Monitor and Revise Quality Program Implementation, Research Paper Example

Conducting performance measurements are important components of monitoring quality improvement programs. There are several types of evaluations that could be conducted to achieve these means. Process evaluations are used to determine the extent to which the program is operating as it was initially designed, outcome evaluations measure the ability of the program to achieve its goals, impact evaluation compares the impact of the program to the status of the environment if the program had not existed, and the cost-benefit analysis determines the efficiency with which the program uses its resources (United States General Accounting Office, 1998). These monitoring tools are utilized to revise quality program implementation.

It is necessary for professionals to have an understanding of these baseline measurements in order to effectively determine the needs of the organization. For example, if outcome evaluations appear to be the most off track, it is therefore necessary for the organization to reassess its practices to determine how workers can influence a positive change. The intervention that is selected to address a problem is directly related to the problem itself. It is the responsibility of health care professionals to apply their knowledge and experience to the particular quality dilemma, determining how practice can be altered in order to ensure change (Batalden & Davidoff, 2007). An example of improving outcome is responding to an increased percentage of medication errors by occurring more stringent record keeping among medical professionals. Although quality problems need to be frequently addressed, it is important to continuously notice and react to these issues to improve quality of the health care institution overall.

References

Batalden PB, Davidoff F. (2007). What is “quality improvement” and how can it transform healthcare? Qual Saf Health Care, 16(1): 2–3.

United States General Accounting Office. (1998). Performance Measurement and Evaluation. Retrieved from http://www.gao.gov/special.pubs/gg98026.pdf