Telemedicine refers to the delivery of healthcare services through digital communication technologies, such as video conferencing, phone calls, messaging, and remote monitoring. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of telemedicine: Advantages: Improved access to healthcare: Telemedicine can improve access to healthcare for individuals who live in remote or underserved areas, and for those who have…
Pricing Healthcare Services
Pricing healthcare services can be a complex process, as there are many factors to consider and a variety of stakeholders involved. In this article, we will explore some of the key considerations for pricing healthcare services and provide some tips for finding the right balance between affordability and sustainability. Factors to consider: Cost of providing…
Smarter Spending in Healthcare: Strategies for Reducing Costs and Improving Quality
As healthcare costs continue to rise, there is growing pressure to find ways to reduce spending while maintaining or improving quality. One approach that has gained traction in recent years is
Value-Based Healthcare
Value-based healthcare (VBHC) is a healthcare delivery model that focuses on maximizing the value received by patients in terms of outcomes relative to the cost of care. It seeks to shift the healthcare system’s focus from volume-based care (fee-for-service) to a model that prioritizes patient outcomes, quality of care, and cost-effectiveness. Key principles of value-based…
Improving Patient Flow
Improving patient flow is an important aspect of healthcare delivery as it can reduce wait times, increase patient satisfaction, and improve the overall quality of care. Here are some steps to improve patient flow: Map out the patient journey: Mapping out the patient journey, from the moment they arrive at the healthcare facility to the…
A Shark In My Tank
I have just returned back from a trip to Asia, where I heard a magnificent story about Japanese fishermen. Japanese have always loved fresh fish. But the water close to Japan have not held many fish for decades; so the fishermen had to go further out to sea to catch their supply of fish. Fishing…
Patient Flow
Patient flow refers to the movement of patients through the healthcare system, from the point of initial entry to the point of discharge or transfer to another healthcare facility. Ensuring an efficient patient flow is essential for providing high-quality healthcare, as it helps to reduce wait times, lower costs, and improve patient satisfaction. There are…
An Accountable or A Second Victim
In 1994, when I was an anesthesia intern, a bride and groom were admitted to the operating theater after a sudden road traffic accident during their celebration while they were going home. The attending consultant (my professor) tried his best to save them, but the bride passed away 15 minutes after arrival. He turned to…
Future Healthcare System
In the report “Crossing the Global Quality Chasm: Improving Health Care Worldwide,” a committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine calls for urgent, comprehensive efforts to transform the design of healthcare globally. The committee believes that the care systems of the future will differ radically from those of the past. Digital health…
Risk Matrix
A Healthcare Risk Assessment Matrix is a tool used to identify and evaluate potential risks within a healthcare organization. It involves identifying and assessing the likelihood and impact of various risks, such as clinical risks, operational risks, financial risks, and reputational risks. The matrix typically consists of a grid that categorizes risks based on their…
Data Reliability in Healthcare – A Vital Imperative
Performance measurement plays a vital role in driving healthcare quality improvement, but its effectiveness hinges on the reliability of the underlying data. By addressing data reliability challenges through standardized data collection, validation
Smarter Spending in Healthcare
Smarter spending is a critical component of achieving the third aim of reducing the per capita cost of healthcare. Here are some ways in which smarter spending can contribute to achieving the Triple Aim:
Swiss Cheese Model
The Swiss Cheese Model is a widely used framework for understanding and analyzing how errors can occur in complex systems, such as healthcare. The model was first proposed by James Reason, a British psychologist, and it has been used in many industries to identify and manage risks. The Swiss Cheese Model consists of multiple layers…
Risk Assessment
What is risk assessment? A risk assessment seeks to answer four simple, related questions: What can go wrong? How bad? How often? Is there a need for action? It is impossible to eliminate all risks but we have a duty to protect our patients. This means we must avoid any unnecessary harm. Definitions Hazards which…
The Three Behaviors
ABC model of attitudes Affective component This involves a person’s feelings / emotions about the attitude object. For example: “I am scared of spiders”. Behavioral component The way the attitude we have influences how we act or behave. For example: “I will avoid spiders and scream if I see one”. Cognitive component This involves a…
Manage Risk in 6 Steps
1- Identify Hazard 2- Who? 3- Analysis 4- Register 5- Action Plan 6- Re-assess 1- Identify Hazard what can go wrong? 2- Who? Who might be harmed and how ? 3- Analysis Evaluate the risks (how bad? how often?) 4- Register Record your ufb01ndings (Risk Register) 5- Action Plan Propose action and identify who is…
When The Winds Blow!
Once there lived a farmer who owned land along the seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the sea. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the ocean – wreaking haw on the buildings and crops. As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he…
Does Ignorance Begets Confidence? – Dunning-Kruger effect
The Dunning-Kruger effect is a type of cognitive bias in which people believe that they are smarter and more capable than they really are. Essentially, low ability people do not possess the skills needed to recognize their own incompetence. The combination of poor self-awareness and low cognitive ability leads them to overestimate their own capabilities. As Charles Darwin wrote…
I Wore the Juice – Unskilled and Unaware of it
On one fine morning in Pittsburgh (PA), on April 19, 1995, a man aged 44, known by the name McArthur Wheeler decided to rob a bank. Since he thought he knew a lot about a particular chemical property of lemon juice, he decided to smear the juice on his face before executing his plan to rob…