Apply Now DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY John G. Rangos, Sr. School of Health Sciences Home >> Blog >> Articles Quality Improvement in Healthcare: What Health Professionals Need to Know Quality Improvement in Healthcare: What Health Professionals Need to Know July 16, 2020 Articles T To charter a meaningful, prosperous career in the healthcare industry, an individual must be equipped with the skills and knowledge to improve the quality of healthcare. As someone tasked with providing hands-on care fo https://onlinehealthsciences.duq.edu/blog/quality-improvement-in-healthcare/ 1/4 12/6/21, 10:21 AM The Importance of Quality Improvement in Healthcare patients, healthcare professionals that become administrators should aim for strong positive impacts on patients' lives. They must have a complete understanding of the issues that frequently arise and that prevent quality care. Consistent success depends on the ability to confidently operate medical technology and devices to improve patient outcomes. The most impactful decisions at any healthcare institution are decided by top-level administrators who demonstrate the previously mentioned characteristics. Individuals with an online Master of Health Administration (MHA) are poised to reap many professional benefits in their careers by leveraging the management of quality services delivered by their healthcare employers. Be Able to Make a Stronger Impact on Patient Lives When administrators work individually to improve healthcare quality, they make impacts on patients' well-being. Clear communication ensures the comprehension of a patient's condition and encourages healthcare providers to give clear instructions to patients after treatment. A key aspect of improving healthcare quality is building trust and offering complete transparency. Establishing trust with full disclosure and explaining treatment and recovery processes is a skill graduates must develop to ensure personal success. Candidates looking to be administrators must learn to display professional competence to ensure that patients are on a path to treatment and recovery. This includes performing with consistent timeliness and delivering effective service whenever it's requested. An MHA develops the professional etiquette and skills to consistently improve quality care. The subject matter taught can ready graduates to understand and remedy the possible challenges of working face to face with patients and having a strong positive impact on their lives. Understand the Complex Issues That May Prevent Quality Care In some situations, certain administrative red tape and a lack of insurance may prevent a facility from providing care. For example, an uninsured patient needing a high-cost medical treatment may be unable to find alternatives. The skill set needed to mitigate patient concerns and knowing how to guide patients toward an attainable option is critical to helping patients make decisions with financial and legal implications. The conditions of facilities and their reputation for quality may act as major influences when patients search for healthcare providers. Being able to assess the limitations of a facility with the patient-to-staff ratios and other equity measures will help potential administrators understand the capacity at which they can operate. An MHA provides an understanding of legal and insurance-related obstacles patients and administrators face daily. Along with a well-rounded understanding of these prevention scenarios, individuals will graduate with the knowledge and ability to mitigate these delicate situations effectively and professionally, which improves the quality of healthcare in these circumstances. Know Which Technologies and Devices Are Crucial to Positive Patient Outcomes 12/6/21, 10:21 AM The Importance of Quality Improvement in Healthcare Healthcare administrators must develop an understanding of medical equipment that facilities use routinely to care for patients. Facilities and healthcare organizations with more advanced technology and medical devices are suited to provide a higher quality of care. Achieving an understanding of these shifting technologies will establish potential administrators as dependable, capable professionals. An MHA will fortify potential graduates with the cognitive skills needed to navigate medical technology and devices and adapt to new ones, all of which aim to provide positive patient outcomes. Act as a Leader and Make Widespread, Impactful Change Within any medical facility or organization, high-ranking administrators make the decisions that will impact and improve quality healthcare. Individuals must be able to assess facts and figures, such as mortality rates by type of condition, and other patient safety measures that dictate the efficiency of care and use that information to determine what approaches will improve quality and produce better results. In healthcare, strong leadership is centered on the empowerment of people, staff and patients alike. Monitoring performance and exceeding standards whether through accreditation or national organizations is an essential role for high-level administrators. Operating referral systems in the chain of care and using fact-based methods to monitor the quality of all care provided are other impactful ways leaders in this industry find success. An MHA will fully reveal the expectations required to become a high-ranking administrative leader in this industry. The knowledge gained will empower potential healthcare administrators to rise to prominent positions and successfully improve the quality of healthcare. Learn How You Can Improve the Quality of Healthcare Services Improving the quality of healthcare is important to both patients and healthcare professionals. Administrators who can display the consideration and consistency to positively impact patients on a personal level will leave long- lasting impressions and improve healthcare quality. Individuals must know the common legal and financial issues when working with patients and provide safe, reliable alternatives. Potential graduates must also have a complete grasp of current medical technology and be savvy enough to adapt to future systems and technologies. Learn how earning an online Master of Health Administration from Duquesne University will provide motivated graduates with the know-how to become leaders in administration and improve the quality of healthcare. Recommended Readings How to Become a Hospital CEO In-Demand MHA Career Opportunities for Graduates MHA vs. MBA: What Students Need to Know https://onlinehealthsciences.duq.edu/blog/quality-improvement-in-healthcare/ 2/4 24 Sources https://onlinehealthsciences.duq.edu/blog/quality-improvement-in-healthcare/