4.
The topic of adverse outcomes and and complication rates for certain
patient safety challenges healthcare
executives to leave their comfort
zone and confront the status quo.
An executive must now prove to be
knowledgeable about patient
outcomes and must be committed
to their improvement.
ERA OF PUBLIC
REPORTING AND
ACCOUNTABILITY
The call for public accountability is
beginning to suggest a new reality for
America’s healthcare institutions—a
reality in which these organizations’
accomplishments and failures will be
matters of public record. A number
of quality ratings are published each
year, but these have focused only on
the so-called “best” in American
healthcare, including the “100 Best
Hospitals” and a city’s or region’s
“Best Doctors.”
Most of these lists include little
data on outcomes of care. Rather,
they are usually heavily reliant on
measurable financial parameters,
established “centers of excellence,” or
reputation. Some Internet sites have
gone further however, abstracting
data from Medicare files to rank
hospitals based on their mortality
22 | LEADING A PATIENT- SAFE ORGANIZATION
SIDEBAR E
diseases or procedures.
All the complexities of the patient Presentations of
outcomes information
care process are distilled into some in an incomplete
simplistic rating system for the manner have many
consumer’s review. The methodology troubling aspects. Two
in particular need to
by which such ratings are be confronted by
constructed is generally not discussed healthcare leaders:
by such agencies, and there is no
1. If reported
guarantee that a hospital that rates outcomes fall under
highly in one area provides equally the established
standards, should
good care in others. See Sidebar E. leaders be actively
The leader’s roles in this era of involved in
public accountability are as follows: improving them? If
not, why not?
2. Should leaders
■ Understand the goals and once again allow
objectives of the various non-healthcare
agencies to force
constituencies who advocate for a them into a reactive
greater transparency for healthcare posture?
outcomes.
■ Ensure that the organization is
meeting benchmarks for certain
reported outcomes or has programs
in place to move in that direction.
■ Voluntarily participate in outcomes
initiatives sponsored by federal,
state, and regulatory agencies as
well as other credible organizations
committed to patient safety and
quality of care. Participation can
give needed impetus to an
organization’s quality improvement
program and can encourage
collaboration among all
stakeholders.