Accountability in Healthcare Organizations and Improving the Quality of Service

Introduction

Accountability in general is about keeping up the commitments and performing the assigned tasks in a manner, which is respectful, and trustworthy (Harber and Ball). Accountability gives scope for further learning and improvements in the process of performing a task. Since healthcare sector differs from other consumer products industries, there is the absolute need for accountability to improve the quality of service in the organization.

This is true in view of the fact that the clients of a health care organization may not possess the knowledge to judge the technical quality of the healthcare service provided and the clients’ wellbeing and sometimes the life itself depends on the quality of service provided by the healthcare organization (PopulationReports). According to Shaw the service users are ignorant of the treatments and medicines that may harm them and this enhances the accountability of healthcare service providers.

In the health care organization with which I am familiar with, in order to improve the accountability of the organizational members, it is considered under two different heads:

1. financial accountability and
2. performance accountability.

The purpose of financial accountability is to put an effective control over the use of financial resources, while the performance accountability has the purpose of ensuring that the resources are used in accordance with the best professional standards and societal values (Brinkerhoff)

Financial Accountability

Improvements in financial accountability have been attained by establishing exclusive budgets personnel, operations and supplies. The annual budgets for these three areas are broken down into monthly budgets and actual performance in the respective areas is compared with the budgets established. An integrated cost accounting system has also been put in place to arrive at the exact cost of supplies and other services. The focus of the systems has been directed at compliance of established input standards, procedural applications, cost control procedures for the elimination of waste and prevention of fraud and corruption.

Cost economies are arrived at by ensuring the procurement of hospital supplies are accumulated and bought so that there will be resultant cost advantages. However, it is also ensured that sufficient care is taken to have the cost of inventory under control. The organization has successfully refined the basic strategy of cost cutting and compliance with the standards set (Solovy).

Performance Accountability

With a view to improving the performance accountability, the organization has instituted systems and procedures for the allocation of resources needed for performing efficiently in different operational areas. A technical review of the available equipments and the necessity to procure and install innovative medical equipments has been undertaken periodically to order and install new and improved equipments. This has not only improved the performance standards of the physicians and technicians but also has resulted in the overall improvement of the quality in the healthcare services provided by the organization.

In respect of a healthcare service provider, the grounds of accountability focus on the quality levels of healthcare service and the professional ethics displayed by the organization (Emmanuel and Emmanuel). According to Ghodeswar and Vaidyanathan, “technology adoption relates to a hospital’s decision to acquire a technology and make it available to physicians and hospital staff for supporting or enhancing their task performance”.

To ensure accountability in all levels, the organization has adopted the procedure of

1. defining the service expectations of patients from different functional areas of the organization,
2. making every organizational member to understand their accountability,
3. creating performance standards and financial budgets.

This has helped the organization to build accountability into their customer service practices (Scott).

Works Cited

Brinkerhoff, Derick W. “Accountability and Health Systems and Policy relevance.” Health Policy and Planning 19.6 (2004): 371-379.

Emmanuel, E J and LL Emmanuel. “What is accountability in health care?” Annals of Internal Medicine 124 (1996): 229-239.

Ghodeswar, B M and J Vaidyanathan. “Organisational Adoption of Medical Technology in Health Sector.” Journal of Services Research. 7.2 (2007-2008): 57.

Harber, Bruce and Ted Ball. Redifiing Accountability in the Healthcare Sector. 2009. Web.

PopulationReports. The Quality Movement in Healthcare. 2009. Web.

Scott, G. “Accountability for Service Excellence.” Journal of Health Care Management 46.3 (2001): 152-155.

Shaw, R P. New Trends in Public Sector Management in Health Applciations in Developed and Developing Countries. Research Paper. Washinton: World Bank Institute, 1999.