What is Quality?
To understand ‘quality improvement’, we must tackle the word quality. Within healthcare, there is no universally accepted definition of quality. The most commonly used definition describes quality as:
"safe, timely, effective, efficient, person-centered and equitable". (1)
6 Dimensions of Health Quality
"safe, timely, effective, efficient, person-centered and equitable". (1)
6 Dimensions of Health Quality
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What is Quality Improvement?
Quality improvement is:
What is Quality Improvement?
- a formal approach to the analysis of performance
- the systematic efforts to improve it. (2)
What is Quality Improvement?
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What is the difference between Quality Improvement, Audit and Research?
Audit:
Audit compares current practice to recommended standards and aims to close the discrepancy gap.
Research:
Clinical research typically uses a study protocol to assess one aspect of clinical care to assess its efficacy.
Quality Improvement:
Consists of systematic and continuous actions that lead to measurable improvement in health care services and the health status of targeted patient groups.
Audit compares current practice to recommended standards and aims to close the discrepancy gap.
Research:
Clinical research typically uses a study protocol to assess one aspect of clinical care to assess its efficacy.
Quality Improvement:
Consists of systematic and continuous actions that lead to measurable improvement in health care services and the health status of targeted patient groups.
Why is Quality Improvement important?
Quality improvement has a fundamental role in improving all aspects of quality. This includes safety, effectiveness and all experiences of care. QI is not unique to healthcare, it is a vital in all industries. All health and care based systems should be using QI to improve all aspects of care for people using their services on a continuous basis.
Further reading |
https://www.health.org.uk/sites/default/files/QualityImprovementMadeSimple.pdf
http://www.prism-ed.com
http://www.prism-ed.com
References
1: Quality improvement made simple | The Health Foundation [Internet]. The Health Foundation. 2019 [cited 27 March 2019]. Available from: https://www.health.org.uk/publications/quality-improvement-made-simple
2: Level 1 Module - PRISM [Internet]. Prism-ed.com. 2019 [cited 27 March 2019]. Available from: http://www.prism-ed.com/Level-1-Module
2: Level 1 Module - PRISM [Internet]. Prism-ed.com. 2019 [cited 27 March 2019]. Available from: http://www.prism-ed.com/Level-1-Module