Quality Management and Monitoring
6 Credits (ECTS)
Quality Management and Monitoring
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Module Description
In a service industry such as Healthcare provision where the patients’ well-being is the first priority, Quality Management and Monitoring sits high on the priority list of a Healthcare Manager.
However, Quality Management is applicable to both those who manage the delivery of Healthcare services as well as those who perform diagnostic and treatment services.
Standards have to be maintained in all the areas of a Healthcare organisation as the ‘product’ on offer is an experience which does not only impact the patient him/herself but also those around them, relatives, visitors and other members of staff.
High standards of quality also instil trust and customer loyalty – patients would not want to trust their health and lives in the hands of people who are perceived to be careless, reckless and unhygienic for instance.
Through this unit, learners will learn more about the tools available to Healthcare mangers to evaluate, monitor and maintain high quality standards in their own Healthcare organisation.
Entry Requirements
Candidates who apply for this course must possess one of the following:
- a Level 6 degree in a related field;
OR
- a Level 5 diploma or higher diploma and 5 years’ work experience in a supervisory or managerial role.
Preference is given to applicants having a Level 6 degree in a discipline related to the healthcare industry and a minimum of 3 years’ work experience in management within the sector.
Target Audience
The programme is mainly targeted at:
- Nurses and Midwives;
- Nursing Managers;
- Ward Managers;
- Clinic /Department Managers;
- Physiotherapists;
- Social Workers;
- Doctors;
- Professionals allied to medicine, such as paramedics;
- Staff within the pharmaceutical and medical devices industries;
- General Managers without clinical qualifications.
Career Paths
The programme aims to prepare you for senior posts such as
- Chief Executive Officer
- Managing Director
- Head of Department of any healthcare entity such as a hospital, clinic or ward, amongst others.
How you’ll be assessed
The course comprises:
- Evening classes for part-time courses.
- Classes held throughout the day for full-time courses.
- Guided learning, presentations, comprising synchronous online discussions, tutorials and/or videos.
- Self-study hours comprising research, reading and assignment work.
Assessment
Assessment is carried out via two mandatory components:
- Modular Assessment
- Dissertation Assessment
The programme includes different forms of assessment which allow for and promote students’ critical engagement. The formative and summative assessment tasks may include an in-class assignment and/or a home-based written assignment using diverse assessment tools which may take the form of online and in-class discussions, examinations, case studies, reports, proposals, essays, and presentations, etc., as applicable to the diverse modules.
Learning Outcomes
Competences:
At the end of the module/unit the learner will have acquired the responsibility and autonomy to:
- Recognise factors that influence consumers’ perception of quality Healthcare products and services.
- Monitor the three main activities of Quality Management: measurement, assessment and improvement.
- Use measures identified to assess and evaluate Quality in own Healthcare organisation.
- Develop a continuous quality improvement programme in own Healthcare organisation.
- Recognise aspects of organisational culture that influence the effectiveness of quality management in own Healthcare organisation.
- Explain the need to continually improve Healthcare Quality Assessment methods and use performance and outcome data to improve Healthcare systems, both in general and in own organisation.
Knowledge:
At the end of the module/unit the learner will have been exposed to the following:
- Define the concept of Healthcare Quality.
- List the three main functions of Quality Management.
- Understand the cost of Quality in Healthcare.
- Identify internal and external factors which have an impact on quality in a Healthcare context/organisation.
- Identify measures to evaluate Quality in Healthcare.
- Define Performance Measures for Quality in Healthcare.
- Identify the role of Balanced Scorecards in Performance Measurement.
Skills:
At the end of the module/unit the learner will have acquired the following skills:
- Describe the three functions of Quality Management making reference to the Healthcare context.
- Relate quality control in private vs. public Healthcare organisations.
- Discuss major types of quality assessment methods at both policy and organisational levels of analysis.
- Describe how Performance Measures are used as a reflect of Quality in an organisation.
- Set Performance Targets in own Healthcare organisation.
- Measure performance of different sections in own Healthcare organisation.
- Relate Quality Management and Patient Safety.
Judgment Skills and Critical Abilities:
The learner will be able to:
- Evaluate the quality characteristics important to Healthcare providers, consumers and other relevant stakeholders.
- Assess whether Performance Targets set have been reached or not.
- Investigate any shortfalls in performance and quality standards in own organisation.
- Determine how to use tools such as Occupational Standards to reinforce good quality Healthcare service provision in own organisation.
- Identify further training needs of own Healthcare staff in relation to Quality in own organisation.
Module-Specific Communication Skills:
The learner will be able to:
- Identify common ways of reporting measurement data to facilitate performance assessment.
- Explain the purpose and content of a Healthcare Quality Management Plan.
Module-Specific Digital Skills and Competences:
The learner will be able to:
- Navigate through the online learning platform to find assignments, discussion boards, literature, tutorials etc.