Quality Measurement in Healthcare: Tools and Importance

This article discusses the importance of quality measurement in healthcare and the different tools used to measure quality in different professional fields within a healthcare system. The tools include care, safety, equitable treatment, and administration. The article also highlights the significance of quality measurement in improving the quality of care.

Running head: QUALITY MEASUREMENT 1
Quality Measurement
Name
Institution

QUALITY MEASUREMENT 2
Quality Measurement
Quality measurement in health care can be defined as the process of evaluating the
performance of healthcare providers and healthcare plans by use of data. The evaluation is made
against the recognized standards of quality healthcare (Familiesusa.org, 2018). The healthcare
setting is made up of several professionals that are tasked with different functions. The roles of
these professionals determine the quality initiatives and the tools of improvement used in the
healthcare system (Ozcan, 2014). Quality measurement is very important in improving the
quality of care. The table below can be used to describe how the different measurement tools are
used to measure quality in different professional fields within a healthcare system (Millar, 2013).
Measurement
Tool
Administration
Professional
Physician Midlevel
Provider
Auxiliary staff
Care All the processes
are followed
accurately.
Medicine and
other nutrients
are administered
to the patient in a
timely manner.
Focuses on the
care of the
patient.
Accurately and
methodically
follows up the
hospital schedule
for patient care.
Safety The system is
safe and free
from any
accidents that
may cause
injury.
Safety is
exercised by the
administration of
the right
medicine,
following the
appropriate
Pays attention to
the safety of the
patient.
Safety is
exercised
through the
provision of
hygienic
environmental

QUALITY MEASUREMENT 3
process. conditions.
Equitable No
discrimination
against any
patient.
No
discrimination
irrespective of
their social
status, religion or
race.
All the patients
are treated in an
equitable
manner.
No exercise of
discrimination
against any
patient during the
provision of
support and
services.
Care is a tool of measurement in the healthcare system that can be used to improve the
quality of patient care. It helps in preventing the underuse or overuse of medication.
Additionally, care ensures that the administrative professionals in the healthcare follow all
processes meticulously for the proper functioning of the system and patient safety. It is also
important to note that care enables the physicians to administer medicine in an appropriate
manner (Al-Abri & Al-Balushi, 2014). The midlevel provider focuses on patient care whereas
the auxiliary staff methodically follows up the schedule of the hospital for quality care.
Safety is another significant tool of measurement that compels the administration
professionals to ensure that the system is safe and free of any accidental injuries. Physicians also
exercise safety by administering the right medication to the patients by following the appropriate
process (Millar, 2013). The auxiliary staff, on the other hand, ensures the provision of safety by
guaranteeing hygienic environmental conditions while the midlevel provider pays attention to the
safety of the patient.

QUALITY MEASUREMENT 4
Equitable treatment of patients ensures that no client is discriminated against irrespective
of age, gender, religion, or race. All patients are therefore treated with equity and equality
(Millar, 2013). An example of a physician in the healthcare system is a doctor. Midlevel
providers, on the other hand, consist of clinical officers, physician assistant, medical assistants,
and nurse midwives among others. The auxiliary staff is made up of the patient service assistant,
clinical assistants, and volunteers. The administration professional is made up of the Chief
Executive Officer and other staff.

QUALITY MEASUREMENT 5
References
(2018). Familiesusa.org. Retrieved 23 April 2018, from
http://familiesusa.org/sites/default/files/product_documents/HSI%20Quality
%20Measurement_Brief_final_web.pdf
Al-Abri, R., & Al-Balushi, A. (2014). Patient satisfaction survey as a tool towards quality
improvement. Oman medical journal, 29(1), 3.
Millar, R. (2013). Framing quality improvement tools and techniques in healthcare: The case of
Improvement Leaders' Guides. Journal of health organization and management, 27(2),
209-224.
Ozcan, Y. A. (2014). Evaluation of Performance in Health Care. In Health Care Benchmarking
and Performance Evaluation (pp. 3-14). Springer, Boston, MA.