Quality ranges from low to high along a continuum. It is important to have high quality but it is
extremely challenging to measure. Determining quality is dependent on an
individual’s preferences and expectations. People expect a certain level of
quality when they are receiving health care. In this instance, quality is often
based on waiting times, communication, knowledge, and good health outcomes. Any
variable can affect a person’s perception of the experience in a different way.
Waiting ten minutes at the doctor can be considered very fast for one person or
too slow for another. Therefore, everyone is going to perceive and evaluate
quality differently and no one is going to have the same experience.
The Healthcare Quality Book
includes the six dimensions of quality: safe, effective, efficient, timely,
patient-centered, and equitable (Ransom, Joshi, Nash, & Ransom, 2008, p. 5).
These components work together to create an overall perception of quality. If
someone interprets all of these characteristics in a positive way, their healthcare
experience will be deemed to have high quality. Also, one characteristic may
have a greater effect on determining an individual’s perception of quality than
another. Many health organizations use these dimensions to create and achieve higher
quality goals (Ransom et. al., 2008, p.5). Improving the quality of their
organization can lead to a more successful business because more people will be
satisfied with their experience at the facility.
I have been going to
the dermatologist every few months for about two years for acne. The quality I
receive differs each time I go. In the past, I have waited
thirty minutes to see the doctor and other times I have waited less than five minutes.
Sometimes the doctor spent two minutes consulting me and other times ten
minutes. When the doctor went really fast, I would assume that the doctor was
rushing and not really concentrating on my circumstance. In this instance, I felt
that he did not care about treating me and just wanted to be done with his work. After the appointment,
I would get frustrated paying the doctor fees for such a short period of
time. Now I realize it is because he wanted to be able to see as many patients
as possible and it was not necessary for him to spend much longer than that on
my issue.
Overall, the quality of
my experience has been great with this doctor. The results from the treatments
the doctor gave me have been very favorable. I think that is the most important
thing when determining the quality. If the health outcomes are what you want
and expect, the quality will be perceived higher. If I was not being led to
clearer skin, I would change doctors because I would not be getting the results
I expected to occur. I realize people are going to have much worse health problems
than acne. They are not always going to receive the outcome they want in
healthcare because there is not always a cure or treatment. The quality of
their experience will be perceived in other ways. Therefore, it is important to
increase quality by having high standards of each dimension in your healthcare
facility.
Reference:
Ransom, E. R., Joshi, M. S., Nash, D. B., &
Ransom, S. B. (2008). The Healthcare Quality Book: Vision, Strategy, and Tools
(2nd ed.). Chicago: Health Administration Press.
