Understanding healthcare quality is essential to ensure that patients receive proper services. According to Allen‐Duck et al. (2017), healthcare quality “is the provision of effective and safe care, reflected in a culture of excellence, resulting in the attainment of optimal or desired outcome” (p. 381). Indeed, good patient outcome is the ultimate goal of any medical organization. The four primary elements of healthcare quality are safety, effectiveness, desired outcome, and culture of excellence (Allen‐Duck et al., 2017).
Safety seems to be the primary determinant of the quality of care because it is often in clinicians’ power to prevent therapeutic or surgical complications by implementing particular measures. Effective healthcare enables attaining the desired outcome; thus, it should be consistent, timely, and equitable to ensure that nothing is omitted and everyone is treated equally. Another critical attribute of determining the quality of care is the culture of excellence which refers to collaboration, responsibility, respect, trustworthiness, and compassion (Allen‐Duck et al., 2017). Overall, incorporating the concept of healthcare quality into a hospital is essential because it allows doctors, nurses, and administrators to have a reference model of excellence in patient care.
This course significantly advanced my cognizance of such healthcare-related topics as quality of care, safety, collaboration, and leadership. Before taking this class, I thought that knowledge about these concepts could only be learned in hospitals, and I used to perceive them as abstract terms. However, understanding the exact definitions of these notions allowed me to become more confident in my professional skills because I have a good comprehension of the end goal of my future career now. Indeed, the ultimate objective of our profession is to deliver high-quality patient care by ensuring safety in hospitals, maintaining interdisciplinary communication, and being role models for our colleagues.
Reference
Allen‐Duck, A., Robinson, J. C., & Stewart, M. W. (2017). Healthcare quality: A concept analysis. Nursing Forum, 52(4), 377-386. Web.