Write a 3–5 page report for a senior leader that communicates your evaluation of current organizational or interprofessional team performance, with respect to prescribed benchmarks set forth by government laws and policies at the local, state, and federal levels.
delve into the world of healthcare laws, guidelines, policies, and benchmarks. As a healthcare professional and leader, it is essential to understand the policies governing your organization and how they align with broader healthcare laws and industry benchmarks. Each member of the healthcare team needs to understand what is needed to provide efficient, effective, and evidence-based care. Through this assessment, you will develop critical analysis skills that will enhance your understanding of healthcare governance and quality improvement efforts.
The purpose of this assessment is to analyze a policy related to your professional practice, organization, or community and compare it to relevant healthcare laws, guidelines, and policies. Then, you will examine how policy, guidelines, and laws align with measurable healthcare benchmarks and implications for quality improvement.
Topic Selection: Choose a topic of interest that you would like to work in your organization or one where you have worked before or are interested in working.
Look at the American Hospital Association, Center for Medicare & Medicaid, the Institute of Health Care Improvement, or the Joint Commission Patient Safety Goals.
If you cannot locate one, look at local, state, or federal issues.
Policy Application: Find a policy, set of guidelines, or government regulations and apply it to the organization’s work on the chosen topic. You may choose a policy you have access to from your organization. Other sources of policies include those published online from a different healthcare organization.
Describe clearly how the selected policy complies with or diverges from the requirements outlined in a related healthcare law, providing evidence to support your position.
Discuss the potential legal, ethical, or financial implications of non-compliance with the policy and its alignment with healthcare law or professional guidelines.
Consider the consequences for individual practitioners, stakeholders, and the healthcare organization.
Examples of Laws, Regulations, and Standards:
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Federal regulations and guidance.
CMS Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP).
CMS Inpatient Quality Reporting Program (IQR).
CMS Improving Medicare Post-Acute Transformation Act of 2014 (IMPACT Act) is a federal law that standardizes patient assessment data in post-acute care settings.
CMS Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) requirements.
The Joint Commission Standards and Measures.
Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – National Healthcare Safety Network.
National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI).
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).