NHS FPX 6004 Assessment 2 Policy Proposal

Name

Capella university

NHS-FPX 6004 Health Care Law and Policy

Prof. Name

Date

Policy Proposal

Proper diabetes care involves regular monitoring of HbA1c levels, along with sufficient foot and eye examinations, to prevent long-term complications such as foot and eye problems that arise from untreated diabetes. Early diagnosis of diabetes is essential to avoid significant challenges for patients, as it affects their quality of life and safety. Therefore, it is crucial to implement strategies that ensure early diagnosis to prevent future health issues.

At Mercy Medical Center, the dashboard metrics revealed poor treatment of diabetic patients, including delayed diagnoses and inadequate foot and eye examinations, which can lead to peripheral neuropathy, chronic kidney damage, foot complications, and leg amputations. This policy proposal focuses on HbA1c testing, which promotes early diagnosis and treatment, thereby preventing diabetes-related conditions such as kidney damage, neuropathy, and retinopathy.

Need for Policy and Practice Guidelines

At Mercy Medical Center (MMC), there is an urgent need for policy development and practice guidelines to ensure early detection and diagnosis of diabetes in patients. The dashboard metrics from the last quarter of 2020 show that MMC’s performance fell 11% short of the benchmarks established by the National Diabetes Benchmark by AHRQ for HgbA1c tests, eye exams, and foot exams. The benchmarks are set at 79.5% for HbA1c tests, 75.2% for eye exams, and 84% for foot exams. This shortfall necessitates immediate policy development to ensure regular HbA1c testing and provide adequate and timely care for diabetic patients.

Failing to meet the HbA1c benchmark set by national bodies leads to various health implications that affect the quality of care and overall organizational performance, highlighting the need for policy development. Inadequate regular HbA1c testing creates uncertainty about blood glycemic levels in diabetic patients, allowing hyperglycemia to reach dangerous levels that could be fatal. Moreover, without proper HbA1c monitoring, healthcare professionals find it challenging to develop effective treatment plans for diabetic patients, which may include lifestyle modifications or a combination of pharmacotherapy and lifestyle changes.

NHS FPX 6004 Assessment 2 Policy Proposal

This policy proposal on HbA1c testing aims to ensure early diabetes diagnosis in at-risk patients and manage diabetes through effective care plans based on HbA1c levels. The consequences of inaction include delayed diabetes diagnosis, making self-management difficult for patients. These outcomes directly impact the provision of quality care, as delayed interventions may result in prolonged recovery, longer hospital stays, and higher readmission rates, affecting physicians, nurses, patients, and hospital authorities (Ali et al., 2022).

Additionally, healthcare organizations may face financial implications due to increased complications if this policy is not developed in a timely manner, as preventive measures cost less than treating complications (Mao et al., 2019). Therefore, MMC must develop policies and practice guidelines to improve the quality of care provided and stabilize organizational operations.

Proposed Organizational Policy and Practice Guidelines

Mercy Medical Center (MMC) needs to develop and implement new organizational policies for diabetes care that promote regular HbA1c testing to enhance the quality of care and reduce diabetes-related complications. MMC should encourage twice-yearly HbA1c monitoring for diabetic patients or those presenting with diabetes symptoms, as recommended by clinical practice guidelines (Imai et al., 2021). To implement this health policy, several practice guidelines must be followed to streamline the process and achieve the desired benchmarks for diabetes care.

Healthcare professionals should identify patients with diabetes and those at risk for the disease. They must educate patients on the effectiveness and benefits of these tests in diabetes management. Additionally, new staff should be trained on thoroughly evaluating diabetes patients and understanding how early diagnosis can lead to timely care and improved quality of care. Regular follow-ups for diabetes patients should be scheduled to ensure consistent treatment.

NHS FPX 6004 Assessment 2 Policy Proposal

Nurses should actively educate patients about diabetes, especially those unaware of the disease and its management, as self-care is crucial in controlling diabetes progression. The recommended policy is influenced by various environmental factors, including human and financial resources, coordination and collaboration, and the availability of accessible healthcare facilities. Adequate staffing of physicians and nurses will facilitate the HbA1c tests and effective interpretation of results. Sufficient financial resources will support training and educational programs for healthcare staff and patients on the importance of HbA1c tests (Ali et al., 2022).

A collaborative and coordinated healthcare system will enhance the implementation of practice guidelines and policy, while a lack of interdisciplinary collaboration can lead to fragmented care and poor outcomes. Moreover, having healthcare facilities with easy access for patients will support the regular implementation of screening tests and help achieve the set benchmarks in a timely manner.

Ethical Evidence-Based Practice Guidelines

Implementing ethically sound, evidence-based practice guidelines is essential to improve performance on the targeted benchmark for HbA1c tests. Research supports using healthcare information technologies, such as electronic medical records (EMR), to automate reminders for HbA1c tests and to share health data among healthcare professionals, enhancing communication and information exchange (Wu et al., 2019). Additionally, educating patients with brochures about the importance of HbA1c is an evidence-based strategy that raises awareness, encouraging patients to monitor their HbA1c levels regularly in accordance with hospital policy.

This approach will ultimately lead to better-controlled and well-managed diabetes with fewer associated complications (Thanh & Tien, 2021). Training healthcare staff in ethical care for diabetes patients, including conducting and evaluating HbA1c measurements, is crucial. This training should be followed by care treatment plans based on a patient-centered approach, emphasizing kindness and beneficence, to help improve targeted benchmark performance (Robinson et al., 2019).

These practice changes significantly impact stakeholders such as patients, whose quality of life will improve through better HbA1c assessment. Healthcare staff will also experience greater job satisfaction through enhanced performance based on clinical guidelines and ethical care delivery. These ethical, evidence-based practice changes will foster an engaging relationship between care providers and patients, promoting transparent communication and a culture of shared decision-making.

Participation of Stakeholders in the Development and Implementation of Proposed Policy

In the further development and implementation of the proposed policy, the involvement of various stakeholders is crucial to ensure that the policies meet patient health needs and consider diverse perspectives. These stakeholders include healthcare professionals such as physicians, nurses, diabetes educators, diabetes patients, hospital administrators, policymakers, and IT department personnel. Engaging this group is essential for several reasons.

Healthcare professionals bring valuable insights and expertise on diabetes care, contributing the latest research and evidence-based guidelines to the policy development process. Additionally, actively involving patients in policy development procedures fosters their buy-in through shared decision-making, facilitating easier implementation of the policy (Garritty et al., 2020).

Furthermore, stakeholder participation enhances transparency and builds trust in the policy’s intentions and outcomes. The rationale for involving this group is to raise awareness of the underperformance in meeting targeted benchmarks and how they can collaboratively achieve the desired goals of HbA1c testing for diabetics. Interprofessional collaboration in policy development and implementation helps attain established goals, fosters a sense of inclusivity, and promotes equity in the process (Bachynsky, 2019).

With a broad stakeholder group, disseminating information within other networks becomes easier, as these stakeholders act as communicators and advocates for change, leading to wider acceptance and successful implementation of the policy. Therefore, this stakeholder group strengthens policy development and facilitates the practice guidelines and changes needed to improve health outcomes for patients with diabetes.

Strategies for Collaborating with a Stakeholder Group

To develop and implement a policy, it is essential to identify relevant stakeholders and employ various strategies to collaborate with them effectively. One key strategy is organizing collaborative meetings and workshops to bring all relevant stakeholders together and encourage the sharing of ideas through open and transparent communication (Walker & Daniels, 2019). These meetings help clarify the roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder, facilitating the smooth implementation of the developed policy without disruptions.

Another strategy is leveraging technology, including digital platforms, online educational videos, and collaboration tools, to educate stakeholders about proposed policies and enable remote virtual collaboration. Additionally, fostering relationships with stakeholder groups based on mutual respect and trust is crucial for increasing buy-in and improving collaboration. This can be achieved by acknowledging and celebrating the contributions of all stakeholders whenever any milestone is reached during the process. By employing these collaborative strategies, effective communication and cooperation with stakeholders can be promoted, ensuring the successful development and implementation of the policy.

Conclusion

The underperformance of diabetes care benchmarks at Mercy Medical Center, as established by the national body AHRQ, underscores the need for policy proposals to ensure adequate HbA1c testing in patients with diabetes. The proposed policy mandates HbA1c level testing twice a year. To support this, practice guidelines for scheduling follow-ups and educating both patients and staff are recommended. Additionally, a stakeholder group comprising healthcare professionals is essential for the effective development and implementation of the policy through various collaborative strategies.

References

Ali, M., Nadeem Ahmad Khan, M., & Junaid Patel, M. (2022). Pattern and knowledge of hbA1C testing among diabetic patients at the Indus Hospital (TIH), Karachi. Liaquat National Journal of Primary Care, 4. https://doi.org/10.37184/lnjpc.2707-3521.4.19

American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee. (2021). 12. retinopathy, neuropathy, and foot care: Standards of medical care in diabetes—2022. Diabetes Care, 45. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc22-s012

Bachynsky, N. (2019). Implications for policy: The triple aim, quadruple aim, and interprofessional collaboration. Nursing Forum, 55(1), 54–64. https://doi.org/10.1111/nuf.12382

Garritty, C., Hamel, C., Hersi, M., Butler, C., Monfaredi, Z., Stevens, A., Nussbaumer-Streit, B., Cheng, W., & Moher, D. (2020). Assessing how information is packaged in rapid reviews for policy-makers and other stakeholders: A cross-sectional study. Health Research Policy and Systems, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-020-00624-7

Imai, C., Li, L., Hardie, R.-A., & Georgiou, A. (2021). Adherence to guideline-recommended hba1c testing frequency and better outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes: A 5-year retrospective cohort study in Australian general practice. BMJ Quality & Safety, 30(9), bmjqs-2020-012026. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjqs-2020-012026

Mao, W., Yip, C.-M. W., & Chen, W. (2019). Complications of diabetes in China: Health system and economic implications. BMC Public Health, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-6569-8

Robinson, J., Lang, B., & Clippinger, D. (2019). Impact of the Alphabet strategy on improving diabetes care at a free health clinic. Journal of Community Health Nursing, 36(4), 157–164. https://doi.org/10.1080/07370016.2019.1665323

Thanh, H. T. K., & Tien, T. M. (2021). Effect of group patient education on glycemic control among people living with type 2 diabetes in Vietnam: A randomized controlled single-center trial. Diabetes Therapy. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13300-021-01052-8