Healthcare is one of the most fast-paced, constantly changing industries to date. America is known globally for its powerful advancement in medical technology as well as its quality care. However, pressures such as increasing patient safety issues, inefficient approaches to delivery of care, and profound regulatory burdens are all aspects that providers have to face. These pressures are due to the way today’s society erroneously views healthcare and the necessity of treatment. First of all, risk aversion plays an enormous role in creating a fearful atmosphere for physicians in the healthcare environment.
This is mostly because of the consumer’s drive for being tested and treated just to be on the “safe side”, even if it’s small symptoms. The apprehension of overlooking or underestimating a patient’s symptoms easily turns into the patient being over treated and over tested. The recent 68. 5% percent change in healthcare spending provides evidence that there has been a tremendous increase on prescription drugs. According to the Daily Herald, the “the number one reason is fear of malpractice lawsuit”. The biggest pressure is on emergency rooms across the nations.
Costly and in-depth tests on simple stomach aches and harmless chest pains are ordered with ease rather than physical examinations being done. There is also severe economic pressure from low and declining margins. There isn’t a stable balance in the amount of money spent on medical treatment since it’s so greatly focused on chronic care, which shouldn’t be a focal objective in expenditures. I believe one of the best solutions to these pressures on hospitals and physicians is to invest more money in healthcare quality improvement.
Researching and identifying cost effective techniques within a hospital will provide an enhancement in managed care. In addition, the use of performance improvement methodologies will strengthen the overall performance within a hospital by reducing errors, encouraging communication, and reinforcing organizational structure to provide a stronger workforce. In using these methodologies, there is a culture created internally that drives towards continuous improvement and presents less probability of excessive tests and over treatment of patients.