Students are expected to contribute to web-based
discussions. Weekly participation is required. A
discussion topic will be introduced in each biweekly
class. During the first week of discussion, all students
will contribute at least once to the ongoing discussion.
The instructor will review the discussion content by the
end of the first week and will refocus or pose additional
questions on the same topic for chat room discussion.
Each student is also expected to contribute to the
discussion in the second week. Students are expected to
read both recommended and additional reading in
preparation for chat room discussions. Each student's
input should build on prior discussion and should include
materials from readings and professional experiences. The
chat room discussions should be scholarly. You should
include references to support you positions. References
can include readings as well as references to internet
sites that you have found helpful.
Grading will be on the following basis: (5 points for
each of 6 discussion topics)
5 points: will be awarded for substantial contribution
to the discussion with contribution of insights from
readings ( including referenced from recommended and
additional readings)and professional experience. The
student reflects on and enhances discussion throiugh
responses to prior discussants. Participation in each of
the two weeks of the discussion.
4 points: will be awarded for insightful contributions
that support the discussion from recommended readings and
professional experience. The student reflects on and
enhances discussion throiugh responses to prior
discussants. Participation in each of the two weeks of
the discussion.
3 points: will be awarded when there is a scholarly
contributions (with references) in one of the two weeks
only. Contributions in the second week are non-referenced
or relate only to proferssional experiences.
2 points: will be awarded for contributions to the
discussion that includes professional experiences but no
references to readings. Participation in each of the two
weeks of the discussion.
1 point: will be awarded when participation occurs in
only one week of the discussion.
You are the 'editor' of a journal on health care
quality. Write an editorial opinion (5-6 pages) on one of
the following topics. Your editorial must be adequately
referenced to support the development of your position.
After you have submitted your paper, post the file in the
assigned chat room. Then comment on the opinions of the
others who wrote on your topic. If no-one else wrote on
your topic, you may choose another chat room in which to
read the papers and comment on their content.
a. The similarities and differences in philosophic
underpinnings and principles of quality and managed
care.
b. The relationship between quality and cost
containment in health care.
c. The outcomes mandate: Quality by a different name
or a new revolution in health care?.
d. Quality as a professional imperative and quality as
an organizational imperative: In sychrony or in
conflict?
Grading criteria:
Adequate review and synthesis of relevant lterature (8
points)
Development, logic, and coherence of the position
taken. (8 points)
Writing style, grammar, spelling, APA (4 points)
Commentary on other papers on the selected topic. (5
points)
A. Outcomes Management
Project Proposal
Identify population to be managed within a real or
imaginary health care organization. Identify why there is
a need to manage outcomes of the selected population
related to organizational goals and internal and external
benchmarks. Include in the proposal:
a. how you will determine the need for
outcomes management of the selected population
including internal and external benchmarks. Identify
the strategic need for this project. Include external
benchmark data in your proposal. (5 points)
b. an organizational design/process for
development, implementation,and evaluation of the
Outcomes Management project (5 points)
c. quality theorists and/or theoretical
framework(s) that will be used to guide the
development of a successful outcomes process. (5
points)
d. targeted outcomes (clinical/health status,
process, financial, satisfaction) to be achieved in
this project. Describe how you would select and/or
develop the outcome indicators and how you will
measure and collect data needed to evaluate outcomes.
(15 points)
e. operational strategies and tools for
implementing your outcomes management program. Provide
evidence-based best practice recommendations obtained
from the literature. How will this project integrate
within and across organizational entities(15
points).
f. describe the link between your outcomes
management project and quality structures and
processes within the organization. (5 points)
B. Continuous Quality
Improvement Project Proposal
Identify a need for continuous quality improvement
within a real or imaginary health care organization.
Identify why there is a need for improvement related to
organizational goals and internal and external
benchmarks. Include in the proposal:
a. how you will determine the need for
improvement including internal and external
benchmarks. Include external benchmarks in your
proposal. (5 points)
b. an organizational design for participation in
the CQI process (5 points)
c. quality theorists and/or theoretical
framework(s) that will be used to guide the
development of a successful CQI process. (5
points)
d. assessments that need to be made to identify the
nature and scope of the quality problem. Include tools
you would use. Complete the tools with the help of the
literature and professional contacts. (10 points)
e. evidence-based recommendations for changes in
processes that may be used in achieving the
improvement (10 points)
f. quality and cost indicators that will be used to
monitor the improvement over time. (5 points)
g. plans for implementation of the improvement (5
points)
h. plans for communicating the results of the
project. (2 points)
i. plans for maintaining the improvement. (3
points)
The proposal should be written in APA format and be no
more than 20 pages.
It is expected that the proposal will include
extensive referencing and will be written in APA format.
An Executive Summary should be including instead of an
abstract. Up to 5 points will be deducted for APA,
spelling, and grammatical errors.
