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A call to excellence
Carolyn M Clancy1, Thomas Scully
1Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, Maryland, USA.
Health Affairs (Project Hope)
|April 4, 2003
Summary
Consumers must demand excellence in healthcare to drive improvement and ensure patient safety. This requires fundamental changes across the U.S. healthcare system, with the HHS leading key initiatives.
Area of Science:
- Health Services Research
- Patient Safety Studies
- Healthcare Quality Management
Background:
- Healthcare improvement is essential for all individuals.
- Patient safety is a critical component of overall healthcare quality.
- Achieving excellence necessitates consumer demand and systemic change.
Purpose of the Study:
- To emphasize the non-optional nature of healthcare improvement.
- To highlight the role of consumer demand in driving quality.
- To outline the necessity for fundamental system changes in U.S. healthcare.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of the U.S. healthcare system's structure.
- Review of current healthcare quality initiatives.
- Identification of barriers to healthcare improvement.
Main Results:
- Healthcare improvement is a collective responsibility.
- Consumer advocacy is a key driver for quality enhancement.
- Significant systemic changes are required for progress.
Conclusions:
- Fundamental transformation of U.S. healthcare systems is necessary.
- The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is actively leading patient safety efforts.
- Sustained consumer engagement is vital for achieving healthcare excellence.