The First installation of this blog 5 KEY COMPONENTS FOR GREAT REPORTING IN A HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENT (PART 1)
3. Adherence to Best practice guidelines
Improving quality care is the main goal for any medical institution. Applying evidence based knowledge helps to strengthen inconsistent practice variation and hold medical practitioners accountable. In most scenarios where quality standards are highly encouraged, clinical guidelines are used as a measurement for that standard of care. Clinical guidelines are simply, according to NICE clinical guidelines, these are “recommendations on how healthcare and other professionals should care for people with specific conditions. The recommendations are based on the best available evidence. Clinical guidelines are also important for health service managers and those who commission NHS services.” Reporting provides the platform and evidence required to improve the quality of care of patients with a specific condition by assessing the impacts of different methods and treatments on specific patient conditions. It also holds clinicians and practices accountable for their actions and their treatment of patients and the public.
4. Cost-Effectiveness – Financial Reporting
When a hospital or health network has strong and detailed financial reporting assets, it allows for the proper detailed analysis of their cost-effectiveness. In a hospital, especially public hospitals, cost managed efficiently allows for revenue to be distributed elsewhere to more appropriate channels that increase patient quality care. Reporting of all avenues at the healthcare practice allows for a microscopic view of where cost can be reduced and redistributed. For example, a continuous thorn in the side of healthcare administrators is the wastage associated with expired drugs, proper reporting alerts and allows pharmacists and technicians to order proportionate to usage or by trends which reduces the cost. Financial Reporting also assists in generating claims or outstanding payments to patients or insurance companies to ensure that all payments are collected. The healthcare industry is very cost intensive and a reporting system helps to balance the books and ensure the focus is quality patient healthcare.
5. Resource Planning
Resource planning within a healthcare environment means considering the current needs of a population or group and managing those needs with what the institution’s available resources are, constantly focussed on the goal of quality patient care. Resources can be identified as staff, materials, equipment or even skillsets, this management is essential in the running of the hospital. Reporting helps because it gives an overview of each department of the institution and helps to identify where resources can be allocated or redistributed. For example, where materials or staff can be shifted to or prioritised on certain heavy days or rather, notice trends in the operations of the hospital to re-allocate resources. Evidence based knowledge assists in forecasting based on trends, patterns and research so that management is proactive as opposed to retroactive in decision making.
These were the 5 components for reporting in healthcare. Contact us to know more about our reporting tools.