For years, new strategies have applied the quality tools to guarantee the realization of correct, safe, effective procedures and with full satisfaction for the patient.
One of the most recognized strategies has been the implementation of Quality Management Systems, whose objective is to continuously generate, maintain, and improve results and confidence in the provision of assistance. In short, Quality Management Systems try to provide health organizations with a way to describe and demonstrate the results of the new forms of coordination.
Benefits and improvements in applying ISO 9001: 2015
Experience in various sectors has led to the creation of a standardized management model that facilitates the application of quality tools in any organization. This model is described as ISO 9001: 2015, which has been recently reviewed and approved, and enjoys great popularity for the benefits that its application in the health sector reports.
In the health sector, ISO 9001: 2015 achieves improvements such as:
- Services that more and better meet the expectations and needs of patients and users,
- Services that avoid errors thanks to the adoption of preventive measures or improvements in the use of equipment,
- The motivation of workers,
- As well as in the updating of knowledge and management of care processes,
- With the consequent reduction of costs.
In general, the application of this Quality Management Standard, in addition to obtaining health care that satisfies the patient and the user, has an impact on healthcare professionals. Working in an ISO 9001: 2015 environment implies a clearer definition of functions, a reduction in incidents (in treatments and in an organization), and a more productive working environment. Globally, the ISO standard drives more competitive centers.
Boosting Patient Safety
The update of the ISO 9001 Standard in 2015 has a special significance on Patient Safety. It incorporates as a special novelty, the obligation to identify, analyze, evaluate and reduce the risks of care, which means that the health center certified in quality by ISO 9001: 2015 must demonstrate that it is committed and acts to improve Patient safety
The quality certificate will guarantee compliance with the improvement requirements established by the International ISO Standard, whose standards are focused on guaranteeing the patient a safe, reliable, and with the best professional and human treatment possible.
Management and strategic decision.
The adoption of the Quality Management System must be a strategic decision of Center Management. You must define the role model. An approach based on care processes is essential to ensure that the organization functions effectively and that it takes into account the need to efficiently manage the many related activities. It can be done easily by pursuing healthcare quality courses in USA.
Methodology to apply: segment, measure, and improve.
To achieve these objectives, the centers or certified units apply a methodology that manages to break down the healthcare process at its most elementary levels, analyze them in detail and allocate the most appropriate resources to each of them. The ISO Quality Management model allows to analyze the performance in an integral way and to detect the possibilities of improvement, in which all the professionals of the center must undoubtedly participate.
Trained and involved professionals.
In the implementation of the healthcare quality certification courses, the participation, involvement, and commitment of professionals must be included. For this, health professionals must have specific training in Quality, training that provides them with security to make the decisions, and to take on this challenge of deepening the improvement of the health of the patients and getting the proper use of the resources of the center.