Generic screening as an integral part of quality management

Comprehensive quality management programs are vital to the evaluation and improvement of the delivery of health care today and in the future. These programs must address issues which include quality assurance, risk management, and utilization management. The programs should be designed to promote and assist in the safe delivery of patient care as well as the provision of a safe environment for all patients, visitors, and employees. Various methodologies have been advocated to ensure quality care, the majority of which are retrospective evaluations. One of the more recent methodologies developed is generic screening. The Boston Veterans Medical Center has utilized generic screening since 1986 in its Quality Management Program. Our generic screening program has been successful as a result of multidisciplinary collaboration, commitment, and support from the medical center's top management, both administrative and clinical. We have developed a credible system that may be used to fulfill many requirements of both internal and external reviews. The program is easily reproducible and provides a basis for trend analysis within specific groups in order to better plan and meet patient care needs, minimize risk, and maximize outcome.