Clinical Care - Quality of Care

Quality of Care

Having access to health care will only improve health if the care provided is safe, effective, patient-centered, and timely. Poor quality care can be costly for health and expenditures. Spending more on health care may reduce investments in other areas which affect health, such as wages and education. Quality health care in all settings can affect health outcomes for a variety of conditions and diseases.

Reviewed quality of care policies and programs are listed below. Click on column headings to sort by category, policy or program, evidence rating, or decision maker. Click on Policy or Program name for more information.

Category ↑↓	Policy or Program ↑↓	Evidence Rating ↑↓	Decision Maker
Category ↑↓	Policy or Program ↑↓	Evidence Rating ↑↓	Businesses & Employers ↑↓	Community Organizations ↑↓	Government ↑↓	Healthcare ↑↓	Individuals ↑↓	Schools ↑↓
Implement patient safety strategies	Routinely screen & culture high-risk patients for MRSA Routinely screen & culture high-risk patients for MRSA	2 Some Evidence
Implement patient safety strategies	Statewide colored wristband standardization Statewide colored wristband standardization	3 Expert Opinion
Implement patient safety strategies	No reimbursement for hospital medical errors No reimbursement for hospital medical errors	4 Insufficient Evidence
Implement patient safety strategies	Accreditation requirement for ambulatory surgery centers Accreditation requirement for ambulatory surgery centers	4 Insufficient Evidence
Implement patient safety strategies	Mandatory reporting of nosocomial infections Mandatory reporting of nosocomial infections	4 Insufficient Evidence
Implement patient safety strategies	Other patient safety initiatives Other patient safety initiatives	4 Insufficient Evidence
Increase coordination of care	Medical homes Medical homes	1 Scientifically Supported
Increase coordination of care	Integrated home and community-based long-term care Integrated home and community-based long-term care	2 Some Evidence
Increase coordination of care	Case managed home and community-based long-term care Case managed home and community-based long-term care	2 Some Evidence
Increase coordination of care	Adoption of electronic health/medical records by all providers & practices Adoption of electronic health/medical records by all providers & practices	2 Some Evidence
Increase coordination of care	Case management Case management	2 Some Evidence
Increase coordination of care	Disease management Disease management	2 Some Evidence
Increase coordination of care	Link electronic health records across systems Link electronic health records across systems	2 Some Evidence
Increase coordination of care	Children’s Hospice International Program for All-Inclusive Care for Children® and their Families Children’s Hospice International Program for All-Inclusive Care for Children® and their Families	4 Insufficient Evidence
Increase coordination of care	Green House Program Green House Program	4 Insufficient Evidence
Improve quality of care	AHRQ Health Care Innovations Exchange AHRQ Health Care Innovations Exchange	1 Scientifically Supported
Provide culturally and linguistically competent care	Linguistically appropriate services Linguistically appropriate services	1 Scientifically Supported
Provide culturally and linguistically competent care	Implement laws requiring facilities to offer interpreters for LEP (Limited English Proficiency) individuals Implement laws requiring facilities to offer interpreters for LEP (Limited English Proficiency) individuals	1 Scientifically Supported
Provide culturally and linguistically competent care	Expand efforts to recruit health care professionals from minority groups Expand efforts to recruit health care professionals from minority groups	2 Some Evidence
Provide culturally and linguistically competent care	Require health care professions’ education to include curriculum on knowledge, attitudes, practice skills necessary to care for diverse populations Require health care professions’ education to include curriculum on knowledge, attitudes, practice skills necessary to care for diverse populations	2 Some Evidence
Provide culturally and linguistically competent care	Authorize and require hospitals with a continuing education program to offer and require medical staff to attend CE courses on health disparities Authorize and require hospitals with a continuing education program to offer and require medical staff to attend CE courses on health disparities	2 Some Evidence
Utilize data to improve quality of care	National Surgical Quality Improvement Program National Surgical Quality Improvement Program	2 Some Evidence
Utilize data to improve quality of care	Standardized quality & performance measurement & public reporting Standardized quality & performance measurement & public reporting	2 Some Evidence
Utilize data to improve quality of care	Clinical decision support systems Clinical decision support systems	2 Some Evidence
Utilize data to improve quality of care	Collaborative improvement projects Collaborative improvement projects	3 Expert Opinion
Utilize data to improve quality of care	Pay for performance/value-based purchasing Pay for performance/value-based purchasing	3 Expert Opinion