Final answer:
Continuous improvement in healthcare is supported by consolidation of providers, telemedicine, insurance mandates, artificial intelligence, and a shift from fee-for-service to HMOs to balance care with cost control.
Step-by-step explanation:
Several mechanisms support continuous improvement in healthcare, aimed at reducing costs and elevating the quality of care. Consolidation and mergers, such as those seen in the 1990s hospital 'merger mania,' have been used to improve efficiency by creating larger systems out of local hospitals and small doctors' offices. Additionally, the integration of telemedicine, the use of new types of healthcare professionals, the enforcement of insurance mandates, and the implementation of artificial intelligence are all modern strategies that have been applied to enhance the healthcare system. Furthermore, a shift from fee-for-service to health maintenance organizations (HMOs) alters the incentive structure for providers, balancing the imperative to provide care with the need to control costs.
Quality improvement initiatives: Healthcare organizations implement quality improvement initiatives such as Lean Six Sigma or the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle to identify and implement changes that lead to better patient outcomes and experiencesResearch and innovation: Continuous improvement is also supported by research and innovation in healthcare. By conducting research, healthcare professionals can learn about new treatment options, technologies, and best practices that can improve patient care.