Create a 3-5 page report that will help the Director of Quality Management at Vila Health understand the current trend of patient satisfaction numbers and propose potential solutions to any problems.

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Introduction

Similar to other service industries, health care organizations are comprised of multiple processes. “Identifying and eliminating or alleviating bottlenecks in a system (theory of constraints) can quickly improve overall system performance” (McLaughlin, Olson, & Sharma, 2022, p. 254). Organizations that seek to remain competitive in the industry work toward minimizing inefficiencies in their processes, resulting in several notable effects including improved outcomes. Patient flow optimization affects performance in various ways. Scheduling and capacity management must be factored in as health care leaders look to improve processes and patient flow, ensuring effective operation systems and outcomes.

Common methods utilized to understand complex processes include process mapping and value stream mapping. Effective utilization of these evaluation methods allows organizations to analyze a visual representation of their value streams, leading to the identification of problems in need of attention.

In this assessment, you will learn some useful process measures, basic tools for process improvement, and theories related to enhancing processes and patient flow.

Reference

McLaughlin, D., Olson, J., & Sharma, L. (2022). Healthcare operations management (4th ed.). Health Administration Press.

Preparation

This assessment is based on the Vila Health: Patient Flow media simulation, which is linked in the Vila Health: Patient Flow section of Assessment 1. Go to that section to complete the scenario at this time. The scenario presented in this media piece will provide you with the baseline information and context to create a report that addresses utilizing process improvement techniques and strategies to improve upon patient flow within and out of Independence Medical Center.

In addition to the information presented on fishbone diagrams and quality improvement strategies within the simulation, you may also want to conduct more in-depth research before creating your report. You are encouraged to research topics on patient flow, DMAIC, patient satisfaction, and performance improvement teams.

Instructions

Based on the media simulation you completed, the Director of Quality Management has asked you, in your position in the quality assurance department, to create a report on the declining patient satisfaction at Independence Medical Center (IMC). In addition to your findings, you have been asked to present potential solutions and rationale for why these solutions are potentially relevant and valuable to pursue at IMC.

Include the following in your report:

• Explain why patient satisfaction is an essential component of a health care business.
  • Identify a competitive advantage of the organization depicted in Vila Health: Patient Flow.
  • Explain the organization’s strategic initiatives.
  • Explain why patient satisfaction is a strategy for this organization.
• Describe why leaders should select declining patient satisfaction as a performance improvement initiative.
  • Describe potential reasons for patient satisfaction decline.
  • Define a performance improvement initiative.
• Complete a fishbone diagram of the situation presented in the Vila Health: Patient Flow media piece.
  • Discuss the process to identify the top categories of an issue.
  • Describe how to organize the subtopics when producing a fishbone diagram.
• Describe the purpose of a performance improvement team.
  • Identify the positions or roles that are necessary to form a performance improvement team.
  • Describe the stakeholders that should be represented in a performance improvement team.
• Describe Lean Methodology.
  • Define Lean Methodology.
  • Determine what kinds of projects benefit from the use of Lean Methodology.
• Explain the define, measure, analyze, improve, and control (DMAIC) model for a data-driven improvement cycle.
  • Define the problem or scope that is depicted in Vila Health: Patient Flow.
  • Discuss what data you have to collect respective to the identified problem.
  • Define the root causes of the problem.
  • Determine the possible recommendations the team would offer.
  • Define possible recommendations and what would affect them.

Write clearly and logically, with correct use of spelling, grammar, punctuation, and mechanics.

• Apply the principles of effective composition.
• Determine the proper application of the rules of grammar and mechanics.