patient, organization to national health care system. Some of these quality indicators are safety, outcome of care, effectiveness of health care, patient centered, timely care, accessibility of health care, value of money, efficiency of care, capacity of health care, and equity in provision of care, healthy living and health improvement. Due to the weakness of using various health care indicators it is important to develop quality sensitivity monitoring systems that has high level of accountability.
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