Defining Quality of Care
Quality care refers to the levels at which a population’s health services increase the probability of desired health outcomes. To meet the descriptions, quality of care has to be safe and effective and responds to people’s needs. Usually, quality care is achieved when health services are timely, integrated, equitable, and efficient. Various factors influence the quality of care, including physical environment, socioeconomic environment, and health behavior. All these factors are complex and interconnected and can accumulate over time. Thus, quality of care involves various aspects that play a role in the health outcomes of a population or individuals.
Internal and External Factors a Manager Can Control for Staff to Provide High-quality Care
A manager can control some factors for the staff to provide high-quality care. Regarding internal factors, a manager can regulate leadership, management, employee competence, organizational culture, and collaborative approaches. The above mention factors are found within the organization. For external factors, a manager can control the technology used. Managers can influence the organization to acquire the latest and most effective technology to promote quality care. An excellent example is a manager championing the purchase of technological devices using artificial intelligence and machine learning. Sophisticated technology makes work easier, reduces errors, and improves patient outcomes. A manager can also control the tools utilized for data analysis and management. Therefore, a manager is limited on the external factors they can control.
Recommendation for an Organization Deciding Between Several Quality Management Programs
Choosing between several quality management programs can be a complex and demanding task. However, I would recommend one that assesses the performance, procedures, and processes to stimulate continuous improvement and encourage reflection. Better quality care comes from progressive improvements after an organization identifies failures through self-assessments. Adopting a tool such as EFQM Excellence Model can aid in seamless quality management (Escrig-Tena et al., 2019). The tool is beneficial in diagnosing failures and identifying factors driving the outcomes.
Reference
Escrig-Tena, A. B., Garcia-Juan, B., & Segarra-Ciprés, M. (2019). Drivers and internalization of the EFQM excellence model. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, 36(3), pp. 400-415. Web.