UNE HCA610 2021 January All Assignments Latest

HCA610 HEALTHCARE QUALITY FOR ENHANCED VALUE-BASED PATIENT OUTCOMES

Week 1 Assignment  

Research Activity

Many organizations support healthcare quality in the United States. In this activity, investigate one quality-focused organization such as The Joint Commission, Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Leapfrog Group, National Committee for Quality Assurance, National Quality Forum, or Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, etc. Analyze the following components as they might apply to healthcare improvement and their potential application to a healthcare system:

History of the organization

Purpose

Data repositories and analytics

Tools

Key Initiatives

Influence and impact on quality management activities

Consider the three primary quality management activities of measurement, assessment, and improvement as well as who might be responsible for this work in a healthcare organization.

Assignment length: 3-4 pages double-spaced, not including cover page and reference page. Use conventional grammar, punctuation, mechanics and APA formatting. Refer to the Research Activity Rubric in the syllabus or from My Grades for submission guidelines.

 

HCA610 HEALTHCARE QUALITY FOR ENHANCED VALUE-BASED PATIENT OUTCOMES

Week 2 Assignment  

Case Study - Measuring Performance

For any healthcare activity, four performance factors can be measured: structure, process, outcome, and patient experience. Identify one measure from each of these categories that could be used to evaluate the following ambulatory surgery center admission process:

Upon arrival, the patient reports to the center’s registration or admitting area. The patient completes paperwork, provides an identification card, and supplies insurance information if insured.  Money for the patient’s insurance copay or self-pay deposit is collected at this time. Often, patients register on the surgery center’s website before the date of admission to facilitate the registration process. An identification bracelet, including the patient’s name and doctor’s name, is placed around the patient’s wrist. Before any procedure is performed the patient is asked to sign a consent form. If the patient is not feeling well, a family member or caregiver can help the patient complete the admission process.

Describe, in fundamental terms, each measure you selected to evaluate the surgery center’s admission process. What are the numerator and denominator? If the measure does not require a numerator and denominator, explain why.

Suppose the manager of the surgery center’s registration area wants to gather data to report performance results for the measures you have chosen. What data sources could be used to gather information for the measures? Why would these data sources be best for gathering reliable data? How does technology support these processes?

Provide your response in a WORD document that is 3-4 pages (not including cover and reference pages), double-spaced. Use APA style format and citations, conventional grammar, punctuation, and writing mechanics. Your case study response should include:

An introduction that summarizes the case study.

Responses to each of the questions posed in the prompt. When responding to these questions, address the scenario presented in the case.

Offer your own opinion. Explain what you think about the case study. (Support your responses with references from the class readings).

A brief conclusion to the case study.

Refer to the Case Study Rubric in the syllabus or from My Grades for submission guidelines.

 

HCA610 HEALTHCARE QUALITY FOR ENHANCED VALUE-BASED PATIENT OUTCOMES

Week 3 Assignment  

Value Stream Map Activity

There are three parts to this assignment that you will submit in one Word document.

Select a simple healthcare process with which you are familiar, identify the key steps to the process, and draft a process map. You can use any tool you would like for this (e.g. Word, PPT, etc). There should be at least 6-8 steps in your process to ensure you have sufficient detail. Then, identify from the customer’s perspective, which steps are value-added and which are non-value-added? Shade the non-value-added steps to be a different color.

Next, you will generate a value-added flow analysis in an Excel spreadsheet using QI Macros. QI Macros is an add-in application that enables you to perform specific quality improvement analyses. To complete this assignment and another assignment in week 5, you can download a 30-day free trial of QI Macros (https://www.qimacros.com/). Before you download the free trial, be sure to check that the two assignments will fall within the 30-days.

Download the free trial following the prompts (installation help). Open an Excel spreadsheet. Then, go to QI Macros —> Lean Tools —> Value Added Flow Analysis and enter data in all five columns for the value-stream analysis (data from your process step information including time estimates) into the template (template help).

Write a 2-3 page (double-spaced) analysis which addresses the following questions:

Describe the process and why selected?

Describe how you might collect the required data for the value stream map?

What is the breakout of value-added versus non-value-added steps? Note: you can filter value-added vs non-value added steps in the data table.

Identify 2-3 ways you might improve the process given your analysis.

Explain how technology might be used to support the process.

Submit one WORD document that includes a screenshot of your process map and Value-Added Flow Analysis, and your written analysis. Refer to the Value Stream Map Activity Rubric in the syllabus or from My Grades for submission guidelines

 

HCA610 HEALTHCARE QUALITY FOR ENHANCED VALUE-BASED PATIENT OUTCOMES

Week 4 Assignment  

Article Critique

In this assignment, you will apply critical thinking skills to appraise strategies for increasing the reliability and safety of healthcare processes by critiquing an article on a quality improvement initiative.

Read ONE of the following articles:

Godlock, G., Christiansen, M., & Feider, L. (2016). Implementation of an evidence-based patient safety team to prevent falls in inpatient medical units. Medsurg Nursing, 25(1), 17-23.

Dixon-Woods, M., & Pronovost, P. J. (2016). Patient safety and the problem of many hands. BMJ Quality and Safety, 25(7), 485-488. doi:10.1136/bmjqs-2016-005232

Sutcliffe, K. M., Paine, L., & Pronovost, P. J. (2017). Re-examining high reliability: Actively organising for safety. BMJ Quality & Safety, 26(3), 248-251. doi:10.1136/bmjqs-2015-004698

Cohen, D. L., & Stewart, K. O. (2016). The stories clinicians tell: Achieving high reliability and improving patient safety. The Permanente Journal, 20(1), 85.

Review How to Write a Critical Analysis from the Teaching and Learning Center, UW.

Prepare a critique of the article you read. Write your critique in standard essay form using APA style and format, conventional grammar, punctuation, and mechanics. Your critique should be 4-5 pages, double-spaced, not including cover page and reference page. It is generally best not to follow the author's organization when organizing your analysis since this approach lends itself to summary rather than analysis.

Begin with an introduction that defines the subject of your critique and your point of view:

You will first need to identify and explain the author’s ideas. Include citations from the article that support your description of the author’s point of view (you may summarize, quote, or paraphrase).

Preview your point of view on the subject and the author’s ideas

Defend your point of view by raising specific issues or aspects of the argument:

Offer your own opinion. Explain what you think about the argument.

Describe several points with which you agree or disagree.

For each of the points you mention, include specific citations from the article (you may summarize, quote, or paraphrase) that provide evidence for your point of view.

Explain how the article citations support your opinion.

Conclude your critique by summarizing your argument and re-emphasizing your opinion. Refer to the Article Critique Rubric in the syllabus or from My Grades for submission guidelines

 

HCA610 HEALTHCARE QUALITY FOR ENHANCED VALUE-BASED PATIENT OUTCOMES

Week 5 Assignment  

Statistical Process Control (SPC) Activity

Read these articles on control charts:

Coory, M., Duckett, S., & Sketcher-Baker, K. (2008, 2007). Using control charts to monitor quality of hospital care with administrative data. International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 20(1), 31-39. doi:10.1093/intqhc/mzm060

Perla, R. J., Provost, L. P., & Murray, S. K. (2011). The run chart: A simple analytical tool for learning from variation in healthcare processes. BMJ Quality and Safety, 20(1), 46-51. doi:10.1136/bmjqs.2009.037895

Duclos, A., & Voirin, N. (2010). The p-control chart: A tool for care improvement. International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 22(5), 402-407. doi:10.1093/intqhc/mzq037

Use the sample data provided below and QI Macros (https://www.qimacros.com/) to complete the tasks below. You should have downloaded the 30-day free trial of QI Macros in week 3. Start by completing the QI Macros tutorial (in the Excel menu, you will see the QI Macros for 2018 menu option, then select QI Macros Tutorial).

Resources to review from the QIMacros website:

QIMacros How to Guide: (https://www.qimacros.com/pdf/QI-Macros-How-To-Guide.pdf)

What is a Control Chart? (https://www.qimacros.com/control-chart/)

What is a Pareto Chart? (https://www.qimacros.com/pareto-chart-excel/)

Histogram in Excel with Cp, Cpk: (https://www.qimacros.com/histogram-excel/)

After completing the tutorial, download this data file Click for more options

to complete the following tasks:

Complete a histogram of the falls data. 

Complete a Pareto chart using the medication errors data. 

Complete a control chart (run chart) using the patient data.

Draft a 2-3 page summary of your results and include:

What does each chart convey?

How might you use the information provided?

Consider the key points from the readings and potential applications.

Discuss the upper control limit (UCL) and lower control limit (LCL) of the control chart (run chart).

Submit one WORD document with a screenshot of each chart followed by your written analysis. Refer to the Statistical Process Control Activity Rubric in the syllabus or from My Grades for submission guidelines.

 

HCA610 HEALTHCARE QUALITY FOR ENHANCED VALUE-BASED PATIENT OUTCOMES

Week 6 Assignment  

Research Paper - Applying a Performance Improvement Methodology

In this assignment, you will be stepping through a full cycle of performance improvement. Your work on this research paper will provide you an opportunity to take a deep dive into a performance improvement methodology and apply it to an authentic value-based care performance problem.

For this research paper, you will first choose one value-based care performance problem from the list below:

Value-based Care Performance Problems:

More than 25 percent of the insurance claims submitted by a clinic are rejected because of mistakes made by the clinic’s billing clerks.

Patients experience long wait times and delays for outpatient diagnostic services.

A large number of hospitalized patients develop a wound infection following surgery.

Labor costs are too high in the radiology department.

Patients’ overall satisfaction with the emotional support provided by nurses is lower than the satisfaction levels reported for other hospitals.

Next, you will select one performance improvement methodology such as PDSA/PDCA, Lean or Six Sigma/DMAIC, to apply to your chosen value-based care performance problem.

As part of your research, provide information on the current use of the performance improvement methodology you selected, in healthcare. Has the methodology been found to impact quality and performance in healthcare?

Provide a detailed plan for how you will apply your selected performance improvement methodology to resolve the value-based performance problem. 

Consider and explain how informatics and technology may improve performance. This should be specific to the performance problem you selected.

Paper length: 5 to 7 pages, not including cover page and reference page.

Remember, this is a professional paper. You will need to draw upon your course readings as well as conduct additional research in your investigation. Use conventional grammar, punctuation, mechanics and APA style and formatting. Your paper should flow well and be organized to effectively guide the reader in learning about the topic. Refer to the Research Paper Rubric in the syllabus or from My Grades for submission guidelines.

 

HCA610 HEALTHCARE QUALITY FOR ENHANCED VALUE-BASED PATIENT OUTCOMES

Week 7 Assignment  

Analytics Use Case

This assignment provides practical experience with thinking through how analytics could be applied in a specific situation. A use case is simply a structured scenario. Below are two examples of use cases. While the scenarios are different, the websites provide examples of what a use case is and how used.

Use Cases

Defining Use Cases

Assignment Instructions

To begin, download the Analytics Use Case (form plus examples) from the Strome (2013) textbook website: (http://healthcareanalytics.info/book/#.WvJeK4gvyUk). Click on Downloads and Special Content and enter password: analyticsbook.

For this assignment you will complete the analytics use case template for the scenario below:

Norfolk Health has one hospital and four clinics in the community. Norfolk has an integrated EHR system in places and uses lean methods for quality improvement. The organization now wants to develop a population health QI program related to childhood immunization status.

Select one of the immunization measures below and complete the use case template that describes how analytics might be used to support this work. Provide a complete and cohesive response to each item on the template so it is clear how the measure will be used.

Childhood Immunization Status (eCQM)4:

1) Five Diptheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis vaccinations (DTap, DT)

Give to children at ages 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15-18 months, 4-6 years. May give dose #1 as early as age 6 weeks.

May give #4 as early as age 12 months if 6 months have elapsed since #3.

Do not give DTaP/DT to children age 7 years and older.

If possible, use the same DTaP product for all doses.

2) Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)

Give dose #1 at age 12-15 months.

Give MMR at age 6 through 11 months if traveling internationally; then revaccinate at age 12 months (and at least 4 weeks from the previous dose). The dose given at younger than 12 months does not count toward the 2-dose series.

Give dose #2 at age 4-6 years. Dose #2 may be given earlier if at least 4 weeks since dose #1. For MMRV: dose #2 may be given earlier if at least 3 months since dose #1.

Give a 2nd dose to all older children and teens with a history of only 1 dose.

Submit your completed use case template in Blackboard. Refer to the Analytics Use Case Rubric in the syllabus or from My Grades for submission guidelines.

 

HCA610 HEALTHCARE QUALITY FOR ENHANCED VALUE-BASED PATIENT OUTCOMES

Week 8 Assignment  

Reflection Paper

Provide a response of about 350-500 words that reflects on what we have covered in this class and your experience. Address the following key areas:

What are the top three things you learned in this class and why? Make sure to address both healthcare quality and informatics in your response.

How can you apply these learnings? How is what you learned in this class relevant to your current and/or future work?

Submit as a Word document. Refer to the Reflection Rubric in the syllabus or from My Grades for submission guidelines.