Introduction
Hospitals and institutional managers should provide medical services that are safe and capable of meeting or exceeding the unique expectations of their patients. Healthcare workers and their respective leaders can apply their competencies, improve the level of communication, and promote desirable values in an attempt to advocate for different individuals. Medical institutions should provide adequate resources, excellent working conditions, and tools that can contribute to patient satisfaction and safety.
The purpose of this paper is to describe the relationship between safety measures and cost savings, define the Joint Commission’s role in the healthcare sector, and reflect on my future roles in this field. The responsibility of the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) regarding patient satisfaction and safety will also be discussed.
Patient Safety and Cost Savings
Patient safety is a concept that guides medical professionals to promote the welfare and experiences of individuals in need of health services. These experts should consider and implement evidence-based measures to prevent, report, examine and treat illnesses in a timely manner. They should go further to reduce sentinel events, minimize chances of rehospitalization, and eventually deliver desirable medical outcomes (Okafor, Ugwu, & Okon, 2018). This goal is achievable when hospitals and facilities take the issue seriously. This is possible if they introduce superior medical equipment, install monitoring systems, embrace the power of informatics, and educate stakeholders on the subject. These practices will ensure that more patients receive personalized services, thereby increasing the level of safety.
With these strategies or initiatives in place, the chances are high that more facilities will reduce the costs associated with the delivery and consumption of medical services. The implementation of appropriate measures in different hospitals across the United States reduced hospital-acquired infections by around 8 percent from 2014 to 2016 (Heath, 2018). During the same period, the country managed to avoid over 350,000 hospital-related illnesses or infections, such as urinary tract infections (UTIs), pressure ulcers, central-line bloodstream conditions, and surgical site infections (Heath, 2018).
In a report released by the AHRQ, the implementation of safety measures can prevent around 8,000 deaths annually (Heath, 2018). In terms of savings, such efforts have made it possible for American hospitals to retain 2.9 billion dollars (Heath, 2018). This amount of money can be used to introduce superior technologies and procedures that can result in positive health outcomes.
This information explains why existing and new medical institutions should take the issue of patient safety seriously. Through continuous experimentation and innovation, such hospitals will be able to engage and guide their workers to put the needs of their patients first. They will go further to improve cleanliness, introduce measures to prevent sentinel events, hire the right number of professionals, and promote teamwork (Okafor et al., 2018).
Such institutions will also consider and introduce evidence-based clinical guidelines that can streamline the delivery of medical services. Patients should be able to receive timely, effective, personalized, and culturally competent care. These measures will ensure that safety becomes a priority. The end result is that such hospitals will not record increased cases of hospital-acquired infections, sentinel events, or medication errors (Yang, Poly, & Li, 2019). This means that they will save a lot of money and reduce the expenses different patients have to incur.
Joint Commission’s Role in Healthcare
The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) is one of the agencies that focus on the initiatives, practices, and procedures different medical institutions in the United States undertake to meet the needs of their respective patients. The role of this organization can be understood by examining its current mission. The statement indicates that the agency strives to improve the quality and safety of care available to members of the public from different medical facilities by providing desirable accreditation and appraisal services (“About the Joint Commission,” n.d.).
These measures are usually aimed at improving the performance of such health care organizations and ensuring that they implement emerging technologies, clinical guidelines, and care delivery models. Hospitals that receive the Joint Commission’s accreditation are recognized across the country as symbols of patient safety and quality care. This means that such institutions have met the criterion for commitment towards fulfilling the required performance standards. This practice has become a powerful predictor that guides or empowers patients and community members to make appropriate decisions when selecting the best medical facility to receive high-quality services.
Hospitals that want to receive the Joint Commission’s accreditation and certification should begin by introducing and implementing powerful measures that revolve around the ideas of patient safety and health outcomes. The commission will appraise and monitor these strategies to ensure that they are acceptable and capable of improving the experiences of all the targeted individuals. When more facilities pursue this certificate, the chances are high that more patients will continue to receive reliable, personalized, and high-quality medical services (“About the Joint Commission,” n.d.). This is a clear indication that the Joint Commission’s primary role is to undertake appropriate measures that have the potential to maximize patient satisfaction and safety in the United States.
My Future Role in Healthcare
My aim is to become a competent practitioner in the future and continue to transform the quality of medical services available to different patients. I understand that professionals in this field have to undertake numerous roles and activities that can improve the health outcomes of different individuals. As a medical expert, I will be keen to advocate for my patients, inform them about their rights, and guide them to engage in self-care practices. It will also be necessary to be involved, solve emerging challenges, and educate them about the most appropriate strategies towards recording positive health results. I understand that nurses should be ready to establish tangible and positive relationships with the targeted individuals (Yang et al., 2019).
This practice will make it possible for me to understand the unique issues affecting them and develop evidence-based care delivery plans. These measures or practices will empower more patients to achieve their health objectives.
The next issue to consider is the ability to collaborate with my colleagues and other professionals in healthcare to deliver high-quality services. This strategy will support superior practices, including shared values, effective communication, timely decision-making, and genuine problem-solving (Yang et al., 2019). I will be willing to promote the idea of multidisciplinary teams in my department or unit. This development will make it possible for professionals from different fields to collaborate and design evidence-based or personalized care delivery models. They will be willing to take the issue of cultural competence seriously throughout every treatment procedure.
These critical roles are essential since they focus on the wellbeing and medical outcomes of every patient. Such strategies and approaches will make it possible for my facility to record high patient safety scores. This is possible since the establishment of personal relationships with individuals can minimize sentinel events, prevent medication errors, and understand the complications associated with the individual’s condition. The patient will eventually get timely and sustainable medical services. Similarly, the established care delivery teams will improve the experiences of the targeted individuals (Okafor et al., 2018).
These efforts and personal initiatives will contribute significantly to patient safety. It will also be appropriate to engage in continuous learning and transform my professional philosophy. The possible outcome is that I will have acquired additional concepts and ideas for improving the quality of available medical services.
It will be necessary to continue identifying emerging models and theories that can result in patient satisfaction and safety. For instance, I will pursue emerging technologies that have been critical in the healthcare sector. I can consider the role of applications that can make it easier for me to communicate with different patients instantly and provide timely information even when I am not in my workplace. I can also encourage my colleagues to consider the role and applicability of such innovations. I will go further to enroll and complete various courses that revolve around the issue of patient safety, such as drug administration techniques (Okafor et al., 2018).
These strategies will widen my skills and prepare me for complex roles in every healthcare setting. Through continuous collaboration with different professionals and stakeholders, I will be in a position to achieve my aims and eventually improve the outcomes and experiences of the greatest number of patients.
Chief Nursing Officer and Patient Safety
Due to the complexities and developments recorded in the American healthcare sector, different professionals and leaders have been required to undertake numerous roles that will transform the experiences of the greatest number of citizens. One of these experts found in different medical facilities is the Chief Nursing Officers (CNO). This professional should undertake a wide range of roles that promote the level of accountability and guide followers to implement powerful procedures and strategies that have the potential to maximize patient safety (Ingwell-Spolan, 2018). Each strategy or practice will create the best environment and guide others to improve the satisfaction of different individuals.
Firstly, CNOs should apply their competencies to maintain desirable patient-care and clinical principles in their respective institutions. They achieve this objective by working closely with the top management to acquire the right devices and resources and formulate sustainable care delivery plans. They will go further to offer instructions and guidelines that have the potential to improve the level of patient safety in the targeted institution. Ingwell-Spolan (2018) indicates that CNOs are mandated or expected to formulate reliable nursing strategies in different units depending on the changing demands of the targeted patients.
Secondly, these experts should undertake various supervisory and administrative roles that ensure that every activity is performed diligently. They will organize, coordinate, and direct medical services. This is done to ensure that medical practitioners and clinicians comply with the established policies and regulations (Ingwell-Spolan, 2018). They can go further to educate nurses in an attempt to improve their philosophies. These practices and efforts will eventually ensure that the targeted patients receive high-quality, sustainable, and reliable medical care.
Thirdly, CNOs will improve the level of patient safety in their respective institutions when they act as leaders and mentor their followers effectively. This strategy makes it possible for them to encourage their practitioners to consider or promote evidence-based practices that are supported by existing nursing theories. The leader will promote the best environment that improves the levels of communication and collaboration. The CNO will solve emerging problems, offer timely guidelines, and create new models depending on the demands of the targeted patients (Ingwell-Spolan, 2018). These efforts will ensure that more individuals record positive health outcomes and experiences.
Finally, CNOs can undertake the role of an advisor and guide their respective institutions to identify appropriate accreditations that will maximize patient safety. They can go further to undertake research activities and present their ideas for improving care delivery (Yang et al., 2019). They will highlight and recommend specific technologies that have the potential to maximize the outcomes of different individuals. These initiatives explain why medical facilities should employ competent CNOs in order to get closer to their patient safety goals.
Conclusion
The above discussion has identified patient satisfaction and safety as critical issues that healthcare institutions and their respective leaders should take seriously. When appropriate measures are put in place, the chances are high that cost savings will be made. The Joint Commission’s efforts and strategies have continued to guide and make it possible for many organizations to take the idea of patient safety to the next level. Nurses, clinicians, and caregivers should consider personal practices and initiatives that will minimize sentinel events and empower more citizens. CNOs should also continue to undertake their respective roles in an attempt to improve the nature, effectiveness, and integrity of the healthcare sector.
References
About the Joint Commission. (n.d.). Web.
Heath, S. (2018). Hospital patient safety efforts reduce hospital conditions by 8%. Patient Engagement Hit. Web.
Ingwell-Spolan, C. (2018). Chief Nursing Officers’ views on meeting the needs of the professional nurse: How this can affect patient outcomes. Healthcare, 6(2), 56-65. Web.
Okafor, C. H., Ugwu, A. C., & Okon, I. E. (2018). Effects of patient safety culture on patient satisfaction with radiological services in Nigerian radiodiagnostic practice. Journal of Patient Experience, 5(4), 267-271. Web.
Yang, H., Poly, T. N., & Li, Y. (2019). Challenges of patient’s safety, satisfaction and quality of care in developing and developed counties. International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 31(5), 323-324. Web.