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Quality Assurance

Quality Assurance

Quality assurance is the overarching term used to describe the activities employed to ensure the proper performance of a system. These activities can be classified into three categories: quality control, quality assessment, and internal corrective measures. Typically, these activities work cyclically: quality control is performed before and during the analysis, while quality assessment occurs during and after the investigation. Internal corrective measures are implemented based on the findings...

Health Information Technology and Healthcare Information System

Health Information Technology and Healthcare Information System

Health Information Technology (HIT)
Health Information Technology, commonly called HIT, integrates advanced information systems and technology in healthcare settings. Its primary functions include:

Primary Healthcare Services

Primary Healthcare Services

Primary care promotes wellness and prevents disease. This care includes health promotion, education, protection (such as immunizations), early disease screening, and environmental considerations. Settings providing this type of healthcare include physician offices, public health clinics, school nursing, and community health nursing.
In 1978, international leaders convened in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan, for what would be a pivotal event in global health. The Alma-Ata Declaration was the first to call...

Quality Control

Quality Control

Quality control is one of the three cyclical quality assurance activities that help keep a system under statistical control. Typical quality control activities include creating quality control charts, conducting proficiency testing, and documenting and archiving results.
Quality control helps track data, visualize trends, and identify variations, making it easier to detect deviations that may affect the accuracy of an analysis. One way to do this is by generating a quality control chart, which...

Levels of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention

Levels of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention

Health promotion allows a person to control the determinants of health, resulting in an improved health status. It enhances the quality of life and reduces premature deaths. Health promotion and illness prevention programs help people make beneficial choices to reduce the risk of disease and disabilities. There are three health promotion and illness prevention levels: primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention.
In primary prevention, actions taken before disease onset prevent the disease from...

Purpose of Health Records I

Purpose of Health Records I

The vital purpose of health records is to provide a complete and accurate account of a patient's medical history, including communication, diagnostic and therapeutic orders, care planning, research, and quality review.
Here's a breakdown of how health records serve these purposes:

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Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Using Visual and Narrative Methods to Achieve Fair Process in Clinical Care

Using Visual and Narrative Methods to Achieve Fair Process in Clinical Care

Published on: February 16, 2011

Defining quality improvement in public health.

William J Riley¹, John W Moran, Liza C Corso

¹School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. riley001@umn.edu

Journal of Public Health Management and Practice : JPHMP

|December 17, 2009

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Quality improvement (QI) methods, common in industry, are underutilized in public health. This article defines QI for public health and outlines its applications to meet community health needs effectively.

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Last Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Using Visual and Narrative Methods to Achieve Fair Process in Clinical Care

Using Visual and Narrative Methods to Achieve Fair Process in Clinical Care

Published on: February 16, 2011

Area of Science:

Public Health
Health Services Research
Healthcare Management

Background:

Quality improvement (QI) techniques are widely adopted across industries to enhance service delivery and operational efficiency.
However, the application of these proven QI methods in public health settings remains limited.
The public health sector lacks a unified definition and set of core principles for quality improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

To establish a clear definition of quality improvement specific to the public health domain.
To present a spectrum of QI applications suitable for public health departments.
To emphasize the role of QI in ensuring public health departments consistently address community health requirements.

Main Methods:

Conceptual analysis and synthesis of existing QI principles.
Literature review on QI applications in various sectors.
Framework development for QI in public health contexts.

Main Results:

A proposed definition of quality improvement in public health is presented.
A continuum of QI applications, from basic to advanced, is described for public health departments.
QI is characterized as a management process integral to meeting community health needs.

Conclusions:

Defining and applying QI is crucial for advancing public health practice.
A standardized approach to QI can enhance the effectiveness and responsiveness of public health services.
Implementing QI strategies enables public health departments to better serve their communities' evolving health needs.