Reference no: EM132622573

Performance Improvement for Quality Care

Total Quality Management

Discussion Questions:

As we have learned this week from our lectures and required textbook reading, leaders and managers in healthcare must work diligently and continuously to assess the health and needs of the populations they serve. Total quality management (TQM) is a process that is used to analyze the available relevant data, plan for improvements where necessary, implement plans, and monitor the plans for effectiveness through formal processes adopted.

After thorough research of credible sources from the Library and the Internet, please answer the following questions:

Why do the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) believe that prevention of inpatient admissions will improve the quality of care in populations served by hospitals?

What specific age group and diagnoses does the CMS monitor for readmissions?

Does research tell us that so far prevention of readmissions has improved the quality of care for patients?

How has hospital reimbursement been affected by the readmission standard mandated by the CMS?

What recommendations (best practices) to decrease hospital readmissions have been suggested by experts in the healthcare field?