People are always seeking quality services in all aspects of their day-to-day lives; therefore, quality has become an increasingly important aspect of human existence. This is also true in healthcare systems where quality is the fundamental differentiator for preserving a competitive edge in healthcare delivery. The importance of quality in health care is dependent on several aspects. Accordingly, this paper aims to evaluate the unique factors that affect safe, patient-centered care and significantly affect the quality of treatment. These aspects include technology, communication, collaboration, shared decision-making, and the existing laws, regulations, and policies.
Advancements in Technology and their Effect on Quality Patient Care
Technological advances are changing the healthcare system and the quality of services offered. Electronic health records (EHR), telemedicine, and drug barcode systems have altered how healthcare is provided (Kutney-Lee et al., 2019; Raijada et al., 2021). Electronic health records are readily accessed and shared across hospitals, making it considerably simpler to collect the information necessary to offer informed care delivery (Kutney-Lee et al., 2019). Telemedicine has rendered it feasible for more clients in remote locations to get treatment. It has expanded access to care for people who cannot leave their homes for physician visits. Drug administration has been safer for patients due to medication bar-coding innovation and quick detection of any alarms in the built-in security features of a medication record (Raijada et al., 2021). Obtaining physician prescriptions for these drugs has grown more efficient as a result of technological advancements, which have also expedited patient care.
Additionally, technology is a factor in patient-centered care as it facilitates better access to medical information and increases flexibility for cooperation among healthcare team members. The use of technology as a primary mode of communication between medical professionals and their patients is becoming more common. It is possible to increase communication with clients and make it more successful by making patient data and education accessible to nurses and clinicians.
Roles of Communication, Collaboration, and Shared Decision-Making
Communication is a crucial clinical skill because it allows the medical team and the patient to build trust in one another and work together to get the best possible outcome in treatment. Good communication in all facets of patient care is essential for ensuring greater patient comprehension and safety. On the other hand, inadequate communication and misunderstanding between staff members have been shown to lead to a high rate of medical mistakes (Tiwary et al., 2019). While patient safety is a top concern, past research has shown that effective communication is also connected with greater job satisfaction, less time missing from work, reduced nurse turnover, and less weariness, all of which influence the care quality given (Vermeir et al., 2017). To ensure good communication, the medical personnel must demonstrate their availability to patients, allowing sufficient time to be planned and attended to in accordance with the aims and priorities while maximizing their performance. In order to foster a healthy relationship with the patient, it is important to tailor one’s conversations to their unique conditions, level of understanding, and range of potential goals.
Patients will get the treatment they deserve if doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals work together. Collaborative care is a process in which the patient, their loved ones, and the multidisciplinary healthcare team work together to create a care plan, implement that plan, and address any issues that arise along the way. Team members may collaborate to exchange information and devise a strategy to provide the patient with the highest quality treatment. Patient-centered care may benefit from the expertise of a wide range of professionals, including doctors, nurses, case managers, and social workers. Medication mistakes are avoided, the patient’s satisfaction is enhanced, and improved patient outcomes are achieved, all of which contribute to lower healthcare costs, according to Tiwary et al. (2019). In addition to assisting in cost savings, it aids in the reduction of process redundancies and administrative inefficiencies in hospitals.
To ensure that patients receive care promptly, it is essential to communicate and work in conjunction with insurance firms. At an early stage in the treatment process, it is crucial to determine the insurance requirements, such as those for prior approvals and coverages. If this is obstructed, it could cause a delay in the patient’s care, which would, in turn, impact the care quality that the patient receives. The use of advanced technologies has contributed to making progress in the timeliness of collaborating with insurance companies to attain faster approvals and understanding that can be conveyed to the patient. These improvements have worked to boost the quality of care patients receive.
Collaboration results in shared decision-making, which is the process of aiding clients in making well-informed choices regarding their healthcare. It is essential to make judgments according to the patient’s preferences, and they must be considered in all areas of their treatment. This may be achieved by facilitating a method in which the client and healthcare staff collaborate on medical choices and settle on a certain treatment plan. Shared decision-making provides a technique for systematically incorporating patient preferences and values into clinical decision-making (Grad et al., 2017). This technique may facilitate dialogues that contribute to better choices consistent with what patients value most. Shared decision-making becomes important when a patient’s beliefs and preferences might significantly influence a screening choice’s potential risks and advantages.
Laws, Regulations, and Policies
To assure the safety and quality of healthcare, provision, laws, rules, and policies must be put in place. Healthcare law comprises all federal, state, and local rules and policies to enhance healthcare provision and optimise patient health (Allan, 2017). Specific areas of health care, including pediatric care or surgery, may be addressed by health care law. It may also concentrate on larger areas of healthcare provision and clinical procedures, such as those who can prescribe drugs or how to safeguard patients’ electronic health information (EHRs). Legislation may also address administrative aspects of health care, like health insurance and client expenses. The objective of every legislation is to accomplish particular healthcare objectives, such as increasing care delivery in remote areas or maximizing client confidentiality in the new era of technologies. The purpose of these initiatives is to enhance the delivery of healthcare care, hence improving patient outcomes. As a result, rules and policies may result in higher-quality patient care.
Conclusion
Various factors influence safe, high-quality patient care delivery. Safety, efficacy, patient-centeredness, timeliness, efficiency, and equity are necessary qualities of healthcare. By concentrating on developing changes and breakthroughs in the areas of technology, communication, shared decision-making, collaboration, and regulations, these aspects may assist in achieving these basic healthcare demands. Technology has a role in patient-centered care because it improves access to medical information and enhances the flexibility of healthcare team collaboration. Through teamwork, staff members can exchange ideas and arrange the best possible care for patients.
References
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Grad, R., Légaré, F., Bell, N. R., Dickinson, J. A., Singh, H., Moore, A. E., Kasperavicius, D., & Kretschmer, K. L. (2017). Shared decision making in preventive health care: What it is; what it is not. Canadian Family Physician Medecin de Famille Canadien, 63(9), 682–684. Web.
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