Question

In 300-400 words, describe the ideal health system for Dakotaland. Within your description address the following: What does your ideal system look like and why did you select this model? What are some key human resource challenges you might face in staffing and operating this system? What issues might arise as one would attempt to govern this system? How do you assure effectiveness and efficiency?

Answer 1

Use of the Model for Improvement

To use the MFI, first, you will need to help your practices identify their “aims” or goals for improvement. Often this will require you to listen “between the lines” and simplify the discussion for the practice. Large and lofty goals are excellent for inspiration and rallying troops, but the actual work of improvement can be mundane and tedious and involve small changes, tested, and then spread, in sequence until the goal is attained.

Because the MFI and PDSA processes have been the primary approach to practice improvement over the past 10 years, you may also encounter practices that have been “overexposed” to the approach. They will need to be skilled in navigating their reactions to processes they may have used with limited success in the past. While there can be barriers to getting a practice to use the MFI and PDSA cycles in their improvement work, it is a “habit” that is very helpful for practices to develop. Without some type of systematic approach, improvement work can become chaotic, ineffective, and unlikely to produce the outcomes desired.

In addition to the MFI and PDSA cycles, there are a wide variety of QI tools that you will find helpful in your work with practices. Some of these are covered in subsequent modules and include workflow mapping, audit and feedback, benchmarking, academic detailing, and best practices research.

The development and implementation of healthcare risk management programs are based on extensive ongoing research. Risk managers must stay up-to-date on relevant information in their organization because research results could prove contradictory to presumptions that would otherwise shape risk management practices.

Using analysis results, risk managers can compare the likelihood of different adverse events along with their impacts and rank potential risks in terms of severity. Plans for mitigating risks and handling them appropriately can then be developed. Risk management plans also undergo quality assessments so the interventions and actions proposed are addressed as real potential issues. Once a strategy is in place, it is monitored and modified as needed.