Scenario
You are a community wellness coordinator at Central Hospital. The hospital is quite large and is able to serve a variety of patient needs. Patients with more specialized needs are referred to other care providers in Central Hospital’s larger network. Central Hospital is located in a large city and serves both the city population as well as the surrounding rural areas. The hospital also serves a diverse demographic of patients.
Your hospital recently received consecutive negative reviews regarding various elements of patient satisfaction, and these reviews have gained a lot of attention in the media. This attention has therefore prompted the CEO of the hospital to ask about overall patient satisfaction, and she has created a team to research the topic. You have been asked to join the team to help with the initial research component. Specifically, you have been asked to create a data collection plan that will guide other team members on the types of data necessary for the project, as well as how to collect this data. To provide you with context for the development of your plan, the team leader compiled a small sampling of online patient reviews (see below) that show the range of patient feedback.
Directions
For this project, you will create a data collection plan to assist Central Hospital in its larger initiative of investigating patient satisfaction. You have been asked to outline how the team can conduct its initial research, specifically identifying the necessary types of data, sources of data, and data collection methods, all while accounting for relevant standards.
Specifically, you must address the following:
- Data Needs: To begin, determine the additional data the team will need to gather to inform their decision making and ensure accurate and valid conclusions.
- Data Collection Methods: Now that you have determined the data needs, you must outline for the team the necessary data collection methods, data sources, and relevant standards. The team may not be familiar with healthcare research, so you must be sure to justify your decision making. As you determine the data collection methods, be sure to address the following:
- Evaluate data collection methods that the team might use to gather the previously identified data. As you evaluate the data collection methods, consider the following:
- What are the advantages and limitations of each method?
- How does each method align with the previously identified data needs?
- How does each method ensure valid and accurate data?
- Recommend the data collection methods that will be most appropriate for the team. Be sure to justify how your recommendations assist the team in gathering the necessary data that is both accurate and of high integrity.
- Determine the sources of data that the team will need to use to gather the necessary types of data. Be sure to justify why these sources are most appropriate for the situation. For example, would you use government databases, electronic health records, research journals, questionnaires, or observations?
- Describe the relevant standards that the team must adhere to when using the recommended data collection methods.
- Evaluate data collection methods that the team might use to gather the previously identified data. As you evaluate the data collection methods, consider the following:
What to Submit
Data Collection Plan
Outline the types of data, sources of data, and data collection methods necessary for investigating patient satisfaction in a hospital. Your plan must be 500 to 1,000 words in length and cite any and all references appropriately.
Sources
Mulimani, P. S. (2017). Evidence-based practice and the evidence pyramid: A 21st century orthodontic odyssey. American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics: Official Publication of the American Association of Orthodontists, Its Constituent Societies, and the American Board of Orthodontics, 152(1), 1–8.
Robert Newell, & Philip Burnard. (2011). Research for Evidence-Based Practice in Healthcare. Wiley-Blackwell.
Harris, M. J. (2016). Evaluating public and community health programs. John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated. Chapter 8, pp.193-206
Harris, M. J. (2016). Evaluating public and community health programs. John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated. Chapter 9, pp.217-238
http://www.ihi.org/communities/blogs/how-to-reduce-implicit-bias
Šimundić, A.-M. (2013). Bias in research. Biochemia Medica, 23(1), 12–15.
Mullner, R. M. (2009). Data sources in conducting health services research. In Encyclopedia of health services research (Vol. 1, pp. 284-286). SAGE Publications, Inc., https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781412971942.n103
