Reference no: EM133536514
When comparing healthcare settings, there are two main categories: Post-Acute Care (LTC, Rehabilitation, or SNF) and Ambulatory Care (Primary Care or Urgent Care).
Post-Acute Care facilities provide ongoing medical attention and support to patients recently leaving an acute care hospital. Long-term care (LTC) facilities primarily focus on helping patients who require assistance with bathing and dressing. Rehabilitation and skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) treat patients who need rehabilitation services or professional nursing care. These settings usually serve older patients with chronic medical conditions or those recovering from an illness or injury.
On the other hand, ambulatory care settings offer outpatient care to patients who don't need hospitalization or overnight stays. Primary care clinics provide preventive care and routine medical services, while urgent care clinics treat patients with non-life-threatening conditions. These settings serve patients of all ages and medical conditions.
Quality professionals are essential in improving quality and safety in both settings. In Post-Acute Care, quality professionals focus on reducing hospital readmissions, preventing falls, and improving infection control measures. In Ambulatory Care, quality professionals concentrate on patient satisfaction, timely access to care, and accurate diagnoses.
The quality and quality management difference between these two settings is the type of care provided. Post-Acute Care provides ongoing medical attention and support, while Ambulatory Care focuses on preventive and immediate medical attention. In Post-Acute Care, quality management involves interdisciplinary teams, including physicians, nurses, therapists, and social workers. In Ambulatory Care, quality management includes patient engagement and education, staff training, and process improvement initiatives.
However, these two settings have similarities in quality and quality management. Both aim to provide high-quality care that is safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable. Both use data to monitor and improve performance, implement evidence-based practices, and involve patients and families in care decisions.
Quality in these settings helps advance the priorities the Institute of Medicine (IOM) designated. Improving safety and reducing errors are priorities in both locations. Post-Acute Care professionals focus on medication safety and fall prevention, while Ambulatory Care professionals reduce diagnostic errors and improve medication reconciliation. Additionally, both settings aim to provide patient-centered care that meets individual patients' unique needs and preferences. This aligns with the IOM's priority of improving patient-centered care.