The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) provides over 100 million Americans with exceptional care and has been operating in the U.S. Health System for 50 years. This distinguished service has created professional healthcare standards and requirements for hospitals to achieve clinical excellence. Now, more than ever, anesthesia providers must begin to consider the consequences of neglecting quality assessment measures as they relate to optimizing the value of anesthesia costs and overall clinical performance.
With frequent changes in legislation affecting our industry, issues of fluctuating supply and demand, and increased attentions to cost drivers, it is clear that hospitals must provide the highest quality services to survive in such a competitive environment. The CMS Conditions of Participation outline the compliance measures for anesthesia programs that are centered on quality. These measures include outcomes reporting, performance improvement activities, and compliance audits which all greatly affect clinical performance.
Somnia’s white paper, Transforming the Value of Your Anesthesia Dollar, further explores clinical quality indicators and presents key indicators of success. These indicators come from sources such as the American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA), which provides data benchmarks through the Anesthesia Quality Institute. Launched in 2010, this service archives more than 30 million self-reported cases, against which hospitals can compare their clinical outcomes data. Other useful tools in tracking clinical progress include the use of clinical scorecards and obstetrics patient satisfaction surveys.
Hospitals commonly dismiss the importance of assessing clinical performance in anesthesia practices due to industry misconceptions. However, top medical associations reveal the integral role clinical performance has in maximizing the value of anesthesia spending. To learn more about achieving top-level clinical results, read “Transforming the Value of Your Anesthesia Dollar,” and look out for Somnia’s next blog, Part 2 of our three-part series, which discusses “Operational Performance and its important role.”
Let us know how your facility views the added value of your anesthesia team. Join the conversation by leaving a comment below…