Creating a sustainable quality management system in assisted reproductive technologies

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) programs are complex organizations requiring the integration of multiple disciplines. ISO 9001:2008 is a quality management system that is readily adaptable to an ART program. A quality ART program sets quality objectives and monitors their progress. ISO provides a sense of transparency within the organization and clearer understanding of how service is provided to patients. Most importantly, ISO provides the framework to allow for continual improvement. Thus, the purpose of this study is to establish a framework by which to approach the issue of quality management system in ART, delineate the various components of quality that exist in health care, and explore how these elements affect one another. The process management philosophy in ART begins its focus on the customer/patient and their requirements; everything to do with quality starts and ends with the customer/patient. What the customer/patient wants, needs and expects becomes the input to the quality management system. This input then feeds into the service planning process and finally into requirements for service delivery. Management responsibility (leadership), resource management (people, facilities and equipment), product realization (process) and measurement analysis and improvement (improvement for the customer/patient satisfaction) describe what practices must do to deliver quality services. To the customers, competitors and the outside world, a clinic/practice’s business strategy is communicated through its marketing message, strategic partnerships and development of mutually beneficial supplier relationships. In order to assure high quality and continual improvement, it is recommended that all ART centers striving for excellence should consider a Quality Management system

The Introduction of an Adult Sweat Test Clinic in an Acute Dublin Academic Teaching Hospital

Aim: The aim of this organisational development project was to introduce a sweat test clinic for adult patients’ in a large academic teaching hospital. Rationale: The sweat test is used in the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis. The introduction of Ivacaftor, trade name Kalydeco®, for a particular subset of cystic fibrosis patients and the recognition of milder phenotypes of cystic fibrosis in adults had resulted in an increased demand for an adult clinic. Prior to the introduction of the adult service 33 adults were awaiting sweat test appointments and unable to access a sweat test service. Change process: The Health Service Executive change model was used as a framework to guide the change process. A vision for the change was created and the introduction of the clinic was aligned to the mission of the organisation and that of the Health Service Executive, that patients’ will have access to high quality health care. Evaluation: The context, input, process and products model was used to evaluate the organizational development process. This involved evaluation each of the objectives of the project. A target of 8 weeks wait time for an appointment has been achieved. Results and conclusions: The adult sweat test service was implemented with two out of 14 patients’ having a chloride result indicative of cystic fibrosis. A further 19 patients are scheduled for appointment. Use of a structured change model guided successful implementation of the clinic. The target appointment wait time will require regular auditing by the Clinical Chemistry Department to ensure compliance. This will form part of the regular auditing of services as part of the overall laboratory quality management system. The service will be monitored for any increase or decrease in demand ensuring effective use of resources. This is report monthly at the Clinical Chemistry Operational Group meeting

Laboratory quality management system: handbook

"Achieving, maintaining and improving accuracy, timeliness and reliability are major challenges for health laboratories. Countries worldwide committed themselves to build national capacities for the detection of, and response to, public health events of international concern when they decided to engage in the International Health Regulations implementation process. Only sound management of quality in health laboratories will enable countries to produce test results that the international community will trust in cases of international emergency. This handbook is intended to provide a comprehensive reference on Laboratory Quality Management System for all stakeholders in health laboratory processes, from management, to administration, to bench-work laboratorians. This handbook covers topics that are essential for quality management of a public health or clinical laboratory. They are based on both ISO 15189 and CLSI GP26-A3 documents." - p. 7Acknowledgements -- Foreword -- Key words -- 1. Introduction to quality -- 2. Facilities and safety -- 3. Equipment -- 4. Purchasing and inventory -- 5. Process control--sample management -- 6. Process control--introduction to quality control -- 7. Process control--quality control for quantitative tests -- 8. Process control--quality control for qualitative and semiquantitative procedures -- 9. Assessment--audits -- 10. Assessment--external quality assessment -- 11. Assessment--norms and accreditation -- 12. Personnel -- 13. Customer service -- 14. Occurrence management -- 15. Process improvement -- 16. Documents and records -- 17. Information management -- 18. Organization -- Glossary -- Acronyms -- References and resources by chapter -- NotesWorld Health Organization, Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute, CDC."This handbook was developed through collaboration between the WHO Lyon Office for National Epidemic Preparedness and Response, the United States of America Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of Laboratory Systems, and the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). It is based on training sessions and modules provided by the CDC and WHO in more than 25 countries, and on guidelines for implementation of ISO 15189 in diagnostic laboratories, developed by CLSI. " - p. 6Mode of access: World Wide Web as an Acrobat .pdf file (3.61 MB, 247 p.).Includes bibliographical references (p. 237-243 )

Assessing Readiness for e-Health in Egypt : A Case study of Cairo University Hospitals

Implementing E-Health can improve quality of care by increasing accessibility to patient health records, improving governance and administration, and integrating health information into an organized system. However, before implementation occurs, E-Readiness Assessment is an important tool used to evaluate an organization\u27s likelihood of successful adoption. Cairo University Hospitals are still in early stages of implementation, and measures to improve E-Readiness would contribute to the transition from an almost complete lack of health information accessibility to successful adoption of an electronic system. This paper discusses how Cairo University Hospitals would be able to raise the quality of service delivery through E-Readiness and successful implementation of E-Health. Through information gathered from health officials and a case study of Cairo University Hospitals, the benefits of E-Health are reviewed and recommendations for adoption of E-Health are made

Baystate Medical Practices Annual Report - 2019

https://scholarlycommons.libraryinfo.bhs.org/bmpannual_report/1004/thumbnail.jp

Patient-Focused Care: The Restructuring of Healthcare

This thesis will focus on the study of restructuring or redesigning the current healthcare delivery system. with a primary emphasis on the concept of patient-focused care. Patient-focused care is defined as the redesign of patient care so that hospital resources and personnel are organized around patients. rather than around various specialized departments. An overview of the healthcare delivery system prior to 1980 pointed out that healthcare expenses were increasing at far too rapid a rate. The number of Americans without healthcare benefits was climbing and medical record management was out of control. Hospital information systems were obsolete and professional territorialism resulted in skyrocketing expenses. Additionally, the government began to over regulate providers. consumers of healthcare were becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the services provided . insurance companies were putting pressure on providers and the necessity for more advanced technology became evident. Once organizations came to the realization that the need to change was necessary to remain financially viable. the process of change began to occur. The areas of change affected providers at all levels of management. employees, physicians. as well as third party payors and the recipients of healthcare. The purpose of this study is to point out that in order for patient-focused care to be successful. institutions need to update or upgrade their existing information systems. Several case studies were reviewed to support the fact that information systems are critical to the success of implementing the patient-focused concept of delivering care. Additional information to support the benefits of patient-focused care is provided through the evaluation of consumer satisfaction tools as wells as tables and graphs to support financial savings. Results of the study of the research, as well as the analysis of the data provided. created enough evidence to suggest that the hypothesis be accepted to conclude that information systems must be upgraded and/or updated in order to be able to support the rapid changes necessary for the delivery of healthcare

An Assessment of Preparations Made in the United States for Highly Hazardous Communicable Diseases Following the 2014-2016 Ebola Virus Disease Epidemic

The 2014-2016 Ebola virus disease (EVD) epidemic in West Africa was unprecedented in magnitude and scope. The threat of imported cases of EVD in the United States prompted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to establish a tiered network of hospitals to enhance domestic isolation capacity, including the designation of select hospitals as Ebola treatment centers (ETCs). As of spring 2015, no information existed on the capacity, physical infrastructure, staffing models, or infection control protocols of these newly-established ETCs, nor was there information on other highly hazardous communicable diseases (HHCDs) these units would admit. Moreover, no documentation was available on the varying preparedness activities of state health departments related to HHCD transport and the treatment center network. The purpose of theses studies was to assess preparations made in the United States in response to the 2014-16 EVD epidemic; specifically, to determine costs incurred by CDC-designated ETCs in establishing their unit, capabilities developed by ETCs, and guidelines established by state health departments for the management and transportation of patients with EVD or another HHCD. Data were obtained through the distribution of three electronic national assessments; two administered to the 56 CDC-designated ETCs in 2015 and 2016 (85% and 64% response rate, respectively) and one to all state public health departments (73% response rate). On average, responding ETCs incurred $1.2 million in establishing their facility and are awaiting$650,000 in reimbursement. Cumulative capacity of reporting ETCs was 121 beds. Although nearly all facilities had written protocols for various infection control domains, procedures and capabilities varied. ETCs and state health departments differed in reports on diseases that would be treated in high-level isolation. The domestic preparedness efforts described in this dissertation are fundamental to the U.S. response to the next HHCD threat; however, questions on the sustainability and scalability of this network and the use of these units for a non-EVD HHCD outbreak remain

Managing a Multicultural Diversity Workforce in the Medical Laboratory Environment at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC)

Governmental facilities are expected to provide public services to meet the demands of the society. Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), being the main health care provider in Qatar is no difference. By 2030, Qatar aims to be an advanced society capable of sustaining its development and providing a high standard of living for its entire population. To achieve this vision, a wide range of facilities with advanced healthcare technology already in operation or in the near future will be operating by high-skilled expatriates' workforce from other countries due to the national workforce shortage. The diverse workforce coming from different cultural background presents a big challenge for any organization. The dual purpose of this project is to study the employment pattern of laboratory personnel at the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology HMC-DLMP, and to investigate HMC-Human Resource (HR) practices in implementing best recruitment approaches of allied health professionals recruiting programs. Ultimately, the project aims to make recommendations regarding diversity issues and to understand the influence of diversity management in the retention of the multicultural workforce at the DLMP at HMC. Laboratory personnel at HMC come from 28 different nationalities with a majority of 28% from the Philippines followed by Indians and Qataris representing 15% and 14%, respectively. The turnover incidents accounted for 85 occurrences in a period of 3 year (2011-2013) questioning the effectiveness of an already existing retention policy. Furthermore, HMC-HR did not have a dedicated recruitment policy for allied health professionals nor it had a diversity strategy. The project concluded the adoption and implementation of diversity strategy management to help HMC achieve the National Health Strategy (NHS) 2011-2016 and Qatar National Vision (QNV) 2030