Question

Discussion: Quality and Cost Measurements

As nurse practitioners continue to expand their role in delivering health care, it is imperative for NPs to provide the data and evidence to demonstrate the impact of NP care on patient outcomes. There are several challenges that advanced practice nurses face to provide quality care and meet productivity goals of an organization. This week it is important to explore the connection of quality care and performance measures. Some questions to consider as we discuss this topic are:

Why are quality measures important?

What is the difference between quality measures and performance indicators?

What performance measures are used for NP productivity?

Why are incentive plans used in clinical organizations?

To prepare:

Read the article, An Incentive Plan for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses: Impact on Provider and Organizational Outcomes, by Catherine A. Rhodes, Mavis Bechtle, and Molly McNett (2015)

Explore quality measures and identify at least one clinical performance measure, such as the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

Post an explanation of the importance of quality measures using the clinical performance measure you identified as an example. Then, identify the performance measures used for NP productivity in Rhodes, Bechtle, and McNett (2015) article. Finally, share your opinion on incentive payment for care, including external motivators and at least one business model.

Answer 1

Importance of quality measures:

The Nurse practitioner plays an integral role in providing quality and affordable health care to the patients. Quality measures are tools used to measure the healthcare processes, outcomes, patient satisfaction, the healthcare system in order to improve the quality health care. The quality goals include providing a safe and effective patient-centered care in a timely manner. The Nurse practitioners are facing the number of challenges in their roles, the incentives are offered them to realize the importance of their field.

Difference between quality measures and performance indicators:

The performance indicator is a set of technical skills used to calculate the rate of quality performance.

Performance measures used for NP productivity:

Rhodes, Bechtle, and McNett measure the performance of active Nurse practitioners through the evaluation of self, peer, ancillary staff, and Nursing Supervisor. The patient satisfaction, data, and surveys are also used for evaluation.

Incentive plans used in the organization:

Incentive plans encourage and motivate the nurse practitioners to put their high performance on their work. Thus increases the quality care and patient satisfaction and provider job satisfaction. The incentive is given in the form of increased pay, rewards or bonus. It creates a positive competition among employees.

Organizations such as Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) focuses on quality standards in the healthcare system. Quality measures are important in healthcare services to promote health education, promotion, and counseling. In the clinical performance, the nurse and physician should work together as a team so the incentives are offered appropriately.

A business model is important for the business to succeed. Nurse practitioners should try to understand the business plan. The nurse must also aware of the local, federal, and state regulations in the incentive plans. NP's has to keep up their measures and performance in receiving the incentive.