Medical professionals and institutions have prioritized patient happiness by providing the highest quality of care. However, adapting to new methods of providing high-quality treatment has been a worry, especially given the dynamic nature of the medical industry. The emergence of novel kinds of complex diseases necessitating novel forms of therapy is another issue that might undermine the quality of care provided to patients (Johnson & Stoskopf, 2010). However, adopting an evidence-based approach to treatment has been recognized as an appropriate method to guarantee that the standard of care patients get is safe for them. In this case study, we will look at the value of evidence-based practice in healthcare, how it has been implemented at Minneapolis Medical Center Incorporated (MMCI), and other related topics. The case study also highlights the effects of healthcare mergers on evidence-based practice.
Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a type of medicine that uses a structured technique to treat patients. Adopting a consistent approach to care is intended to standardize the quality of medical treatment for all patients. Standardized care reduces the likelihood of unanticipated medical events due to the treatment’s consistency. North West Hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is credited as the birthplace of the idea of standardized treatment (Johnson & Stoskopf, 2010). The North Western Hospital was an early proponent of having all hospitals follow a standard set of practices based on scientific study findings. North West Hospital sought to create a care model by establishing Minneapolis Medical Centre Incorporated (MMCI), a combination of Northwest Hospital and other regional hospital institutions. By adopting a research-based strategy, Minneapolis Medical Centre Incorporated improved its patients’ quality of treatment (Johnson & Stoskopf, 2010). The collaborative healthcare institutions eventually formed one of the earliest nursing schools in the United States, and this evolution of MMCI is often seen as the genesis of the modern notion of EBP.
Promoting healthcare in the United States based on evidence is an admirable objective. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a nation’s ability to provide quality healthcare to its citizens’ communities depends on using an evidence-based approach to healthcare delivery. That is why EBP is so crucial in the healthcare system in the United States. The significance of B.P. extends beyond local healthcare improvement to whether evidence-based practice (EBP) should underpin healthcare delivery in the United States. Care provided to patients is based on the highest quality scientific evidence possible when evidence-based practice is used in healthcare settings, increasing patient safety (Allina Health, n.d.). EBP, for instance, makes it easier for healthcare providers to access and use reliable evidence in support of their practice decisions. Because of the judgments based on scientific facts, patients receive the most effective and efficient healthcare currently accessible. Since decisions are made following scientific data, evidence-based practice is an admirable objective for healthcare in the United States (Allina Health, n.d.). When healthcare professionals make more informed judgments, they may provide their patients with services that are less likely to harm them.
MMCI/Allina Health relied heavily on EBP to further their focus on enhancing the quality of care they provided. North Western Hospital combined with other healthcare institutions in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area to become MMCI, originally intended to treat the terminally sick and individuals with mental health difficulties. EBP is utilized in conjunction with MMCI to improve the standard of care given to patients (Allina Health, n.d.). The adoption of Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) in the United States varies from the hospital system to hospital system. These hospitals are more likely to have the staff, technology, and financial resources to support the implementation of EBP (Wenke et al., 2013). In addition, the adoption of EBP also depends on the hospital system’s culture. Overall, the adoption of EBP in the United States varies from the hospital system to hospital system. While some hospitals have comprehensively adopted EBP, others have adopted it in a more limited way. The adoption of EBP is mainly dependent on the resources available to the hospital system, the culture of the hospital system, and the willingness of the hospital system to embrace change.
From what has been seen in the past, healthcare mergers have a much more damaging effect on care quality than the proposed improvements. Healthcare institutions around the United States have been merging horizontally and vertically to reduce the ever-increasing expenses of doing business in the United States. Compromises in quality of treatment and even failure to meet EBP requirements are, unfortunately, expected results of these mergers (Allina Health, n.d.). Patients not only pay more but also see a decline in the quality of care they receive. In my experience, most mergers in the healthcare industry have a detrimental impact on patient care. This is because the choices to merge are often hasty and poorly considered (Wenke et al., 2013). This time, they have finally finished putting the interests of the victims ahead of those of the patients.
In conclusion, evidence-based practice is a worthy goal for U.S. healthcare delivery because it improves the quality of healthcare delivered to patients. The Minneapolis Medical Centre Incorporated (MMCI) has been a pioneer in the adoption of evidence-based practice in healthcare delivery, which has led to the improvement in the levels of healthcare safety. However, healthcare mergers have negatively impacted the quality of care more than the thought reforms. Therefore, stakeholders in the medical field should prioritize patient safety and satisfaction when making decisions on healthcare mergers. This will ensure that the quality of care provided to patients is not compromised and that the patient’s safety is considered.
References
Allina Health. (n.d.). Providing Health Care & Medical Services in Minnesota & Western Wisconsin. Web.
Johnson, J. A., & Stoskopf, C. H. (2010). Comparative health systems: Global perspectives. Boydell & Brewer.
Wenke, H., Jongwha, C., LaClair, M., & Paz, H. (2013). Effects of integrated delivery system on cost and quality. American Journal of Managed Care, 19(5), e175–e184. Web.