Question

Please write 5 quality sentences on each of the questions below. Each topic must include one reference.

1. Discuss the National Quality Strategy (NQS) that was part of the Affordable Care Act. List the major goals and priorities that are part of the NQS.

Answer 1

Health care spending in the United States now totals $2.5 trillion a year, the most per capita in the world. Yet Americans have a shorter life expectancy and higher infant mortality rates than other wealthy countries, suggesting that the amount of money spent is not translating into better care.

To address this problem, the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a National Strategy for Quality Improvement in Health Care, also known as the National Quality Strategy.

Objectives:

(1) To make health care more accessible, safe and patient-centered;

(2) To address environmental, social and behavioral influences on health and health care

(3) To make care more affordable.

Goals :

*Better care

All Americans should receive recommended preventive care, such as cancer screenings, and have any sickness or medical condition treated with a low risk of harm. In addition, patients with chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes or asthma should get recommended tests and talk to their physician about how best to manage their health.

*Healthy people and communities

Because health and health care are not solely determined by what happens within a doctor’s office or hospital, initiatives aiming to improve quality must also acknowledge environmental, social and behavioral issues that affect quality. The strategy will implement programs proven to address such problems as childhood obesity, smoking, alcohol and substance abuse, cardiovascular disease and access to healthy foods.

*Affordable Care

To lower overall health care costs, providers need to coordinate and share information with each other, which will reduce administrative time and prevent redundant care and hospital readmissions. In addition, they are encouraged to establish websites that report on the quality and costs of care provided by hospitals and doctors’ offices as a way to improve transparency and help consumers make informed decisions on where to go for health care. The strategy also fosters new payment structures that reward providers for delivering care that is proven to keep patients healthy, rather than paying for each service and procedure.

Priorities:

The National Quality Strategy identifies six priorities necessary to achieve the three objectives:

* Reducing harm to patients, such as healthcare-acquired infections and medical errors.

For example, hospitals aim to improve hygiene practices to curb the number of infections patients get from central line catheters used to administer medication, fluids and nutrients to patients.

*Facilitating more coordination and communication among providers to make transitions among hospitals and physicians efficient and easier for patients, so that patients understand what to do after they leave a hospital or an appointment, and when to follow up with another appointment.

*Empowering patients and their caregivers to become more involved in care. For example, patients can be encouraged to use decision-making aids to help them participate in decisions about their care. Patients will be surveyed to collect data on their preferences and experiences.

* Implementing evidence-based prevention and treatment plans for common chronic illnesses. For example, smokers can be offered smoking cessation services that have been proven to work.

* Promoting healthy behaviors and environments at the community level. For example, more providers can screen adults for risky alcohol use and, if necessary, follow up with counseling.

* Developing and using new delivery models that reduce costs while improving quality