Summary
The present paper aims to analyze Montefiore Medical Center’s financial incentives and strategy for improving the quality of its operational processes. In particular, the focus will be on how the center’s policies address the population’s health needs and how care is approached; it will also be analyzed whether the policies prioritize the patient. Other relevant strategies addressing the population’s health will also be evaluated.
Health-Oriented Policies
In terms of the health-oriented policies that Montefiore has adopted, it has emphasized ensuring the effectiveness of policies aimed at patients with hearing loss. Montefiore (n.d.) states that they abide by the legal obligations to provide the best possible service to patients with hearing loss. On the other hand, the policy regarding providing equal quality of service to non-English speakers and those with limited ability to use English is also prioritized.
The center has based these policies on the healthcare laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act, and the New York Patients’ Bill of Rights, among others (Montefiore, n.d.). On the other hand, in financial terms, Montefiore has also adopted specific ways of optimizing the costs; in particular, the center managed to decrease the length of stay of inpatients (Chase, 2010). This has been achieved by making the process of providing healthcare services more efficient.
Patient-Centered Approach
The Montefiore Medical Center has emphasized prioritizing the patients’ needs, which can be observed in how care is organized. To begin with, Chase (2010) mentions that Montefiori focused on “better management of chronic diseases through ambulatory and primary care strategies that extend access to multiple points in the community” (p.2). Moreover, Montefiore has stated explicitly in its mission, vision, and values that it has a “commitment to patient-centered care that meets the access challenges and social needs of vulnerable populations” (Chase, 2010, p. 3).
The following are some specific things that have been done to ensure patient-centered care. Firstly, the Family Health Center provides extra hours to those who need after-hours care (Chase, 2010). Secondly, the center has been working continuously to reduce patient waiting hours. Finally, Montefiore facilitated patients’ access to healthcare by introducing technologies such as a web portal where patients can contact medical professionals directly (Chase, 2010).
Specific Strategies
Some specific strategies have helped the Montefiore Center make care more efficient. One of these strategies is developing and using a data warehouse, or Clinical Looking Glass (Chase, 2010). This data warehouse helps analyze all the data concerning the professionals’ performance, continuously improving the quality of care. In general, the center has been working on developing and improving the health information technology system over the last decades (Chase, 2010) to increase the efficiency of its processes.
Gaps or Deficiencies
Overall, no gaps or deficiencies have been detected in Montefiore’s strategy. A healthcare organization must address the following aspects when providing care. First, it is necessary to have a comprehensive strategy, which Montefiori has demonstrated through a series of comprehensive steps to improve the services.
It is also necessary to collect and analyze data adequately, which Montefiori does through its IT systems. Finally, community engagement is also essential, and Montefiore communicates with community members regularly to understand the community’s needs (Chase, 2010). Overall, Montefiori’s incentives and quality improvement processes can be evaluated positively.
References
Chase, D. (2010). Montefiore Medical Center: Integrated care delivery for vulnerable populations. The Commonwealth Fund, 53(1448), 1-9.
Montefiore. (n.d.). Interpreting services program [PowerPoint slides]. Montefiore.