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Definition Of Health Care Quality

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The definition of health care quality has changed significantly over the years. Depending on who is asked (doctor, patient, nurse etc.), the definition can vary; however there are always some similarities. There are two definitions expressed by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) that I believe adequately express my view on health care quality. One definition is from the Institute of Medicine that states health care quality is “safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient and equitable” (NCQA, n.d., pg. 8). The other definition is from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality that states that health care quality is “ doing the right thing for the right patient, at the right time, in the right way to achieve the best possible results” (NCQA, n.d, pg. 8). I think my view of health care quality is truly the combination of these two definitions. Health care should be provided equally to all patients in an affordable and efficient way and provide those patients with the best possible outcomes. Health care quality to also not just beneficial to patient outcomes, it also has a major impact on the operation of healthcare facilities. According to Huber (2014) the cost of poor health care quality has increased to almost $1.2 trillion each year on overuse, underuse, misuse, waste, and inefficiency. This clearly shows that not only does the patient benefit from high quality care but the facilities providing the care also benefit. The question is then how

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