Quality improvement in healthcare is a systematic, formal approach to analyzing practice performance and efforts to improve performance. It is a framework used to standardize processes and structure to reduce variation, achieve predictable results, and improve outcomes for patients, healthcare systems, and organizations. Quality improvement involves a substantial shift in our idea of the work of healthcare, and it is guided by data to improve the quality and safety of healthcare delivery. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines quality improvement as "systematic and continuous actions that lead to measurable improvement in healthcare services and the health status of targeted patient groups".
The QI process is grounded in the following basic concepts:
- Understanding the system
- Focusing on patients and their needs
- Improving the system of care
- Using data to guide improvement
- Involving interdisciplinary teams
- Using a structured improvement process
Healthcare providers gain insights and improve outcomes through quality measure benchmarking. Benchmarking allows us to identify best practices in care. By analyzing variation in care, we can identify opportunities for improvement and develop strategies to improve care processes and outcomes. Quality improvement is essential to achieving the triple aim of improving the health of the population, enhancing patient experiences and outcomes, and reducing the per capita cost of care, and to improving provider experience.
