Ensuring quality in the healthcare services provided by the hospital directly impacts the safety and well-being of the patient. From the facilities to the supplies, from admission to discharge, from professional preparation to humanized empathetic treatment, the patient will experience and witness the actual application of the procedures reflected in the corporate manuals.
The hospital must implement a program for quality management in clinical care that considers safety barriers and regulatory processes in clinical and administrative operations. In this sense, the healthcare organization's executive team, as owners and shareholders, is directly responsible for the program's creation, implementation, and success. On several occasions, effective compliance with this plan is closely linked to achieving an international certification, depending on the continuous monitoring of training, supervision, preparation of deliverables, and prevention of contingencies.
Quality and safety in hospital facilities
Safety quality management involves a series of strategies and protocols designed to protect everyone and ensure a safe hospital environment.
- An important aspect of protection is the regulatory compliance of the organization itself, from having the necessary permits to guaranteeing the structural safety of buildings and the functionality of equipment.
- Establishing clear protocols for safely handling and disposing of hazardous materials, substances, and waste, especially infectious and contagious waste, is essential.
- Implementing fire prevention and response measures, including alarm systems and fire extinguishing in any emergency, is important.
- To ensure the proper functioning of biomedical equipment used in medical diagnoses and treatments. This involves carrying out regular maintenance and having specialized technical staff available to address any issues that may arise.
- Priority availability of certain services within the hospital, such as emergencies, operating rooms, and chemosurgery.
- Consideration of external emergencies that may affect the hospital, such as risk situations in the surrounding environment, epidemiological alerts or any other emergency.
Qualities and skills in your hospital
The management team must consider several factors when projecting staff needs. These include:
- The philosophy of the organization, such as mission, vision and values.
- The type of patients being cared for and the complexity and severity of their medical needs.
- The specific services offered by the hospital.
- The security barriers implemented in the processes.
- The technology used in care.
- The hospital structure essential to provide the service efficiently.
The development of a system of competencies and staff training, taking these factors into account, allows the organization to have a clear vision of the hospital's scope. This facilitates the establishment of quality controls and the development of specialized knowledge in each area to provide personalized and appropriate medical care.
It is vital to continuously monitor these trainings since the competencies, aptitudes, and qualities of the collaborators are key elements in the growth of the hospital. Ongoing training covers all staff, from doctors and nurses to the administration and pharmacy team.
Laboratory and imaging services
These services are essential in all hospital organizations to meet the needs of patients and comply with the applicable legislation in force in each location. It is crucial to ensure that these departments comply with regulations regarding dimensions and technical maintenance as well as infrastructure, equipment, and medical personnel to guarantee optimal and permanently active functioning. On the other hand, if these services are subrogated, it is essential to have contracts and agreements that specify the products and scope offered, along with a price list applicable to each type of client. All these aspects must be documented in established manuals and protocols, which must be updated and signed by the personnel in charge of the area in case of rotation.
In emergencies, it is essential to have established regulations for interaction with these services: processes must be defined and documented for the follow-up of patients requiring emergency studies, including how the results will be delivered promptly. If it is a surrogate service, it is necessary to have an internal team that supervises the precise control of the studies carried out, as well as their delivery and notification. In many hospitals, patients are not notified about the delivery of results, but it is important to consider this as part of the operation, ensuring that they are informed about their health condition at all times.
Quality management in all hospital areas is a fundamental priority to ensure the well-being and protection of all people involved in the healthcare process. This includes patients, their families, visitors, and staff working in the organization.
