Biomaterial Database

The transition from quality assurance to continuous quality improvement in ambulatory care. 1993

S T Miller, and E Flanagan

Department of Medical Education, Methodist Hospital, Memphis, TN 38104.

The transition of quality assurance to continuous quality improvement (CQI) in ambulatory care organizations requires careful planning and consideration of efficiency. Ambulatory care organizations must maintain indicators to measure activities, sample the multiple encounters of ambulatory care, and truly change their internal culture. This article provides practical information that persons involved in quality management can use to plan CQI processes in ambulatory care.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007591	Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations	A private, voluntary, not-for-profit organization which establishes standards for the operation of health facilities and services, conducts surveys, and awards accreditation.	JCAHO,Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals,Joint Commission of Accreditation, Health Care Organizations,Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations,Joint Commission on Accreditation, Health Care Organizations,Joint Commission on Accreditation, Healthcare Organizations
D011785	Quality Assurance, Health Care	Activities and programs intended to assure or improve the quality of care in either a defined medical setting or a program. The concept includes the assessment or evaluation of the quality of care; identification of problems or shortcomings in the delivery of care; designing activities to overcome these deficiencies; and follow-up monitoring to ensure effectiveness of corrective steps.	Quality Assessment, Health Care,Health Care Quality Assessment,Health Care Quality Assurance,Healthcare Quality Assessment,Healthcare Quality Assurance,Quality Assessment, Healthcare,Quality Assurance, Healthcare,Assessment, Healthcare Quality,Assessments, Healthcare Quality,Assurance, Healthcare Quality,Assurances, Healthcare Quality,Healthcare Quality Assessments,Healthcare Quality Assurances,Quality Assessments, Healthcare,Quality Assurances, Healthcare
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000553	Ambulatory Care	Health care services provided to patients on an ambulatory basis, rather than by admission to a hospital or other health care facility. The services may be a part of a hospital, augmenting its inpatient services, or may be provided at a free-standing facility.	Outpatient Care,Outpatient Health Services,Clinic Visits,Health Services, Outpatient,Outpatient Services,Services, Outpatient Health,Urgent Care,Care, Ambulatory,Care, Outpatient,Care, Urgent,Cares, Urgent,Clinic Visit,Health Service, Outpatient,Outpatient Health Service,Outpatient Service,Service, Outpatient,Service, Outpatient Health,Services, Outpatient,Urgent Cares,Visit, Clinic,Visits, Clinic
D014481	United States	A country in NORTH AMERICA between CANADA and MEXICO.
D017146	Models, Organizational	Theoretical representations and constructs that describe or explain the structure and hierarchy of relationships and interactions within or between formal organizational entities or informal social groups.	Organizational Models,Model, Organizational,Organizational Model