QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

The TADMAT will monitor and ensure safe and competent patient care and quality improvement of those systems. The TADMAT shall implement and maintain quality improvement (QI) in deployments and educational activities in order to:

• Ensure the quality of health care delivered.
• Ensure the ability to deliver health care.
• Collect data for research and educational purposes.

As directed by the Unit Commander, the Executive Committee of the TADMAT shall support the concepts of QI and coordinate the integration of the program as follows:

1) Working with the Executive Officer a QI committee will continuously monitor, evaluate and follow up the QI activities of the functional areas of the TADMAT (ie: Nursing, Safety, Communications, etc.).

2) Assigning an individual (normally the Executive Committee representative) from the functional areas of the TADMAT to:

• Coordinate QI activities within their functional areas with the Executive Officer of the Executive Committee.
• Develop valid criteria for identifying, screening, and evaluating problems within their own specific area(s) of service; and for implementing corrective actions and evaluating the effectiveness of these actions
• Prepare for the approval of the Executive Committee, appropriate data collection forms and other documentation for utilization during a deployment. These forms shall be listed within this policy either on a concurrent or retrospective basis.
• Assess, analyze and report data collected for purposes listed herein to the Executive Committee, as well as to make it available as necessary to other agencies.

3) Ensuring that the following issues (by area of responsibility) are addressed as a minimum.

a) Medical Operations Section:

• Establish and maintain standards of practice (protocols).
• Establish minimum documentation standards, to include a medical record form, triage form, and patient identification/consent form.
• Monitor infection control and other iatrogenic concerns.
• Develop and maintain Disaster Action Cards (DAC) to outline position descriptions and responsibilities for medical personnel.
• Work with the Executive Committee and Training Officer to ensure validity and completeness of medical aspects of the policy and procedure manual.
• Assure the distribution, collection and analysis of the Patient Satisfaction Survey for purposes of evaluating the image and impression the patient treated by the TADMAT may have of their care and the team (Appendix G).

b) Executive Committee and Training:

• Develop and implement training programs based on needs of all functions of the TADMAT or as required by outside agencies; ensuring through evaluation methods that the training is effective.
• Verifying credentials of TADMAT personnel as appropriate.
• Facilitating the needs of the Quality Improvement Officer in overall support of this policy.
• Develop and maintain functional policies and procedures for TADMAT members and functional areas.
• Develop and maintain Disaster Action Cards (DAC) to outline position descriptions and responsibilities for administrative and training personnel.
• Develop and implement a post-deployment evaluation system for TADMAT personnel.

c) Logistics Section:

• Develop and maintain lists of medical and non-clinical equipment and supplies necessary for deployment.
• Ensure medical and non-clinical logistics needs are met prior to and during any training or deployment activity, procuring and maintaining logistics equipment as necessary.
• Develop and maintain Disaster Action Cards (DAC) to outline position descriptions and responsibilities for operations personnel.
• Work with Executive Committee and Training Officer to ensure validity and completeness of operational aspects of policy and procedure manual.