NHS FPX 6004 Capella University Policy Proposal Scoring Guide Worksheet Assignment Paper

NHS FPX 6004 Capella University Policy Proposal Scoring Guide Worksheet Assignment Paper

NHS FPX 6004 Capella University Policy Proposal Scoring Guide Worksheet Assignment Paper

Policy Proposal

Policy Proposal

The benchmarking program is being utilized by providers of healthcare all around the world to assist them in identifying areas of inferior performance as well as service inadequacies. When designing a performance standard, the most critical challenges are typically tackled first. Many people come from different backgrounds looking for treatments for chronic illnesses like diabetes. According to the findings of a study by Duan et al. (2021), diabetes was projected to cost the United States $245 billion in the year 2020. Consequently, it is necessary to formulate suitable state, federal, and municipal policies to handle issues such as diabetes. The dashboard benchmarks demonstrate that medical exams, particularly those for diabetes, were not completed at the Mercy Medical Center to the national government’s standards. Mercy Medical Center needs to create regulations and protocols that are both efficient and accurate if they want to improve the effectiveness of its services.

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The Need for Organizational Policy

The Mercy Medical Center in Minnesota is a world-class hospital. Between the first and fourth quarters of 2019 and 2020, HgbA1c tests dropped drastically from 60 to 42. Multiple studies have concluded that early diagnosis is the most significant factor in lowering diabetes’s burden since it allows for preventative therapy and, ultimately, better health. Medical facilities that strictly follow all healthcare regulations and guidelines are more likely to accurately identify diabetes by conducting thorough examinations. To improve the timely use of diabetic foot examination and Hgb A1C screening for early recognition and the prevention of diabetes-related complications, Mercy Medical Center, and other healthcare professionals, need to design appropriate protocols with nurses at the core of the transition. Unfavorable complications such as diabetic foot ulcers, nerve damage, and leg amputations can develop if the condition is not handled promptly. This necessitates establishing procedures for periodic testing of all individuals, particularly those over 40 (Duan et al., 2021). As a result, Hgb A1c testing and evaluation of diabetic foot health will improve at the centers. Individuals who have previously had unfavorable results should still be tested every three months.

Proposed Policy and Guidelines

When developing a strategy to deal with diabetes using the Chronic Care Model, it is essential to keep in mind the six core components outlined in the most recent guidelines from the American Diabetes Association. For Mercy Medical Center’s suggested policies to meet standards for diabetes detection and assessment at the national level, several considerations must be incorporated. Appropriate modes of distribution, patient-specific and population-centered support systems for the medical team, methods for finding and creating resources for developing positive habits, and establishing a quality-oriented environment are all required (Nayeri et al., 2020). Participation from healthcare professionals is also vital for enhancing clinical visits and subsequent therapy, such as diabetic foot inspections and Hgb A1C tests.

The new policy that is being proposed will investigate the possibility of rearranging the scheduling systems for diabetes-related exams to speed up the process of data collection and increase patient engagement. Many patients cannot make appointments at the clinic, and an even lower percentage attend their planned appointments. Patients will be able to schedule appointments online and receive timely reminders so that they may better prepare for their visits as a result of the new policy. As a direct result of these initiatives, more people will seek medical attention at Mercy Medical Center. Patients diagnosed with diabetes should be encouraged to learn about possible treatments by scheduling annual appointments. The policy will contain procedures for changing staffing hour shifts and adding additional personnel to ensure that carers are not overwhelmed during these once-yearly checkups. This will ensure that caregivers are not overworked during these once-yearly checkups. A greater emphasis will be placed on patient adherence data and its analysis and use. The evidence needs to be published so that anyone interested can access it whenever they want. This would allow for excellent uniformity in treating diabetes patients and better patient outcomes.

Potential Environmental Effects

To effectively implement organizational policies, it is necessary to consider a diverse range of aspects of the surrounding environment. For example, a sufficient number of qualified personnel capable of carrying out the new testing procedures should be available to avoid employee burnout and unreadiness. Examining a diabetic patient’s feet and performing a Hgb A1c test are necessary skills for nurses and other medical professionals caring for diabetic patients. A competency of this level can only be achieved after formal training. To prevent one department from becoming overburdened with work, the organization needs to do a better job recruiting and educating registered nurses.

It is possible that the adoption and implementation of the proposed policies would be complicated by the limited access that patients have to computers and other digital devices that allow them to book and keep track of their visits. Clients who do not possess essential computer literacy abilities may be unable to access these services and are likely to miss out on them. Because the policies involve using electronic health records (EHRs), which are susceptible to malicious attacks from hackers, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires organizations to conform to standard patient privacy and confidentiality guidelines during this transition. These guidelines must be adhered to protect patient’s privacy and confidentiality. Funding is required to make these portals functional and to manage the anticipated rise in the number of patients visiting the facility. Acquiring and installing necessary tools used in diagnosing and managing diabetes should be prioritized.

Ethical Evidence-Based Strategies

Evidence-based practices (EBP) may improve outcomes and efficiency in diabetic foot exams and Hgb A1c tests. The general public and patients can be educated on diabetes, facts, and standard operating protocols can be updated, alert labels can be added to client files and primary caregivers can be urged to review their patient’s medical records from other healthcare institutions (Yu et al., 2022). Therefore, the multidisciplinary team in charge of conducting the test should be briefed about both the currently used and suggested techniques for diagnosing diabetes, as well as the benefits of doing thorough tests. Mercy Medical Center intends to achieve this goal by establishing specific programs to educate all relevant employees and setting annual targets to complete these programs. Employees must show the achievement of this competence by passing a test at the end of every module before they can begin delivering patient care. Films, booklets, PowerPoint presentations, and audio recordings will all be used to educate patients on diabetes and the importance of early diagnosis and treatment.

Accurately monitoring diabetic patients also necessitates using a standardized recording method. It may be possible to evaluate the value of the improvements precisely and efficiently if quality data collection methods are used. For example, foot examination instruments will be connected to the EHR system. In this way, only authorized staff members can update patient information, ensuring accurate records. Because their data will only be accessible to them and the healthcare professionals directly involved in their treatment, this strategy will contribute to maintaining patient anonymity. This strategy will also describe the criteria for choosing which exam should be carried out by healthcare staff. The goal of this is to reduce unnecessary spending as much as possible.

Stakeholders’ Involvement in the Policy Implementation

To ensure the strategy is implemented as planned, it is required that all involved stakeholders should play their part. Nurses, physicians, administrators at the hospital, podiatrists, statisticians, wound experts, friends, and family members are all involved in caring for persons with diabetes, alongside the patients themselves and their loved ones. Regular updates about the new policies and clearly defined responsibilities for everyone involved must be regularly updated. Nurses, for instance, should be able to prepare patients for routine assessments like foot checks and Hgb A1C testing by clarifying their significance, motivating them to come up for the tests, and offering psychological help after the findings are in. Once a sufficient number of individuals come in for foot exams and Hgb A1C tests, medical professionals can collaborate to help the individual manage their condition depending on the outcomes of the tests. The EHR will then be updated with the most recent data by the database administrator.

Clear communication channels between all involved parties are crucial for fostering greater collaboration. Everyone who needs to know about policy changes must be kept up to speed. Employees’ motivation and engagement increase when they feel they contribute to the organization’s success (Silberberg & Martinez-Bianchi, 2019). Everyone must also understand their part to play and the duties under their purview. Similarly, it is essential to give stakeholders a degree of autonomy; it shows assurance that the task can be completed successfully because of the individual’s skills. Additionally, workers should feel at ease performing their jobs by accessing good systems to handle any difficulties or concerns. The support system should encourage stakeholders’ creativity in developing novel solutions to existing problems.

Conclusion

Diabetes and its associated complications are the major contributors to death rates in the United States. To lessen the impact of the condition and establish ways to stop diabetes from becoming an epidemic in the United States, several regulations and requirements have been made mandatory. The importance of early detection and therapy for this condition has been the subject of nursing research. Multiple national guidelines have been produced to promote rigorous diagnostic processes for early disease diagnosis to support the fast implementation of helpful therapies. These guidelines have been developed to facilitate the prompt implementation of beneficial interventions. The findings of the foot inspections and Hgb A1C testing at Mercy Medical Center did not match the requirements set by national agencies, despite the fact that the hospital is widely regarded as among Minnesota’s very best. This paper has made proposals to raise the overall quality of medical care and lessen the financial burden associated with detecting and treating diabetes.

References

Duan, D., Kengne, P., & Echouffo-Tcheugui, B. (2021). Screening for diabetes and prediabetes. Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinics of North America, 50(3), 369–385. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecl.2021.05.002

Janett, S., & Yeracaris, P. (2020). Electronic medical records in the American health system: Challenges and lessons learned. Ciencia & Saude Coletiva, 25(4), 1293–1304. https://doi.org/10.1590/1413-81232020254.28922019

Silberberg, M., & Martinez-Bianchi, V. (2019). Community and stakeholder engagement. Primary Care, 46(4), 587–594. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pop.2019.07.014

Nayeri, N., Samadi, N., Larijani, B., & Sayadi, L. (2020). Effect of nurse‐led care on quality of care and level of HbA1C in patients with diabetic foot ulcer: A randomized clinical trial. Wound Repair and Regeneration, 28(3), 338-346. https://doi.org/10.1111/wrr.12788

Yu, J., Lee, H., & Kim, K. (2022). Recent updates to clinical practice guidelines for diabetes mellitus. Endocrinology and Metabolism, 37(1), 26–37. https://doi.org/10.3803/enm.2022.105

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This is a continuation of Assessment 1. Order # 116789 (Dashboard Metrics Evaluation)

Write a 4-6 page policy proposal and practice guidelines for improving quality and performance associated with the benchmark metric underperformance you advocated for improving in Assessment 1.

Introduction

In advocating for institutional policy changes related to local, state, or federal health care laws or policies, health leaders must be able to develop and present clear and well-written policy and practice guideline proposals that will enable a team, a unit, or an organization as a whole to resolve relevant performance issues and bring about improvements in the quality and safety of health care. This assessment offers you an opportunity to take the lead in proposing such changes.

As a master’s-level health care practitioner, you have a valuable viewpoint and voice on policy development, both inside and outside your care setting. Developing policy for internal purposes can be a valuable process toward quality and safety improvement, as well as ensuring compliance with various health care regulatory pressures. This assessment offers you an opportunity to take the lead in proposing such changes.

Instructions

Propose an organizational policy and practice guidelines that you believe will lead to an improvement in quality and performance associated with the benchmark underperformance you advocated for improving in Assessment 1. Be precise, professional, and persuasive in demonstrating the merit of your proposed actions.

Requirements

The policy proposal requirements outlined below correspond to the scoring guide criteria, so be sure to address each main point. Read the performance-level descriptions for each criterion to see how your work will be assessed. In addition, be sure to note the requirements for document format and length and for supporting evidence.

• Explain the need for creating a policy and practice guidelines to address a shortfall in meeting a benchmark metric prescribed by local, state, or federal health care policies or laws.
  • What is the current benchmark for the organization and the numeric score for the underperformance?
  • How is the benchmark underperformance potentially affecting the provision of quality care or the operations of the organization?
  • What are the potential repercussions of not making any changes?
    • What evidence supports your conclusions?
• Summarize your proposed organizational policy and practice guidelines.
  • Identify applicable local, state, or federal health care policy or law that prescribes relevant performance benchmarks that your policy proposal addresses.
  • Keep your audience in mind when creating this summary.
• Analyze the potential effects of environmental factors on your recommended practice guidelines.
  • What regulatory considerations could affect your recommended guidelines?
  • What resources could affect your recommended guidelines (staffing, financial, and logistical considerations, or support services)?
• Explain ethical, evidence-based practice guidelines to improve targeted benchmark performance and the impact the proposed changes will have on the targeted group.
  • What does the evidence-based literature suggest are potential strategies to improve performance for your targeted benchmark?
  • How would these strategies ensure performance improvement or compliance with applicable local, state, or federal health care policy or law?
  • How can you ensure that these strategies are ethical and culturally inclusive in their application?
  • What is the direct impact of these changes on the stakeholders’ work setting and job requirements?
• Explain why particular stakeholders and groups must be involved in further development and implementation of your proposed policy and practice guidelines.
  • Why is it important to engage these stakeholders and groups?
  • How can their participation produce a stronger policy and facilitate its implementation?
• Present strategies for collaborating with the stakeholder group to implement your proposed policy and practice guidelines.
  • What role will the stakeholder group play in implementing your proposal?
  • Why is the stakeholder group and their collaboration important for successful implementation?
• Organize content so ideas flow logically with smooth transitions.
  • Proofread your proposal, before you submit it, to minimize errors that could distract readers and make it more difficult for them to focus on the substance of your proposal.
• Use paraphrasing and summarization to represent ideas from external sources.
  • Be sure to apply correct APA formatting to source citations and references.

Policy Proposal Format and Length

It may be helpful to use a template or format for your proposal that is used in your current organization. The risk management or quality department could be a good resource for finding an appropriate template or format. If you are not currently in practice, or your organization does not have these resources, many appropriate templates are freely available on the Internet.

Your policy should be succinct (about one paragraph). Overall, your proposal should be 4–6 pages in length.

Supporting Evidence

Cite 3–5 references to relevant research, case studies, or best practices to support your analysis and recommendations.

Portfolio Prompt: You may choose to save your policy proposal to your ePortfolio.

Competencies Measured

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and scoring guide criteria:

• Competency 1: Analyze relevant health care laws, policies, and regulations; their application; and their effects on organizations, interprofessional teams, and professional practice.
  • Explain and interpret for stakeholders the need for creating a policy and practice guidelines to address a shortfall in meeting a benchmark metric prescribed by local, state, or federal health care policies or laws.
• Competency 2: Lead the development and implementation of ethical and culturally sensitive policies that improve health outcomes for individuals, organizations, and populations.
  • Summarize a proposed organizational policy or practice change guideline and analyze the potential effects of environmental factors on recommended practice guidelines.
• Competency 3: Evaluate relevant indicators of performance, such as benchmarks, research, and best practices, to inform health care laws and policies for patients, organizations, and populations.
  • Explain how ethical, evidence-based practice guidelines to improve targeted benchmark performance will impact a stakeholder group needed for successful implementation of the policy or practice change.
• Competency 4: Develop strategies to work collaboratively with policy makers, stakeholders, and colleagues to address environmental (governmental and regulatory) forces.
  • Explain why particular stakeholders and groups must be involved in further development and implementation of a proposed policy or practice change to improve quality and outcomes.
  • Present strategies for collaborating with a stakeholder group to implement a proposed policy and practice guidelines.
• Competency 5: Produce clear, coherent, and professional written work, in accordance with Capella’s writing standards.
  • Organize content so ideas flow logically with smooth transitions.
  • Support main points, assertions, arguments, conclusions, or recommendations with relevant and credible evidence.
• For Distinguished
• Explains the need for creating a policy and practice guidelines to address a shortfall in meeting a benchmark metric prescribed by local, state, or federal health care policies or laws. Clearly articulates the effects of benchmark underperformance and draws sound conclusions about the potential repercussions of inaction, based on credible evidence and relates information to stakeholder group.

Succinctly summarizes a proposed organizational policy and practice guidelines. Analyzes the potential effects of environmental factors on recommended practice guidelines. Identifies clear cause-and-effect relationships and the influence of those factors on specific recommendations.

Recommends ethical, evidence-based practice guidelines to improve targeted benchmark performance. Provides an honest and accurate assessment of practice changes and their precise impact on stakeholders. Provides clear and compelling justification, substantiated by credible evidence.

Provides a perceptive and succinct explanation of why particular stakeholders and groups must be involved in further development and implementation of a proposed policy and practice guidelines. Offers clear and convincing rationale for stakeholder and group engagement and how it strengthens policy and facilitates changes in practice to improve quality outcomes.

Presents strategies for collaborating with a stakeholder group to implement a proposed policy and practice guidelines. Makes a compelling case for the importance of stakeholder collaboration and considers stakeholder perspectives by addressing possible objections.

Organizes content so clarity is enhanced and all ideas flow logically with smooth transitions.

Supports main points, assertions, arguments, conclusions, or recommendations with relevant, credible, and convincing evidence. Skillfully combines virtually error-free source citations with a perceptive and coherent synthesis of the evidence.