Defining and Measuring Quality in Health Care Organizations   Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of intelligent effort. —John Ruskin  Quality is multidimensional and involves the perspectives of various stakeholders, including patients and families. As noted in this week’s Learning Resources, defining quality is not a simple, straightforward task. Yet, it provides an essential foundation for being able to measure and assess quality, and, ultimately, to improve it.  In this Discussion, you consider definitions and measurements of quality. As you proceed, think about why it is important for organizations to be able to quantify quality and compare current performance to previous performance, to a set of standards, and/or to performance in other organizations.   To prepare: •Review the information in the Learning Resources, especially the chapters in the Sadeghi, Brazi, Mikhail, and Shabot course text, focusing on how quality is or could be defined and measured. •Think about a health care organization with which you are familiar. It may be the same organization you are focusing on for your Course Project, or a different one. How do you think various stakeholders in this organization would define quality? How would you define quality as it relates to this organization? •Review the information on quality standards and / or aims in the Learning Resources, and consider the following: ◦Which outcomes related to quality are currently being monitored in the organization that you have selected? ◦How is related data collected and evaluated? ◦Does the organization use health information technology in this regard? If so, how? ◦How is quality-related information (e.g., data, needs for improvement) communicated throughout the organization? ◦What do you consider to be the strengths and weaknesses of the current approach to quality in this organization?   

By Day 3  Post a definition of quality for your selected organization. Describe at least one quality-related measure that is currently being monitored within the organization. 
Summarize the data collection process for this measure, and explain how this information is communicated to or among the staff. Identify at least one strength and one weakness related to how quality is defined, measured, and/or monitored within the organization.

Required Readings  
Hickey, J. V., & Brosnan, C. A. (2017). Evaluation  of health care quality in for DNPs (2nd  ed.). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.  
•Chapter 6, “Evaluating of Health Care Information Systems and Patient Care Technology” (pp. 143-170) This chapter examines federally mandated use of health information technology to improve health care and care delivery.   Sadeghi, S., Barzi, A., Mikhail, O., & Shabot, M. (2013). Integrating quality and strategy in health care organizations. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.  
•Review Chapter 3, “General Concepts in Quality” (pp. 45–82) (assigned in Week 4)    The authors discuss historical perspectives of quality in various industries, and explain the multifaceted nature of defining quality in health care settings.     •Chapter 4, “Current State of Quality Measurement: External Dynamics” (pp. 83–98)    This chapter describes many of the government, nonprofit, and for-profit groups / organizations that contribute to the establishment quality standards and support research to improve the quality of health care.     •Chapter 5, “Current State of Quality Measurement: Internal Dynamics” (pp. 99–110)    This chapter focuses on mandatory and voluntary quality measurement in organizations.     •Chapter 6, “Measuring Quality of Inpatient Care” (pp. 111–132)    This chapter explains the terminology use in quality measurement (e.g., measures, indicators, metrics), and notes that measurement is a critical foundation for the ultimate aim of creating effective changes to improve quality.     
•Chapter 8, “Quantifying the Quality Performance Gaps” (pp. 161–177)    This chapter addresses how to quantify current performance and set targets.   Epstein, J. N., Langberg, J. M., Lichtenstein, P. K., Kolb, R. C., & Stark, L. J. (2010). Sustained improvement in pediatricians’ ADHD practice behaviors in the context of a community-based quality improvement initiative. Children’s Health Care, 39(4), 296–311.  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.     Researchers evaluate a quality improvement project on pediatric care of ADHD patients and the sustainability of the improvement over a two-year period.

Instructions:
In this unit, you will explore the advantages and disadvantages of marketing tools used in healthcare. By the end of the unit, you will be able to make recommendations on what marketing tools would be most useful and effective given various elemental factors and internal influences.
To begin, select one (1) of the following healthcare systems that you would like to explore for this unit:

Acute care
Ambulatory care
Home health care
Hospice care
Long-term care
Memory care
Pediatric care
Primary care
Short-term care (e.g., post-surgery therapy)
Surgical care

Next, select an environment/location:

Savannah, Georgia
Fort Worth, Texas

Finally, select three (3) marketing tools:
Email
Newspaper
Memorandum
Radio advertisement
Television
Telephone
Social media
Internet
Person-to-person
Billboard
Referral

Instructions

Provide a general overview of your select healthcare system.
Discuss the demographics of your select location.
Discuss the advantages of using each marketing tool at your healthcare system and location.
Discuss the disadvantages of using each marketing tool at your healthcare system and location.
Summarize which marketing tool you would recommend that would yield the highest marketing potential of your select healthcare system and location.

Be sure to support your assertions with evidence-based research, scholarly articles, and well-supported strategies that support your predictions.

3-4 page paper excluding front and back matter (APA standards apply ).

PLAGIARISM IS HIGHLY UNACCEPTABLE!
This is worth 250 points!

In the business of health care, decision makers must determine on a regular basis what services to produce, how to produce them, how to distrbute them, as well as how to allow for growth and innovation. How are these decisions currently being made?
To prepare for this Discussion, complete the readings in your Learning Resources. Look online for recent news articles related to supply and demand in the health care industry.

Post a comprehensive response to the following:
Using examples from your Learning Resources and personal or professional experience, explain how health care is a market. In your answer, please be sure to address the following:

Discuss aspects of the health care marketplace in terms of the specific provisions that define a market.
How do the principles of managed care influence the business of health care?
Highlight how health care is different from the typical business market with a more tangible product (like applesauce)?
How do recent (within the last 18 months) supply and demand shifters (political, economic, social factors, etc.), exert influence on the supply or demand of health care goods or services?

 Citations must be in APA format. 

Project 3: OLC – The Future at Biotech Health and Life Products, Inc. (Week 8)
Purpose 
The third assignment covers the last three functions of the P-O-L-C, Organizing, Leading and Controlling.  Students will look at the production floor through the lens of the three elements of the P-O-L-C and write a report to the Strategic Planning Committee.
 
Skill Building:
You are also completing this project to help you develop skills related to critical thinking, writing a report, and assessing and applying elements of the P-O-L-C management framework. 
Skills:  Critical Thinking, Report Writing, 

 
Outcome Met by Completing This Assignment
• Integrate management principles into management practices
• organize human, physical, and financial resources for the effective and efficient attainment of organizational goals
• develop measures and assess outcomes against plans and standards to improve organizational effectiveness
• Identify the essential characteristics of decision making and indicate the range and types of decisions a manager makes
 
Instructions:
 Step 1:  Read the Case Scenario
The Boomer Bangs projects presented to the Strategic Planning Committee were accepted for production.  Roll out by the company is scheduled for January of 2019.  The first product scheduled for production is a pill that helps reduce blood sugar levels.  Market studies predict that this pill likely will be the most successful of the three products, which is why it is the first product Biotech has selected for roll out.
Upper management decided that Louis Monte of the Los Lunas, New Mexico Branch Production Team would lead this project.  The plan is for Louis to serve, as a model for organizing that will be copied by the rest of the branches so that roll out can be concurrent.  Louis knows that his production floor is set up exactly like the rest of the plants. Louis has put some thought into the fact that the new pill production will require additional production lines requiring changes to the existing set up.  Louis believes space could be a problem.  Louis estimates he will need 200 sq. ft. for the additional line set up.  In addition, he will need two conveyor belts.  Louis knows that relocation of some of the machinery or line set up is needed because the production of pills has to be protected from direct sunlight and stored at low temperatures.
Louis has concluded that there is a need for additional personnel – one pharmaceutically trained pill machine operator for the day shift and two operators for the night shift.  Trained line workers cost $3 more per hour than untrained line-workers.   Louis also knows that these new workers will need supervising.  He may have to restructure the floor staff.
Louis is expecting a shipment from Madras, India of the primary pill ingredients bitt goud, spreading hogweed, Chinaberry (mostly found in India) and burra gokhru.   Lately, sourcing of the Chinaberry has been a little difficult for Louis.  He suspects the cost of production will increase the estimated R&D cost by $0.075 per pill.   Additional labor costs and costs of the rare Indian ingredients places the overall production cost of one bottle of 60- pills at $5.65, which includes packaging. 
Louis acknowledges that there are issues with the current organization structure is problematic for production and is considering making a proposal for the plants to centralize rather than the current decentralized structure.
Biotech is known for telling workers that it want to keep people in the Biotech family.  The company encourages employees to get additional training and pays for college tuition for those who want to advance their career opportunities within the company.
During the course of production, older line staffers became aware that the pharmaceutically trained line workers made $3.00 more per hour than they did.  The workers were unhappy as they felt that it was unfair that Biotech hired from outside rather than provide training to existing workers who would want to take over the jobs and earn a higher salary.  An obvious concern began to surface among the workers.  Several workers questioned whether Biotech was being truthful with them and wondered whether the Company wanted workers to advance in the company.  Morale of plant workers began to suffer. 
One floor supervisor told Louis that one of his workers refused to help develop a new process that would increase the speed of moving the pallets on the new floor scheme.  He said, “Why should I help Biotech make more money if I don’t get any of the money?”  Louis knows that this concern must be addressed and morale needs improved.  Louis also knows that only HR in headquarters can make decisions regarding benefits so he cannot offer pay raises.  Louis wondered what he could do to motivate workers and build trust in the production department.
The chart below displays the results of the first year’s production of the new pill, Boomer 1.  The table consists of data supplied by the production department managers of the Biotech branches making the pill.   The data was collected for controlling production output.  Vice President of Production, Atticus Finch will use the data to identify areas of improvement, change, or to provide kudos for the success of the processes used by the production departments in the production of Boomer 1. 
The chart describes the standard goal (identified as standard) set by the department and the results of each branch.  A comparison of the standard to the results allows the reader to form conclusions about the success or failure of the Production Department to meet the goals envisioned by the company.  It also allows the reader to recognize patterns from the data so conclusions can be drawn as to the relationship between elements (e.g. cost expended vs time expended; those who spent more time had a higher cost).
 
Specifications Standard Wittlich Detroit Los Lunas Sao Paulo Melbourne
Cost per 60 pill bottle 5.65 4.97 5.87 5.65 5.52 4.59
Time 7.36 6.89 7.46 7.31 7.32 7.70
Quality Control Problem Ratio (per 500 bottles) 1 1.75 2 3.5 4.75 1.52
Shipping Problems/Damage (per 10,000 bottles) 1.0 1.51 0.222 1.133 1.178 0.149
Total Number of bottles Produced per year 450,000 600,000 500,000 650,000 401,000 750,000
 
Step 2:  Company Profile
Use the Biotech Company Profile in completing this assignment.
 
Step 3:  Write the Introduction
The introductory paragraph is the first paragraph of the paper but is sometimes written after writing the body of the paper (Questions students responded to above).  View this website to learn how to write an introductory paragraph:  
http://www.writing.ucsb.edu/faculty/donelan/intro.html
Step 4:  Organizing
• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a centralization versus decentralization organizational structure. Use the course material to support your reasoning.
• Discuss whether Louis should recommend moving to a centralized organizational structure.  Explain why using the course material to support your reasoning.
 
Step 5:  Leading
• Identify and discuss the reason for the morale problem using the course material to support your reasoning.
• If there is no money in the budget to spend on formal training or methods of motivation, explain what Louis can do to motivate existing employees that would build morale while ensuring production levels stay on track or improve.  Support your reasoning using the course material
• How will moving to a centralized organizational structure affect Louis’ ability to motivate employees?  Support your reasoning using the course material.
 
Step 6:  Controlling
Compare the standard specifications data set with the results from each of the results for the five branches. 
• Interpret the results with detailed explanations for problems areas as well as positive areas.
• Based on the results, should Atticus Finch take corrective action?  Provide an explanation supporting the reasoning with the course material.
• What results present potential concern for the long-term future of the project and company?
 
Step 7:  Report Requirements & Format
You will write the report using Times New Roman, 12” font, single-spaced with double-spaces between paragraphs and headings.  The paper should be approximately three pages excluding the title page and reference page.  It is important to write clearly and concisely.
 Use the following Report Format. 
• Introduction (the introduction does not have a heading)
• Organizing
• Advantages of a centralized organizational structure
• Disadvantages of a centralized organizational structure
• Advantages of a decentralized organizational structure
• Disadvantages of a decentralized organizational structure
• Louis’ recommendation
• Leading
• Morale problem
• Motivation
• Impact of centralized organization on motivating
• Controlling
• Results of Data
• Corrective Action
• Potential Concerns
The following requirements apply to the Report:
• Use the grading rubric while completing the project to ensure all requirements are met that will lead to the highest possible grade. 
• Third person writing is required.  Third person means that there are no words such as “I, me, my, we, or us” (first person writing), nor is there use of “you or your” (second person writing).  
• Contractions are not used in business writing, so do not use them. 
 
• You are expected to use the facts from the case scenario paired with the weekly courses material to develop the analysis and support the reasoning.  No more than two (2) external resources can be used in completing the assignment.  You are expected to use a wide array of course material.
• Use direct quotation marks for primary sources.  For all other source material used in the analysis, you will not use direct quotation marks but will instead paraphrase.  What this means is that you will put the ideas of an author or article into your own words rather than lifting directly from a source document.  You may not use more than four consecutive words from a source document, as doing so would require direct quotation marks.  This requirement include facts from the case scenario.  Changing words from a passage does not exclude the passage from having quotation marks. 
• Use in-text citations and provide a reference list that contains the reference associated with each in-text citation.
• You may not use books in completing this project.
• Provide the page or paragraph number in every in-text citation presented. 
 
Step 8:  Complete the Report
You will write a report addressed to Mr. Atticus Finch, Vice-President of Production.  In answering the elements of organizing, leading and controlling, pay particular attention to your audience, Mr. Finch.  The report is informational only so you are not making recommendation but providing information to Mr. Finch.  It is necessary to explain concepts and issues supporting the reasoning.
 

Thematic Backpack Plan

As educators, we want to encourage active participation among the diverse and busy families we work with in ways that consider their various structures, needs, lifestyles, and schedules. We teach children about health, wellness, nutrition, and safety in school; however, we want to offer families support for continuing this education in the home. Thematic backpacks, which are sent home with children for a week throughout the year, either on a rotating schedule or a sign-out system, is one idea for how to engage families at home. Thematic backpacks include materials, parent information, games, manipulatives, and other resources all centered on a teacher-created thematic plan to explore the contents in a fun and engaging way at home with the family. Children love these, and family members can be involved in learning at home when it is convenient for them.
Create a plan for the development of a health, wellness, nutrition, and safety unit backpack that you can send home with your families. For this assignment, only the written plan is required; however, you are encouraged to create this resource as you develop the plan. The purpose of the backpack is to encourage families to explore the areas of health, wellness, nutrition, and safety at home.
The requirements for your written plan are as follows:

Introduction letter (no longer than one page): 

Explain the purpose of the backpack. This should be written in a family-friendly form and be visually appealing. You may wish to use colored font, graphics, or pictures to set the tone for a fun and engaging experience.

Health:  

Describe one idea, activity, or game centered on an important health concept for families to explore. For example, you may include a sorting game that has pictures or text of sick/hurt children. Families can sort into two piles: “Okay to go to school” or “Stay home.” Example pictures/text could include runny nose, fever, scraped knee, sneezing, band-aid, etc. Try to think about creative fun ideas that allow families to explore the topic and materials.

Wellness:  

Describe one idea, activity, or game centered on an important wellness concept for families to explore. For example, you may include ideas for a family exercise night or an outdoor scavenger hunt.

Nutrition:  

Describe one idea, activity, or game centered on an important nutrition concept for families to explore. For example, you may include a healthy recipe book, a recipe to make a healthy snack together, or a grocery store game.

Safety:  

Describe one idea, activity, or game centered on an important safety concept for families to explore. For example, you might include a composition notebook in the backpack and encourage children and families to draw a picture of something that they do safely or draw a picture of a safety practice they follow at home.

Reference page: 

One APA citation for a children’s book that you can include in the backpack for families to read together. In addition to the citation, please include a summary of the story.
One APA citation for a resource that will support families to learn more about one of the areas. In addition to the citation, please include a summary of the resource.

Your written assignment should include a page for each of the following: introduction including your name, health activity, wellness activity, nutrition activity, safety activity, and resources (for a total of six pages). You may wish to include a picture of your backpack if you choose to create one. Because this assignment is meant to be useful for your future role, you do not need to submit a title page or a resources page; however, you will need to include references to any materials that you use.
Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.