Quality assurance : a challenge for health care providers working with amputees.

Abstract

Quality assurance is the measurement of the actual level of the service provided and the efforts to modify as necessary in the light of the results of the measurement. The purpose of this study was to explore quality issues in health care provision in relation to amputees. Amputees took part in the in- depth interviews to determine any gaps between their perceived care and that actually delivered in St Luke's Hospital. The issues that emerged were then assessed by the direct providers of care within the focus groups who identified barriers that hinder high quality services and also provided their own recommendations for improvement. Some of the issues revealed by the in-depth interviews related to deficiencies in structure and process of amputee care management. The results indicate that the lack of co-ordination preceded by lack in communication was clearly evident and was of great value to the participants of this study. Lack of knowledge and awareness of both the participants was also revealed at the different stages of the process whereby training emerged as being necessary to counteract for this deficiency. In health care, as it applies to amputee care quality is not delivered in units, but generally as part of a total service and so the process of quality assurance and quality control become far more difficult. To this fact team involvement and creating awareness between patients and providers were mentioned as a undoubted improvement in quality of care highlighting the need for change in the culture, the structure and the process of care to enhance a better outcome. It is intended that this study will be used as a framework that enhances awareness to quality assurance based, on the patient's perspective. Cast in this light quality assurance becomes an integral part of the culture of healthcare that need to hold every defect to be a treasure that allows for insight into the ways to improve the process of care.