Explain and evaluate the ways quality assurance/improvement and clinical outcome measurements are supported by clinical information systems.

Explain and evaluate the ways quality assurance/improvement and clinical outcome measurements are supported by clinical information systems.

Students’ post:
Although many nurses entered into this profession with the thought of helping people at the lowest point, it is evident that hospitals are corporations that depend on financial stability as an end result. As a financial corporation, it is crucial to analyze the barriers within the everyday processes that are costly to the corporation which include medical errors, falls, hospital-acquired infections, and the slowing of the process of transitioning patients from the emergency room to inpatient, and then discharge.
It is for this reason that hospitals are under increasing pressure to improve outcomes because they are operating in a value-based care environment in which patients have become increasingly informed and are purposefully pursuing treatment at facilities that have a higher reputation for their standard of care. Many hospitals use the structured approach of quality improvement to evaluate their performances of systems and processes to determine if improvements are needed by relying on routine collection and analysis of data through the use of clinical information systems. It is necessary to foster an environment of creative exchange by creating a vision for quality by involving shared stakeholders and frontline members of the corporation and engaging these individuals to help define priorities for safety and promoting transparency of the need for cost savings. It is crucial to not only develop and agree on a plan to implement improvement activities but also to become transparent regarding current initiatives and celebrate the successes of current wins of the company. Evaluation of clinical outcome measurements is also dependent on the implementation of a strong IT system to record data, changes, and plans by using an electronic health record system (Eby, 2018).
Quality improvement, therefore, includes the use of data collection and analysis using information systems to improve processes within the health care industry. IT in healthcare leverages the use of EHR and health information exchanges to assist with quality enhancements such as generating patient reminders for preventative health checkups as well as providing access to laboratory, radiology, hospital, and specialist reports and records. The improvement of quality within it, therefore, includes management of software quality to ensure that the best product meets high standards and expectations of the patient, while meeting regulatory and developer requirements (Eby, 2018).
References:
Eby, K. (2018). Quality Improvement Processes: The Basics and Beyond. Retrieved from https://www.smartsheet.com/quality-improvement-process

Course Text Book:
Nursing Informatics and the Foundation of Knowledge
ISBN: 9781284063691
By: Dee McGonigle

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