Why do experts worldwide invest time and money in research? To discover evidence that supports treatment. From their findings, policymakers create guidelines that inspire protocols of hospitals everywhere.
During COVID-19, guidelines for surgery and testing became an issue. Medical staff were at a 10x more risk of exposure, especially when giving anesthesia. [1] The lack of well-defined policies confused clinicians.
The result? Many people canceled surgery, harming hospital finances and delaying care. Below, we take a look at how you can find these gaps in healthcare and close them.
» Close gaps in your healthcare facility with knowledge management
A gap is when the care a patient receives falls short of the recommended standard. These mistakes are due to several factors:
» Reduce medical errors and improve patient safety
Addressing these gaps is critical because it can:
» Learn why quality improvement in healthcare is important
Finding where patient care falls short is crucial if you're to improve health outcomes. For that, you need a strategic method. Here's what you can do:
Lastly, you can use FMEA to find the root causes of issues. [2] Let's say you want to improve diabetes management and prevent complications. Here's how you would do it:
» Discover the most important hospital quality metrics
We can also use HCAHPS scores to measure how patients feel over time and compare it to what patients tell us directly. [3] Let's say that a hospital consistently receives low scores on the "communication with doctors" HCAHPS question.
This shows a need for:
You can also compare your HCAHPS to other hospitals to find best practices and track improvement efforts over time.
Looking at data is helpful for understanding issues, but you should also listen to what patients are saying. Combining qualitative and quantitative insights helps you look at the problem from more angles.
» Make data-driven decisions for your healthcare facility
Understanding how patients feel about their care is crucial for finding gaps in healthcare services. You can learn about this by asking them directly through surveys, group discussions, and one-on-one talks.
Another way is to look at social media and patient experience portals. Just make sure your group. Separate patients based on age, sex, race, and income level to get a nuanced perspective.
You should also analyze the feedback if you're to turn it into useful information. Why? Because it'll help you decide what to do next. Special methods like sentiment and thematic analysis can help you find vital patterns in the data and share them with staff.
» Improve patient care with efficient knowledge management
Groups like the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association create guidelines, but these are just suggestions. Each hospital has its own rules. A major problem in sharing knowledge is making sure doctors know about and follow them. But how would you do it?
A knowledge management system can help you close gaps in care by delivering information to the right clinician at the right time. Here's what you get by using one in your organization:
People who are more involved in managing their condition have better health. [4] Studies show that they are better at finding and using health information to improve their health. This is what we call "patient activation." [5]
Healthcare providers should communicate clearly and involve patients in decision-making. It can lead to better health outcomes and satisfaction.
» Try best practices for knowledge management to boost patient care
SDOHs are powerful factors in determining overall health outcomes. [6] Healthcare systems can reduce gaps in care and improve the well-being of entire communities by addressing these underlying issues.
Here's how SDOH can help close care gaps:
» Upgrade your facility with the latest health information technology
Finding and fixing problems in healthcare is crucial for improving patient safety and outcomes. We can find these issues by looking closely at patient data, asking them what they think, and working together as a team.
Once we know what's wrong, we can fix it by teaching patients, making sure care is smooth, and working with the community. If we do all these things and put patients first, everyone will get better care. Eager to get started?
» Close gaps in care with a knowledge management system
Disclaimer: Our content serves informational purposes only and shouldn't replace the advice and services of qualified professionals. While we strive for accuracy, we cannot guarantee an entirely error-free experience. C8 Health will not be liable for any losses or damages resulting from the use of our content.