Recently you have been approached by several staff members who have expressed concerns about one of the wound center physicians. The medical assistant mentioned that several patients have complained to her that the physican seems in a hurry and does not listen to their concerns. One of your nurses also stated that several of the patients have complained of increased pain after treatment and that their wounds appear worsened. Your clinical nurse leader has expressed that the physician is not documenting his clinic procedures daily; in fact, sometimes several days will pass before he completes his notes in the patient’s medical record. Additionally, the billing associate has complained that the physician has not been filling out the procedures and diagnosis codes on the Superbill for each patient visit for reimbursement. In the last month you have also received several phone calls from the hospital’s outpatient billing department notifying you of payment denials on several wound center patient accounts.

You decide to review the physicians’ healing outcomes in the center’s clinical database and discover that his healing rates and quality indicator scores are far below the standardized expectations. Many of the physician’s entries in the patients charts are incomplete. As you review the physicians’ documentation further you see that his poor outcomes have been an ongoing trend intermittently over the last several years. The physician was counseled twice over a period of two years by the former wound center administrator. After being counseled, the physician showed a slight improvement in outcomes and quality indicators each time. Subsequently, within several months after each counsel a downward trend in quality measures reoccurred. Patient volumes are at an all time high in the clinic and the physician seems stressed. Patient satisfaction scores are declining.

Write a 250-word report to the physician, nurse clinical leader, and hospital executive team that describes the role of communication in addressing the issues described. Use at least one scholarly reference in your report to support your assertions.
Points to include as you write your report:
• Communication methods used with physician, nurse, and hospital executives• Listening skills usedo Hint – think about “Soft Skills” which are a combination of people skills, social skills, personality traits, attitudes, social intelligence and emotional intelligence that help individuals to navigate their environment, work well with others, perform well, and achieve their goals• Managing patient complaints, concerns, and patient satisfactiono Hint – Health care organizations have processes for addressing patient complaints and grievances to follow federal regulations and accreditation standards, as well as to protect patients and reduce liability. Current trends in health care such as patient-centered care and patient satisfaction data make seeking and responding to patient feedback increasingly important components of risk management and patient safety programs. For example, patient complaints are associated with both clinical complications and increased risk of malpractice litigation.

Answer rating: 100% (QA)

AnswerQuality improvement program on Reduction of prevalence of chronic wounds and pressure ulcers Pressure ulcersdefined as ulceration of the skin and or deeper tissues due to unrelieved pressurerepr... View the full answer