Article Analysis: Quantitative Methods
The article on hospital performance improvement by Eugene and the other scholars revolves around how the performance of the various hospitals in the United States. The article is keen to use various quantitative methods in explaining and carrying the analysis of the different dynamisms that occur in the context of various parties concern. The article describes the dynamics on the degree with which different hospital performance and efficiency are deteriorating or improving over time (Hoff, & Witt, 2000). The results of the examination done in the research shows the performance of the hospitals is actually increasing. This has been evidenced by the notion of reduction in the mortality rates. There is also the advent of the growth in the efficiency in the treatment and hospitality that the various practitioners give to the patients. This paper looks into the significance of the use of the quantitative methods in analyzing the different performance metrics that have been employed by the researchers in this article. Additionally, we would give an in-depth analysis of how the quantitative analysis is vital to the research study and the authenticity that it brings on accurate, reliable results (Ozcan, 2005).
In the article, it came out clearly that that the inception of the various performance metrics reveals a high level of conviction that indeed there has been a tremendous improvement in the provision of the healthcare services. From literature review for this piece, it is evident that technological advancements have played a critical role in making sure the quality of health services is improved (McKibbon & Gadd, 2004). The various researches that have been done in getting to understand the various diseases and addressing them accordingly have made this sector to be a good stance concerning the provision of healthcare services. Additionally, some of the imperative facts about the performance are that the consistent diminishing of the length of the stay is undermined the financial presses on various healthcare institutions (Hoff, & Witt, 2000). The combination of this financial support on the stability, treatment and the discharging of the multiple patients is a strong indication of a profound nature of the whole context of hospital improvement. The features of the most improving healthcare centers show that quality improvement is very imminently achievable happening at least as much among nonteaching organizations as among their larger groups more prominent counterparts (Ozcan, 2005).
In the analysis, there are four sets of variables that have been used in making sure the real results have been found. These variables are the mortality rates, the complications, the morbidity rates, and the efficiency in healthcare provision. Through the use of the quantitative techniques, the author can give the correct results on the various rates in terms of percentages. Fr example, the first table in the article provides the statistics that the mortality rates have reduced from 53% to 3% from the years 2003 to date (Ozcan, 2005). In my work relations, I would note that these statistics postulated here is entirely real. The main reason for this is that the rate at which children die is very low in many hospitals at the same time the birth rate has also reduced considerably. The average improvement rate has also increased from 13% to 57%. This statistics according to the quantitative analysis has been authenticated by the fact that the technological advancements have enabled the profound research and reduction in the cost of healthcare provision (McKibbon & Gadd, 2004). This decrease in the cost has given the many citizens had affordable treatment, and this has increased the influx of the patients into the hospitals. The calculation of the mean of the different data sets for the performance variable gives the authenticity of the data used by showing that there are fewer variations postulated in this stance.
The regression analysis used in getting the relationships between the performance and the metrics gives us a clear understanding of the fact that indeed throughout the years, the US government has used a lot of cash to improve this sector and has emerged to have a higher stance of performance in the healthcare provision (McKibbon & Gadd, 2004). The current trends show that cost of hospitalization in various states has reduced and is commensurate to the improvement of the workforce in the country. It is an astounding fact that the labor force is very critical in enhancing the economic status of various countries across the world, the correct statistics on the health status of the different citizens is imperative in helping the government to plan well. The article is a masterpiece of letting us know the performance in the healthcare trends that would in the long end bring on board the issue of the healthy labor force in the limelight (Hoff & Witt, 2000).
In a nutshell, the article revolves around the improvement dynamics of the healthcare sector which is seen to have improved over the years. Some of the performance metrics that have been used here are the mortality rates, the morbidity rates, and the efficiency of hospital services. From this article, I came to understand that quantitative methods are very vital in both the analysis and the interpretations of various phenomena.
Comment on Chapter 4: Weather Predictions
The assertion on the importance of humans in improving the functionality of the sophisticated computer systems is very insightful. It shows that despite their artificial intelligence that comes with accuracy and pinpoint precision, supercomputers still need the intelligence of humans to performance accurately and reduce the margins of errors. Incredibly, the with the input of humans weather pattern prediction models have an improved accuracy of up to 25% when compared to computers alone.
By using the average of data collected under dissimilar assumptions, it possible to increase accuracy of predicting and calibrating weather patterns. This is interesting model is commonly by many meteorologists and specialists in weather phenomena such as hurricane. His assertion that when used effectively, this model can reduce margins of error is very interesting. His example of Hurricane Katrina as a symbol of failure by locals and local government to heed the warnings of an impending hurricane is quite poignant. This is because such warnings were based of this model that merged computer technology and human intelligence.
References
Hoff, T. J., & Witt, L. C. (2000). Exploring the use of qualitative methods in published health services and management research. Medical Care Research and Review, 57(2), 139-160.
McKibbon, K. A., & Gadd, C. S. (2004). A quantitative analysis of qualitative studies in clinical journals for the 2000 publishing year. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 4(1), 1.
Ozcan, Y. A. (2005). Quantitative methods in health care management: techniques and applications (Vol. 4). New York: John Wiley & Sons.