UNIT 5 Factors Affecting the Healthcare System

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

● Discussing the factors that affect the quality of services provided by Health Care systems
● Determining solutions to problems arising from the factors affecting the Health Care
systems
● Designing preventive measures for such factors affecting Health Care System

The topic of factors affecting the healthcare system revolves around understanding the various
elements that impact the delivery, accessibility, and quality of healthcare services in a particular
context. These factors can include aspects such as infrastructure, workforce, financial resources,
policies, socio-economic conditions, and more. By examining these factors, we gain insights into
the challenges and opportunities within a healthcare system, helping us identify areas for
improvement and develop strategies to enhance the overall healthcare experience for individuals
and communities. Understanding these factors is crucial for policymakers, healthcare providers,
and stakeholders to make informed decisions and implement effective interventions that positively
impact healthcare delivery and outcomes.

Understanding the factors that affect the healthcare system is of significant importance for several
reasons:

1. Policy Development: A thorough understanding of these factors helps policymakers

develop evidence-based policies and strategies to address the challenges and gaps within
the healthcare system.

2. Resource Allocation: By identifying the factors that impact healthcare delivery,

policymakers and healthcare administrators can allocate resources effectively.

3. Quality Improvement: Understanding these factors helps healthcare providers and

administrators identify areas where quality improvement initiatives are needed.

4. Health Equity: Examining these factors helps in identifying disparities and inequities within
the healthcare system

5. Healthcare Planning: Knowledge of these factors is essential for effective healthcare

planning. It helps in forecasting future healthcare needs, identifying emerging health issues,
and developing strategies to meet the evolving demands of the population.

6. Collaboration and Partnerships: Understanding these factors promotes collaboration

among various stakeholders, including government agencies, healthcare providers,
communities, and non-governmental organizations.

7. Health System Strengthening: A comprehensive understanding of the factors affecting

the healthcare system enables targeted interventions that strengthen the overall system.
Factors Affecting the Quality of Health Care Services

The term "quality of healthcare services" is a holistic expression that implies a host of features like
the healthcare infrastructure, Healthcare professionals, Patient-centered care, Access to care,
Patient safety, Health information systems, Patient satisfaction and feedback, and Resource
allocation. Each of the above factors contributes to the main "quality of healthcare service" and
cannot be ignored in any way. Every hospital must pay attention to each of these individual factors
to achieve optimum quality of healthcare services.

What are the factors influencing the quality of healthcare services?

1. Healthcare Infrastructure- Adequate infrastructure, including well-equipped hospitals,

clinics, and medical facilities, is essential for delivering quality healthcare services. Access
to advanced medical technologies, diagnostic equipment, and appropriate facilities
contributes to accurate diagnoses and effective treatments.

Examples are;
● Medical equipment
● Technology

Medical equipment - overseen by a responsible lead, ensures that appropriate medical

equipment is available and fit-for-purpose, as required for the delivery of high quality clinical
services.

Technology- technology systems should support the delivery of information to ensure

patients, carers and health professionals can access information they need, when they need it.

2. Healthcare Professionals- Competent and skilled healthcare professionals are crucial for
delivering high-quality care. Factors such as their knowledge, expertise, communication
skills, and professionalism directly influence service quality. Well-trained and motivated
healthcare professionals contribute to improved patient outcomes and experiences.
Examples; include physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician's assistants,
pharmacists, social workers, dietitians, physical and occupational therapists, and medical
technologists.

3. Patient-Centered Care- Patient-centered care focuses on meeting the individual needs,

preferences, and values of patients. Factors such as effective communication, shared
decision-making, respect for patient autonomy, and addressing psychosocial and emotional
aspects of care contribute to service quality. Healthcare providers who engage patients as
partners in their care promote better health outcomes and patient satisfaction. Examples:
quality of care, Quality health services should be: effective; safe; people-centred; timely;
equitable; integrated; and efficient.

What does it mean?

Effective – providing evidence-based healthcare services to those who need them

 Safe – avoiding harm to people for whom the care is intended

People-centred – providing care that responds to individual preferences, needs and values

To realize the benefits of quality health care, health services must be:

Timely – reducing waiting times and sometimes harmful delays

Equitable – providing care that does not vary in quality on account of gender, ethnicity,
geographic location, and socio-economic status

Integrated – providing care that makes available the full range of health services
throughout the life course

Efficient – maximizing the benefit of available resources and avoiding waste

4. Access to Care- Timely and equitable access to healthcare services is fundamental for
quality care. Factors such as geographical barriers, availability of healthcare facilities,
affordability, and waiting times for appointments can influence access and subsequently
impact service quality. Ensuring that healthcare services are accessible to all individuals
promotes equitable and high-quality care.

5. Health Information Systems- Efficient health information systems that enable accurate
and timely documentation, data exchange, and communication among healthcare providers
enhance service quality. Access to comprehensive and patient’s latest information supports
informed decision-making, care coordination, and patient safety.

6. Patient Satisfaction and Feedback- Measuring patient satisfaction and capturing patient
feedback provide valuable insights into service quality. Incorporating patient perspectives,
experiences, and expectations helps identify areas for improvement, enhance patient
engagement, and deliver patient-centered care. Patient satisfaction is an important and
commonly used indicator for measuring the quality in health care. Patient satisfaction
affects clinical outcomes, patient retention, and medical malpractice claims.

7. Resource Allocation- Adequate allocation of resources, including financial resources,

staffing levels, and infrastructure, is critical for delivering quality healthcare services.
Insufficient resources can hinder the availability, accessibility, and effectiveness of care,
affecting service quality.

Problem Identification

Factors affecting the healthcare system can lead to specific problems and challenges that impact
patient safety, health outcomes, and the healthcare experience. Some key issues includes the
following:

1. Healthcare Provider Shortage- Not enough healthcare professionals, leading to longer

wait times and limited access to specialized care. Example, Increased Workload on Existing
Providers. In situations where there is a shortage of healthcare providers, the existing
healthcare professionals often face increased workloads and high patient-to-provider ratios.
2. Unequal Access to Healthcare- Disparities in access based on income, location, and
social factors, resulting in delayed or inadequate care for certain populations. For example,
people in rural areas face barriers to accessing care due to low density of providers and
longer travel times to care, as well as more limited access to health coverage.

3. Communication and Coordination Problems- Poor communication among healthcare

providers and fragmented care, leading to errors, delays, and compromised patient safety.
Lack of communication creates situations where medical errors can occur. These errors
have the potential to cause severe injury or unexpected patient death. Medical errors,
especially those caused by a failure to communicate, are a pervasive problem in today's
health care organizations. Example, Inconsistent communication channels. Having
inconsistent communication channels, which means random switches between tools, is a
communication challenge many of today’s employees frequently deal with.

4. Limited Health Literacy- Low understanding of healthcare information among patients,

leading to misunderstandings, non-adherence, and poorer outcomes. Nearly 9 out of 10
adults struggle with health literacy. Even people with high literacy skills may have low health
literacy skills in certain situations. For example, someone who is stressed and sick when
they’re accessing health information may have trouble remembering, understanding, and
using that information.

5. Medication Errors- Mistakes in prescribing, administering, or understanding medications,

resulting in adverse reactions and treatment complications. Examples of medications errors
are Prescribing, Omission, Wrong time. Unauthorized drug. Improper dose. Wrong dose
prescription/wrong dose preparation. Administration errors include the incorrect route of
administration, giving the drug to the wrong patient, extra dose, or wrong rate. Medication
errors are most common at the ordering or prescribing stage. Typical errors include the
healthcare provider writing the wrong medication, the wrong route or dose, or the wrong
frequency. These ordering errors account for almost 50% of medication errors. Data show
that nurses and pharmacists identify anywhere from 30% to 70% of medication-ordering
errors. It is obvious that medication errors are a pervasive problem, but the problem is
preventable in most cases.

6. Limited Health Information Exchange- Inefficient sharing of patient information between

providers, resulting in fragmented records, delays, and gaps in care.

7. Insufficient Patient Engagement- Lack of patient involvement in decision-making, leading

to care that doesn't align with preferences and reduced treatment adherence. .

8. Inadequate Resources and Funding- Insufficient financial resources and outdated

infrastructure, impacting timely and quality care. When healthcare services lack sufficient
financial support, the following can occur;

● Lack of equipment and facilities- Insufficient funding can lead to a shortage of

modern equipment, technology, and healthcare facilities.
 ● Shortage of experts and professional staff- Limited financial support can
contribute to a shortage of an adequate number of healthcare professionals, such as
doctors, nurses, and other specialists.

These challenges can have a significant impact, including compromised patient safety, increased
costs, poorer outcomes, reduced satisfaction, and decreased trust in the healthcare system.
Addressing these issues requires interventions such as improving workforce capacity, enhancing
communication and coordination, promoting health literacy, implementing infection control
measures, investing in health information exchange, fostering patient engagement, and ensuring
adequate resources and funding. These efforts can enhance patient safety, improve outcomes,
and provide a better healthcare experience.

Solutions to the problem affecting the healthcare system.

1. Promote patient education and empowerment- Patient empowerment is critical for

improving patient outcomes, increasing patient satisfaction, and providing high-quality care.
Hospitals that prioritize patient empowerment can create a culture of patient-centered care
that leads to better health outcomes for patients and a better overall hospital experience.

2. Invest in technology for efficient health information exchange- Use technology like
electronic health records to securely and seamlessly share patient information among
healthcare providers, improving coordination and patient engagement.

3. Foster a culture of safety and continuous improvement- Prioritize patient safety by

creating an environment that encourages reporting, learning from mistakes, and ongoing
improvement of processes.

4. Ensure equitable access to care through policy interventions- Take steps to eliminate
disparities and ensure all individuals have fair and timely access to healthcare services,
regardless of their background or location.

5. Allocate sufficient resources for healthcare infrastructure and staffing- Ensure

adequate funding, facilities, technology, and staffing levels to provide quality care and meet
patient needs effectively.

Firstly, it enables the ability to provide adequate services and care to patients. Secondly,
having the appropriate number of healthcare staff is crucial to fill workforce gaps and ensure the
quality of service. Lastly, sufficient resources in healthcare infrastructure and staffing are related to
the resilience and readiness of the healthcare system.
Conclusion

Healthcare systems must take a multi-faceted approach to address the factors that affect service
quality, patient safety, and health outcomes. Preventive measures include promoting patient
education and empowerment, investing in technology, fostering a culture of safety and continuous
improvement, and allocating resources for healthcare infrastructure and staffing. This approach
can enhance service quality, prioritize patient safety, improve health outcomes, and deliver a better
overall healthcare experience. Designing preventive measures for factors affecting the healthcare
system is essential for multiple reasons. It promotes public health, reduces the burden of
diseases, enhances the efficiency of healthcare resources, reduces health disparities, and fosters
a proactive approach to healthcare. By investing in prevention, we can create a healthier
population, alleviate the strain on healthcare services, and ultimately build a more sustainable and
equitable healthcare system.

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