Improving patient outcomes is a high priority for government contractors, healthcare providers and other participants in the private, not-for-profit, and public healthcare systems. Improved patient outcomes go hand-in-hand with quality of care, operational efficiencies, patient satisfaction, and positive relationships with insurers. Here’s how those factors play a role in ensuring that all patients receive better care.
4 Patient Outcome Domains to Assess:
- Quality of care includes getting the right diagnosis, reducing medical errors, providing effective treatments, reducing readmissions, and providing high-quality outcomes for all patients regardless of age, race, gender, ability or disability, sexual orientation, or religion.
- Affordable care can result from streamlined operations, collaboration with other providers, and reducing unnecessary testing. This efficiency supports high patient outcomes while controlling costs.
- Efficiencies ensure timely access to medical care while avoiding unnecessary testing and treatment. Reducing redundancies takes the strain off healthcare organizations and helps ensure access to services for all patients in all facilities and locations. Often, provider shortages affect specific populations or special facilities such as correction institutions.
- High patient satisfaction. The healthcare system spans multiple sectors and engages numerous stakeholder groups, yet there is broad consensus that high patient outcomes are the number one priority.
Developing Pathways for Improvement
Government healthcare contractors are in a unique position to coordinate and participate with all sectors and levels of government to design pathways and implement solutions that improve patient outcomes. Improvement strategies that work in the private sector can be applied to state, local, and federal government systems and vice versa. Here are some ways that government healthcare contractors help develop pathways for improvement.
- They can help create pathways for stakeholders to weigh in on concerns and participate in finding solutions to critical issues that impact patient outcomes. A broad swath that includes patients, advocators, administrators, clinicians, and payees allows for a systematic approach to identifying opportunities for improvement.
- Government healthcare contractors often support the change process using data-driven methods to set targets and monitor progress. These data points allow organizations to benchmark against other providers, national and international organizations, and internal benchmarks.
- Pathways for improvement often require a high-altitude look at operations. Outside contractors can spot issues in clinical workflows that create bottlenecks in service delivery or increase the likelihood of medical errors. They can also consult with healthcare organizations to review staff roles and responsibilities and ensure that the right people are doing the right work.
- Technological innovations are playing a pivotal role in enhancing patient outcomes. Government healthcare contractors often bring specialized information technology skills to the table.
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- Telemedicine, where providers connect with patients over a secure video platform, allows providers to treat patients remotely. This approach increases access to care and is especially important for rural populations, people with disabilities, and medically fragile patients who may experience challenges getting to healthcare facilities.
- Innovations in electronic health records systems (EHR) support greater collaboration between patients and their care support team. Records portability ensures that providers have full access to patient history and current records, reducing redundant diagnostic procedures and repeat treatments. New EHR systems ensure that providers have access to complete patient records regardless of where the patient has received care. This comprehensiveness reduces the likelihood of drug interactions.
- AI-powered information systems support clinical workflows through automation.
- Patient education and support are crucial for improving patient outcomes. Chronic long-term illnesses are a challenge. Care managers can partner with patients for better chronic illness management by providing patient education and supporting and encouraging medical and pharmaceutical compliance.
- Government contractors can also support healthcare organizations through staff training.
- Maintaining the appropriate staffing level in healthcare organizations is essential for patient safety. Government contractors can support federal, local, and state health organizations by providing contract per-diem clinical staff to fill vacancies so patients can access care. After meeting immediate needs, government contractors can support human resources initiatives to build capacity.
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Improving patient outcomes is a top priority. FSR has partnered with federal, state, and county governments to provide quality program management, solutions, and healthcare services. FSR has experience in Health Administration and Program Management, healthcare staffing, and solutions.
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