What does healthcare quality mean to you?
To me, quality means the best of the best, not skimping on important features or details no matter the product or service. When purchasing a TV, many engaged consumers will read consumer reviews, ask their electronically savvy friends or family, and talk with a sales man about what’s the best buy. Quality is important, but so is price, ease of use, aesthetics, etc.
But what about more important decisions like choosing a healthcare provider? Does quality cross your mind? What are you looking for? How do you even gauge the quality of your local doctors? To be honest, for me, quality in healthcare is primarily my satisfaction in our relationship. I have never put a critical eye to my doctors' qualifications and credentials. Instead, I just turn to friends for recommendations. I just assume the doctor is good if they went to med school and are empathetic and kind to me. But recently, I learned there's much more to quality than that - and it can be extremely important in life or death situations.
Did you know there are new scientific guidelines released regularly for doctors and hospitals to follow even the simplest of processes? And it's not even a requirement to follow these, but instead voluntary! For example, if your parent or spouse is being rushed to the hospital for a heart attack the provider should determine if angioplasty is necessary and get the patient to the OR within 90 minutes for the best outcome. Or if you’re being discharged after a stroke, you should receive ample time with the provider to go over a recovery plan and your medication list to avoid simple mistakes such as conflicting prescriptions. With limited resources, hospitals are overlooking the simple things that could be damaging to your health and cause re-admittance to the hospital - higher costs, worse health and more heartaches. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, one in five Medicare patients return to the hospital within 30 days of discharge. Yikes!
The American Heart Association, among other organizations, is an advocate for patients. They offer certifications to hospitals following heart-related guidelines, and continuously track progress by monitoring patient data. And it's saving lives. A study last fall found that 355 high-complying hospitals in the program had slightly lower 30-day mortality rates for heart failure and heart attack patients than nonparticipants, which would translate into 1,800 to 3,500 lives saved a year if all U.S. hospitals met the same standards. Of course, following guidelines may not be the end-all-be-all to your health, but it's certainly worth some more research to make sure your doctor is providing the best care and paying attention to important guidelines and processes.
Take a look at this NY Times article for some tips on taking charge. Are you doing enough to measure how your doctor treats you? Make sure you do your homework, so when an emergency arises (hoping it doesn't) you know what to ask and how to advocate for your health.
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first.
Leave a Comment