Continuous Quality Improvement and Patient Satisfaction in Healthcare

This paper explores the different approaches to leadership and management in healthcare that are geared towards quality improvement and patient satisfaction. It discusses the differences and similarities between leaders and managers, theoretical perspectives of leaders and managers, personal leadership style, and funding opportunities for healthcare programs.

Running head; QUALITY IMPROVEMENT AND PATIENT SATISFACTION 1
Continuous quality improvement and patient satisfaction
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Continuous quality improvement and patient satisfaction
Leadership in healthcare is one of the primary ways in which health care professionals
can improve the quality of care, patient safety and efficiency in the health sector. Leadership is
important tool for directing, organizing and coordinating resources to achieve the best possible
outcomes. In improving quality and patient satisfaction, leadership and management is also
necessary to achieve desired outcomes. This paper focuses on various different approaches to
leadership and management geared towards quality improvement and patient satisfaction in
healthcare.
According to Ginter, Duncan, & Swayne, (2018) nursing leadership and management
utilizes various skills theories and approaches towards organizational set up and models of care.
There are several differences and similarities between leaders and managers in the organization
set up. Ideally, leaders tend to lean towards organizational goals and vision while managers lean
towards bureaucracy, organizational rules and policies. Functionally, leaders differ from
managers in the sense that managers accept responsibility while leaders seek responsibility. In
addition, managers always tend to minimize risks while leaders take calculated risks. Lastly,
leaders tend to have a degree of flexibility while managers usually have a fixed mindset. Leaders
are open and daring to venture into new possibilities.
Managers and leaders differ in their level of skills. Managers are skilled at doing the
same things repeatedly and they therefore gain competence, a kind of intelligence known as
crystallized intelligence. On the other hand, leaders may not have so much of crystalized
intelligence but rely on the fluid intelligence, ability to influence others and make the best out of
them in order to meet the demands of health leadership. One similarity however is that both

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employ various skills that are important to getting a task done argues Miller, McCaw,
Humphreys, & Mitchell, (2015).
Theoretical perspectives of leaders and managers may also be explored to give out a
contrast between leaders and managers. Transformational theory, and creative nursing leadership
best defines leaders while other theories such as role and trait theories may be used to refer and
evaluate mangers. The transformational leadership theory best suites leaders because leaders are
visionary, competent, critical thinkers and they motivate others to utilize their potential to the
fullest. Creative leadership on the other hand also suites leaders as opposed to managers since it
focuses on generating solutions to problems outside the conceptualized ideas and knowledge.
Cherry, & Jacob, (2016) argues that the creative nurse leaders focuses on efficient
communication, team leadership and embracing technology to solve problems. The bureaucratic
selection of managers based on their qualifications can be best apply to the trait theories of
leadership. The basic argument is that people earn these jobs based on inborn characteristics and
traits that makes them best qualified to fit the positions.
Based on the organizational structures, managers operate best in a centralized structure
whereby they are at the center of authority and decision making. Managers work to ensure that
workers stick to the norms, culture and status quo through the organizational structure that
subordinates all other offices below the manager. On the other hand, leaders work best in a
decentralized system where decision making has a sense of autonomy. The work of the leader is
to direct and decisions may be made at the departmental level without necessarily involving the
top leadership (Taylor, McNicholas, Nicolay, Darzi, Bell, & Reed, 2014).
The decentralized structure is more important as decisions can be made in time. Timely
decision making ensures improvement of quality and patient satisfaction by eliminating large

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bureaucratic process and that hinder progress or make patients to lose interest in the system. It is
also possible to identify the real problems in an organization as the subordinate workers are
closer to the leaders in the decentralized system. It is also easier to improve quality as different
departments may take different approaches and perspectives of improving quality and safety.
The decentralized structure is also suitable in decision making as it involves a larger group of
people and people who are affected directly by the decision which ensures quality decisions are
arrived at (Tsai, Orav, & Jha, 2015).
Personal leadership style
Transformational leadership is a suitable style of leadership as it supplements almost all
other leadership styles. Transformational leadership also possesses certain unique characteristics
that help leaders to achieve high quality, efficiency and client satisfaction. These characteristics
include idealized influence, individualized consideration, intellectual stimulation and
inspirational motivation (Mosadeghrad, 2014). A good transformation leaders has a blend of
these skills and other characteristics of good leaders and managers that assist in effective
leadership and management of an organization.
According to Thomas, (2015) the concept of idealized influence in transformational
leadership supposes that leaders act as role models and steer change by being the change and the
change agents as well. Individualized consideration in improving the quality of care and patient
safety is important as it focuses on individual cases and circumstances that necessitate action of
the leader. This is the best model that guides the patient centered approach to care. The
individualized attention helps to improve the quality of care since by improving the quality of
care on one patient, it helps to improve the quality of care of all patients collectively.
Inspirational motivation is the best instrument of achieving quality in health as it cultivates good

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qualities among workers such as teamwork, goal orientation, efficient communication and
positive attitude towards organizational goals and commitment. .
The federal government and other nongovernmental organizations may offer possible
funding of health care programs that seek to improve the quality of care and patient satisfaction
through good leadership and management. The Kings fund is one such funding towards effective
leadership in healthcare. The Kresge organization is one of the nongovernmental and nonprofit
organizations that funds action plans geared towards the improving of care through quality
leadership and efficient management. The foundation focuses areas such as integrating health
and human services, investing in institutions that promote community health and promoting
community driven solutions to challenges in the health sector. The federal government through
the department of health and human services also offers funding through government hospitals
and organizations that help to achieve its goals and policies in health (West, Eckert, Steward, &
Pasmore, 2014).
In conclusion, it is necessary to point out that improving care and patient satisfaction in
the healthcare organizations requires collaborative efforts among various healthcare
professionals, effective communication and shared decision making that ensures that healthcare
leaders and managers make evidence based decisions that are both objective and effective.

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