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- Introduction: The patient safety problem in healthcare
- How assessments support improved patient safety
- Conclusion: Proactive patient safety
Introduction: The patient safety problem in healthcare
“Around 1 in every 10 patients is harmed in health care and more than 3 million deaths occur annually due to unsafe care. In low-to-middle income countries, as many as 4 in 100 people die from unsafe care. – World Health Organization, 2023
The reasons for experiencing unsafe care in a medical setting are often multifaceted and cannot, of course, be explained by training difficulties alone. While organizations like the World Health Organization suggest some of the challenges do indeed stem from “inadequate staffing and competency development”, there are other systemic causes like employee burnout, medical equipment error, and patient disengagement from treatment plans.
Around 1 in every 10 patients is harmed in health care and more than 3 million deaths occur annually due to unsafe care. In low-to-middle income countries, as many as 4 in 100 people die from unsafe care.
World Health Organization, 2023
Nevertheless, with healthcare organizations investing huge amounts of time and money into staff training and with some patient care being impacted by training gaps and skill shortages, the need for robust healthcare learning and development ( L&D) has never been more vital. In this article, we explore how adding assessment software into healthcare learning programs can support better patient outcomes.
How assessments support improved patient safety
Above 50% of harm (1 in every 20 patients) is preventable; half of this harm is attributed to medications (2,3).” – World Health Organization, 2023
Great L&D goes beyond training to really dig into the data of what knowledge and skills your team has using robust assessment solutions. Not only does it mean you can remain agile and pivot training before a mistake or accident occurs, but you can also align the training you deliver to be closer to the real-world situations your team will find themselves in. Here’s how assessments can help you do all that and more:
Identifying skills and knowledge gaps in healthcare
In a recent session at the 2024 MGMA Summit, titled ‘Performing Skill Gap Assessment for Leaders and Employees,’ Gordon et al. stated that:
“While healthcare professionals gain valuable experience as they progress through various roles, this advancement can also lead to significant gaps in the knowledge and skills crucial for their current positions. “When we look at this gap — this missing piece — that is the gap between what we’ve learned how to do versus what our job role needs for us to accomplish,” Gordon noted, pointing to billing errors — especially those with missing information — as an example of an operational inefficiency originating at the front desk. These issues often stem from a lack of understanding among front desk staff about how claims are processed and paid, exposing a crucial area for targeted skill development.” – MGMA, 2024
Skills and knowledge gaps in a high-stakes environment like healthcare are understandably concerning due to the direct impact they can have on patient safety and care quality. From errors in diagnosis, treatment, and patient management, competency gaps can have serious and sometimes long-term consequences.
Assessments play a crucial role in identifying skill gaps by providing the necessary data to conduct a skills gap analysis. For individuals, assessments compare the skills they currently possess with those required for their job roles, highlighting areas that need improvement. For example, Job task analysis (JTAs) are instrumental in identifying skill gaps by breaking down a job into its essential tasks and required skills. In doing so, they provide a clear understanding of what competencies are necessary for successful job performance. This detailed information helps organizations pinpoint specific areas where employees may lack the required skills or knowledge.
However, assessments can also support healthcare organizations at the departmental or organizational level, by evaluating the collective skills of the workforce against the skills needed to meet business objectives. For example, if proficiency in electronic health records (EHR) management is essential but not all employees possess this skill, assessments can pinpoint this gap.
The benefit of keeping a finger on the pulse of competency by continuously monitoring and evaluating staff is that organizations can tailor their training programs to address specific deficiencies before they become a more insidious and large-scale problem. This not only enhances the overall quality of care provided but also fosters a culture of continuous learning and improvement, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes and a safer healthcare environment.
While healthcare professionals gain valuable experience as they progress through various roles, this advancement can also lead to significant gaps in the knowledge and skills crucial for their current positions.
MGMA, 2024
Enhancing LMS outcomes
LMSs are an excellent tool for making learning accessible and efficient for learners by presenting everything needed in one intuitive and centralized location. While some reporting and analytics are often featured too, LMSs usually can’t provide the full scale of the story – from the performance of an individual right up to the success of the entire program-which is where assessments can really elevate the outcomes.
Not only does assessment software deliver so much more in the way of reporting and analytics (which can help with anything from identifying a knowledge gap and automating audit trails to highlighting who to promote) but very often includes a series of advanced assessment formats designed for specific industries. Learn more about how you enhance your LMS here.
Bringing real-world stakes to healthcare training
“Simulation plays a pivotal role in addressing universal healthcare challenges, reducing education inequities, and improving mortality, morbidity and patient experiences. It enhances healthcare processes and systems, contributing significantly to the development of a safety culture within organizations. It has proven to be cost-effective and successful in enhancing team performance, fostering workforce resilience and improving patient outcomes.” – BMC, 2024
The breadth and scope of skills required across the healthcare industry requires L&D programs to deliver assessments that truly reflect real-world challenges. Especially when the stakes are high as with patient care and meeting regulatory standards. From observational assessments (OJT) or case-based assessments, organizations can systematically evaluate the competencies within their team authentically and in real-time.
Case-based or scenario-based assessments can be especially powerful to healthcare, and one method of creating these can be with Questionmark’s Advanced Assessment functionality, as outlined here:
Keeping standards high
By regularly checking the measurable compliance knowledge and skills of staff using specific assessments, healthcare organizations can prioritize risk, identify non-compliance, and pivot training strategies to ensure that standards are kept high. Not only does this satisfy regulatory compliance audits by demonstrating adherence to required standards, but it also fosters a culture of accountability and excellence. Importantly, this leads to better patient care and safety by ensuring that healthcare professionals are consistently equipped with the latest knowledge and skills necessary to provide high-quality care. Regular assessments also help in maintaining a high level of preparedness for any regulatory changes, ensuring that the organization remains compliant and can swiftly adapt to new guidelines as and when it’s needed.
Conclusion: Proactive patient safety
Improving patient safety takes an arsenal of strategies, but the integration of robust assessment software into healthcare learning and development programs is a powerful addition. The true value of assessment software that prioritizes the delivery of valid, reliable and fair results is that healthcare organizations can be proactive about patient care. From identifying skills and knowledge gaps to simulating real-world scenarios, assessments ensure that healthcare professionals are well-prepared to meet the high standards required in their field.
Moreover, with the healthcare landscape continuing to evolve, the role of assessments in supporting continuous improvement, regulatory adherence, and patient safety cannot be overstated.
Is your healthcare organization looking to improve patient care and meet standards consistently? Discover how our assessments for healthcare can help. If you’d like a demo, talk to us, we’d love to chat about your specific needs.