In advocating for institutional policy changes related to local, state, or federal health care laws or policies, health leaders must be able to develop and present clear and well-written policy and practice guideline proposals that will enable a team, a unit, or an organization as a whole to resolve relevant performance issues and bring about improvements in the quality and safety of health care. This assignment offers you an opportunity to take the lead in proposing such changes.

As a master’s-level health care practitioner, you have a valuable viewpoint and voice to bring to discussions about policy development, both inside and outside your care setting. Developing policy for internal purposes can be a valuable process toward quality and safety improvement, as well as ensuring compliance with various health care regulatory pressures. This assignment offers you an opportunity to take the lead in proposing such changes.

Instructions

Propose an organizational policy and practice guidelines that you believe will lead to an improvement in quality and performance associated with the benchmark underperformance you advocated for improving in Week 4. Be precise, professional, and persuasive in demonstrating the merit of your proposed actions.

Requirements

The policy proposal requirements outlined below correspond to the scoring guide criteria, so be sure to address each main point. Read the performance-level descriptions for each criterion to see how your work will be assessed. In addition, be sure to note the requirements for document format and length and for supporting evidence.

• Explain the need for creating a policy and practice guidelines to address a shortfall in meeting a benchmark metric prescribed by local, state, or federal health care policies or laws.
  • What is the current benchmark for the organization and the numeric score for the underperformance?
  • How is the benchmark underperformance potentially affecting the provision of quality care or the operations of the organization?
  • What are the potential repercussions of not making any changes?
    • What evidence supports your conclusions?
• Summarize your proposed organizational policy and practice guidelines.
  • Identify applicable local, state, or federal health care policy or law that prescribes relevant performance benchmarks that your policy proposal addresses.
  • Keep your audience in mind when creating this summary.
• Analyze the potential effects of environmental factors on your recommended practice guidelines.
  • What regulatory considerations could affect your recommended guidelines?
  • What resources could affect your recommended guidelines (staffing, financial, and logistical considerations, or support services)?
• Explain ethical, evidence-based practice guidelines to improve targeted benchmark performance and the impact the proposed changes will have on the targeted group.
  • What does the evidence-based literature suggest are potential strategies to improve performance for your targeted benchmark?
  • How would these strategies ensure performance improvement or compliance with applicable local, state, or federal health care policy or law?
  • How can you ensure that these strategies are ethical and culturally inclusive in their application?
  • What is the direct impact of these changes on the stakeholders’ work setting/job requirements?
• Explain why particular stakeholders and groups must be involved in further development and implementation of your proposed policy and practice guidelines.
  • Why is it important to engage these stakeholders and groups?
  • How can their participation produce a stronger policy and facilitate its implementation?
• Present strategies for collaborating with the stakeholder group to implement your proposed policy and practice guidelines.
  • What role will the stakeholder group play in implementing your proposal?
  • Why is the stakeholder group and their collaboration important for successful implementation?
• Organize content so ideas flow logically with smooth transitions.
  • Proofread your proposal, before you submit it, to minimize errors that could distract readers and make it more difficult for them to focus on the substance of your proposal.
• Use paraphrasing and summarization to represent ideas from external sources.
  • Be sure to apply correct APA formatting to source citations and references.

Policy Proposal Format and Length

It may be helpful to use a template or format for your proposal that is used in your current organization. The risk management or quality department could be a good resource for finding an appropriate template or format. If you are not currently in practice, or your organization does not have these resources, many appropriate templates are freely available on the Internet.

Your policy should be succinct (about one paragraph). Overall, your proposal should be 4–6 pages in length.

Supporting Evidence

Cite 3–5 references to relevant research, case studies, or best practices to support your analysis and recommendations.

Portfolio Prompt: You may choose to save your policy proposal to your ePortfolio.

SCORING GUIDE

Your work will be evaluated using this criteria.

VIEW SCORING GUIDE

Competencies Measured

By successfully completing this assignment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and scoring guide criteria:

• Competency 1: Analyze relevant health care laws, policies, and regulations; their application; and their effects on organizations, interprofessional teams, and professional practice.
  • Explain and interpret for stakeholders the need for creating a policy and practice guidelines to address a shortfall in meeting a benchmark metric prescribed by local, state, or federal health care policies or laws.
• Competency 2: Lead the development and implementation of ethical and culturally sensitive policies that improve health outcomes for individuals, organizations, and populations.
  • Summarize a proposed organizational policy or practice change guideline and analyze the potential effects of environmental factors on recommended practice guidelines.
• Competency 3: Evaluate relevant indicators of performance, such as benchmarks, research, and best practices, to inform health care laws and policies for patients, organizations, and populations.
  • Explain how ethical, evidence-based practice guidelines to improve targeted benchmark performance will impact a stakeholder group needed for successful implementation of the policy or practice change.
• Competency 4: Develop strategies to work collaboratively with policy makers, stakeholders, and colleagues to address environmental (governmental and regulatory) forces.
  • Explain why particular stakeholders and groups must be involved in further development and implementation of a proposed policy or practice change to improve quality and outcomes.
  • Present strategies for collaborating with a stakeholder group to implement a proposed policy and practice guidelines.
• Competency 5: Produce clear, coherent, and professional written work, in accordance with Capella’s writing standards.
  • Organize content so ideas flow logically with smooth transitions.
  • Support main points, assertions, arguments, conclusions, or recommendations with relevant and credible evidence.