Understanding “Quality” in a Hospital Setting

When you or a loved one seek medical attention, you want the best outcome. You expect a safe, high-quality experience and you hope to return to a good or better quality of life. But what does high-quality health care actually look like? 

In a nutshell, high-quality health care is about receiving the care you need, when you need it, to achieve the best results possible. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences defines quality health care as “safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient and equitable.” It is not based on the numbers of patients seen in a given day, but on a hospital’s performance to support patients living the healthiest life possible. 

Quality care requires a continuous, proactive effort by physicians, nurses, and other ancillary staff to improve the patient care experience and address hundreds of outcome measures. Is the patient receiving the care they need and have they been informed in a manner they understand? Have side effects and other health concerns been anticipated before they escalate? Does the patient feel safe in the hospital and, if not, are they or a loved one comfortable speaking up? Is the patient able to resume their best life? What areas in this process are successful and where can improvements be made? 

As a family and emergency physician at Barton Health, I have seen and treated patients for more than 40 years. My colleagues and I have consistently strived to deliver safe, high-quality care even as the methods and approach have evolved. 

Historically, hospitals across the nation addressed quality in a reactive manner. Problems were tackled in the moment of distress without considering how it could have been prevented or avoided. This has evolved to a proactive, collaborative, improvement approach. To ensure high-quality care is delivered, we must set goals, measure efforts and outcomes, analyze data, and then make changes to processes based on this information. It requires that we don’t just say we deliver high-quality care, we can prove it. 

At Barton, our physicians and team members continue to modify, improve, and fine tune the quality of care we provide our patients. These efforts have not gone unnoticed, and Barton was recently recognized as one of Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals alongside larger, top-notch hospitals covering 25 countries. Barton’s quality, safety, and patient satisfaction scores have earned a five-star overall rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. Barton’s orthopedic and sports medicine specialists are known for their exceptional level of care and total joint procedures, including hip and knee joints, meeting the highest standards, and have been accredited by The Joint Commission. And Barton’s trauma team continues to meet the rigorous criteria needed for Barton to be designated as a Level III Trauma Center.

These recognitions not only acknowledge Barton’s effort to achieve high-quality care, but show that our standards, processes, and changes are working. With ongoing diligence, we can continue to improve patient care outcomes and the overall health and well-being of our community. As we celebrate National Hospital Week, May 9-15, this is a time to acknowledge the efforts of the staff and physicians at Barton Health for their commitment to providing our community with exceptional care.

Dr. Paul Rork is the Medical Director of Outpatient Quality at Barton Health. He is a board-certified family medicine physician and has witnessed firsthand Barton’s improvement in quality over the last 40 years. Additional information about Barton’s quality and safety can be found at BartonHealth.org/Quality.