Why is Parkland reporting quality and safety information?
The leadership of Parkland believes that all patients deserve to have reliable information about the quality of their healthcare. Healthcare transparency provides our patients with the information necessary to choose healthcare providers. We hope that the information provided will show our patients and others the true value that Parkland provides in serving the healthcare needs of our community.
What is in the Quality of Care Dashboard?
The Quality of Care Dashboard is the tool that Parkland leadership uses to identify opportunities to improve the care provided throughout the health system by focusing on those key measures that Parkland monitors in order to effectively assess the quality of care we provide.
If a measure is not meeting the target, does that mean the quality of care is poor?
It is important to understand the purpose of dashboards. They identify opportunities for improving care. While Parkland always strives to provide the best care possible and is never satisfied with being below average, public health systems serve a much more complex patient population than private or not-for-profit providers. Many of our patients do not have health insurance and have not had adequate access to primary care services. As a result, they often have medically complex cases involving multiple diagnoses or comorbidities. In addition, Parkland cares for more patients without a stable home life or permanent address. This can cause complications in the follow-up to the care we provide. Knowing that our job is harder than most, Parkland has taken several innovative steps to stay in line with industry standards of quality, safety and service.
Is this data current?
The data is updated as they are available, but it is important to understand some indicators are only measured quarterly or annually.