The Quest to Improve the Quality of Care in Healthcare Facilities – What is Being Done

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The state of healthcare in this country has been in the news for not just months, but a couple of years now. With so much attention being paid to health insurance, other aspects have fallen by the wayside a bit. Sure, access to affordable health care is something that the majority of Americans are in agreement about, but what about the actually quality of healthcare?

Many in the industry are pointing out the fact that the actual quality of the healthcare facilities also needs attention and needs advancing in order to improve overall patient care. The whole idea that the patient should come first is sometimes forgotten, and when it is the patient suffers. So, what is being done to improve the quality of care in healthcare facilities? Let's take a closer look.

Better Patient Monitoring Through Technology

Technology is a wonderful thing, and in terms of the healthcare industry it truly has opened all kinds of doors. Better patient monitoring is something that technology has focused on. Because seconds matter in life and death situations, nurses and doctors need reliable and effective patient monitoring and alarm notification at all times. A fast response time can end up saving a patient’s life, so it’s not something you want to take for granted.

There is now software available to medical staff that offers new and improved alarm notification systems, meant to signal mobile nurses. It can alert them to a patient that needs assistance with a ventilator, infusion, telemetry, and so much more. This alarm can go to a staff member’s smartphone, wireless phone, pager, or voice badge.

Wait Times Need to be Minimized

Another area that needs addressing is the wait times. People across the country are facing wait times that are not only frustrating, but can prove to be life-threatening. These wait times need to be substantially lowered in order to improve patient care.

Healthcare facilities are now looking at ways to better and more effectively move patients through the system, getting them into the right hands that much faster. That can include more staff, large triage areas, and just better organization.

A Focus on Patient Satisfaction

It’s normal to think about customer satisfaction in industries such as retail, tourism, and the food and beverage industry but there is also customer satisfaction in the healthcare industry. Patients need to feel as though they matter, they are being cared for, and that they can trust in the doctors and nurses that are working with them. In many hospitals across the country, there is a real disconnect here and patients are left feeling completely unsatisfied and as though they are just a number.

An On-Going Process that Needs Attention

When it comes down to it, improving the quality of care in healthcare facilities isn't something that is going to happen overnight. Research needs to be done to determine all the key areas the industry is lacking, and then technology and training need to be implemented in order to address the issues facing the industry.