108 Unit 1 Introduction to Healthcare Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Quality Improvement and Safety Since the 1960s, serious efforts have been made to initiate quality improvement (QI) policies, which are also called quality assurance policies. QI policies are put in place to ensure that healthcare organizations monitor and evaluate services based on predetermined criteria. These policies are aimed at improvement, measuring the facility against specifi c criteria and then fi guring out ways to improve performance. These policies attempt to avoid blame and to create systems to prevent errors. Examples of quality improvement in a healthcare facility include keep- ing records of incidents that occur in the facility ensuring that all machinery is monitored on a regular basis, with strict records of maintenance and com- pleting patient care documentation in a clear, consistent, accurate, complete, and timely manner. Because so many tasks are involved in maintaining quality improvement, most medium-sized and large facilities have a sepa- rate department dedicated to providing the best possible quality of care. Of course safety criteria are a major part of quality improvement. Quality healthcare begins with strictly observing all safety procedures. Today, health- care facilities report their quality measures, many of which include safety, to several national organizations that publish safety defi nitions and standards. Three governmental agencies (in addition to OSHA) involved in protecting the health and safety of patients and the public are the FDA, NIH, and the CDC. The following list includes these three and other important organizations: • The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the regulation and supervision of food safety, prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceutical drugs (medications), vaccines, biopharmaceuticals, blood transfusions, and medical devices, to name several responsibilities. quality improvement (QI) term for policies that motivate or require healthcare facilities to monitor and evaluate their services based on predetermined criteria for the purpose of improving those services Check Your Understanding 1. When moving a heavy object, you should ______ rather than ______. 2. What is ergonomics? 3. How can you reduce your chance of getting carpal tunnel syndrome? 4. What elements form the fire triangle? 5. The radiation safety principle is represented by the acronym ALARA, which stands for ______. • Maintain good communication if two or more people are lifting. Communicating with any helpers will ensure good timing when lifting, thereby reducing the likelihood of jerky or unexpected movements. • Push rather than pull. It is easier to use your weight advantage when pushing. • Eliminate repetitive lifting duties if possible. Store supplies that you frequently use at a reachable height to decrease lifting challenges. • When in doubt, get help. Remember, some back injuries can last a lifetime.