Key Performance Indicators Dashboard in Healthcare Assignment
Key Performance Indicators Dashboard in Healthcare
Actual Dashboard from a Professional Setting
Introduction
Benchmarking refers to the process of comparing the performance characteristic with the performance of another organization or department (Cimasi, 2013). One of the dashboards applied is the Key Performance Indicators which measure the level of achievements in an organization. Due to their sophistication, KPIs are applicable in large facilities with a massive influx of patients. Besides, KPIs are most appropriate in inpatient care as they comprise of concepts such as the number of patients, the waiting time and the duration of patients’ stay in the facility. Also, this benchmarking scheme accommodates the diversity of population by taking statistics for older patients and data can be grouped according to the ethnic groups assumed by the patients.
Benchmark Metrics
One of the benchmark metrics of the key performance indicator dashboard is the patient engagement with the medical practitioners. For example, the patient engagement records at 59 % compared to the average 34 % recorded by Massachusetts medical society (Volpp, 2016). Another benchmark metric is the readmission rates which measures the number of patients who report back to the facility for the same complications. For example, the readmission rates for heart attack recorded in USA hospitals is 22% compared to the national benchmark of 17.6 set by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services (Stastica, 2018). Quality metrics are also utilized and measure the effectiveness showed in access, safety, and quality initiatives. For example, patient satisfaction ranges at 63.6% according to which is below the national benchmark of 88.2 % (Girotra, Cram & Popescu, 2012).
Metrics Below the Mandated Benchmarks
According to the survey, one of the metrics below the mandated criteria is the quality metrics which lead to low satisfaction among the patients. The services offered in a health facility should be satisfactory according to the desires of the patients, failure to which leads to frustrations and dissatisfactions.
Another underperforming benchmark is the readmission rare as the value recorded surpasses the required percentage. Such rate shows the poor treatment schemes present in the treatment of heart failures which lead to the reemergence of the conditions.
Although benchmarks provide an easy way of gauging performance, they are marred by weaknesses which cast doubts in their utilization. For instance, KPIs do not measure the effectiveness of the operational metrics (Carroll, 2013). Although benchmarks show the success achieved by other departments, they do not provide information on circumstances which made the departments to achieve such performance. Another disadvantage is that comparisons of different departments lead to increased dependency. Departments become concerned with how other departments are performing and eliminate the idea of making independent decisions. The main body involved in the formulation of metrics is the health systems performance assessment, a process which allows the evaluation of health systems in a specific country.
Challenges when Minimizing Readmission Rates
One of the challenges observed by an organization which leads to high readmission rates is the operational and capital funding (Cornelius, 2010). When carrying out treatment schemes, healthcare facilities apply intense treatment schemes that suppress the health complications and serve as a counteractive mechanism for eliminating such complications. Besides, intensive care requires the presence of recent technologies in medicine that offer high-quality treatment. It should be noted that such facilities require a high capital, which possesses as a challenge to the healthcare facilities. Patients admitted in such facilities face high changes of readmissions due to the failure of the facilities to offer intensive medical care. For the organization to display the same performance, it must obtain funding which might be a challenge.
In the efforts of offering patient satisfaction, healthcare facilities face some challenges which contribute to low patient satisfaction. One of the challenges met is providing maximum time for the interaction between patients and medical practitioners. In most cases, nurses and doctors serve a large volume of patients due to the shortages of medical practitioners in the field. It should be noted that a large workforce mounts a lot of pressure on workers which affects their attitude when offering medical attention. Such scenarios contribute to the low service attitude reported by patients, which lower their level of satisfaction.
The challenges can be attributed to the underperformance of the benchmarks even after a successful benchmarking exercise. Although a department or an institution can be willing to adopt the new concepts learned from the benchmarking schemes, the absence of the required resources means that only a part of the benchmark results will be approved. For instance, the organization may be willing to reduce the number of referrals during patients’ visit to the health facility. However, the absence of services such as surgical services will translate to underperformance, as the available workforce will not be in a position to offer the required services.
Benchmark Underperformance
From the analysis of the categories addressed by KPIs, the main underperforming benchmarks is the high rate of the readmission of patients. High levels of underperformance are witnessed in the readmission category when a lot of patients are readmitted within the thirty days after medical attention (Acton, 2012). Such cases show the inadequate medical attention offered to patients that fail to address their health complications. Besides, high rates depict that most of the patients are discharged before they fully recover, a factor that necessitates readmission schemes. However, medical facilities have voiced their concerns on the use of the readmission rates to gauge the quality of health care offered to the patient. High readmission rates have been associated with low mortality rates, which explain the quality of Medicare offered.
The quality benchmark has the highest efficiency among the staff as it addresses the safety standards observed in the workplace. For example, medical practitioners will be more satisfied in a facility, which caters for their safety and has equipment which contributes to a smooth operation. High cases of readmission lead to a poor health status of the community, which the organization serves. The cases also translate to inadequate medical attention and lead to high mortality rates in the community. However, the application of modern and sophisticated medicine and technologies has a substantial contribution to the improvement of the quality of medical attention offered. Introduction of advanced technologies will lead to intensive medical care which is imperative in reducing readmission rates.
Ethical Action in Benchmarking
After the analysis of the benchmarks, it is evident that most of the underperformance is witnessed on the admission rate benchmark. Therefore, the service providers are the primary stakeholders whom the advocacy should be directed. Service providers will be expected to ensure healthcare facilities have modern facilities. The inclusion of sophisticated treatment options will reduce the rates of readmissions due to the high-quality services after the addition of contemporary treatment schemes.
One of the ways of lowering the high rate of readmissions is by equipping medical practitioners who deal with patients who are likely to be readmitted with empathy and communication skills. However, confidentiality ethics should be followed by treating the information obtained from an organization as confidential (Sower, Duffy & Kohers, 2008). In this scenario, the information gathered from the organization about the number of readmissions for that ailment should not be communicated to the patients. Another way of ensuring readmission is at its lowest levels in the formulation of discharge summaries which address on the medication carried out during treatment and medications to be taken after discharge. Besides, the principle governing the use of the data should be applied as the information obtained should only be used for monitoring patient progress. The organization should refrain from using the data in consultation schemes or when dealing with clients.
The service care providers are obliged to take action to improve the quality of health care offered by the facility. In most cases, health facilities are recognized by their ability to ease the patients’ burden by addressing their health complications. Addressing the gaps witnessed in the facilities will aid in the acquisition of better medical care which is the primary goal aimed by service care providers.