Drill to the root of the problem
The cornerstone of the quality initiative at ScrippsHealth in San Diego is its application for ISO 9000 registration, specifically for ISO 9002, the standard that applies to service providers, says Norma Pearce-O’Toole, interim quality audit specialist.
The ISO elements, or requirements, having to do with policy and procedure and training are the biggest assets for ScrippsHealth, Pearce-O’Toole points out. "Historically, these areas have not been strengths for many health care organizations. How will you train, and what documentation of these policies and procedures do you have in place?"
The foundation of ISO, she says, is identifying external and internal customers, surveying them on how you’re doing, and then acting on those responses. "That is at the core of ISO. It grows into documentation, policy and procedure and ultimately a quality system."
Critical steps in an organization’s standard operating procedures (SOPs) must be documented in a standardized format, she explains, along with supporting work instructions — "a detailed how-to." To support these SOP documents, a training standard for all patient financial services’ employees will be followed, specific to each job description.
"Structured, ongoing training has been a challenge in patient financial services," Pearce-O’Toole notes. "ISO 9000 has mandated the development of a training plan."
A significant section of the ISO standard relies on the development of an internal audit procedure. "These audits will ensure the continuity of a quality system throughout the year, and not just in preparation for a third-party audit."
[Editor’s note: For more on the courseware from M3: The Healthcare Learning Company, write: 1230 Riverbend, Suite 218, Dallas, TX 75247. Phone: (800) 846-4458. Or contact company representative Ernie Burger at (888) 298-0790 or [email protected].]
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