Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 16, 2026
14:32
Using Visual and Narrative Methods to Achieve Fair Process in Clinical Care
Published on: February 16, 2011
Quality measurement in healthcare
Eliot J Lazar1, Peter Fleischut, Brian K Regan
1Division of Quality and Patient Safety, New York Presbyterian Hospital and Healthcare System, Weill-Cornell Medical College, New York, New York 10065, USA. ejl9001@nyp.org
Annual Review of Medicine
|November 30, 2012
Summary
Understanding healthcare quality measurement is key. This study explores four measure types—volume, structure, outcome, and process—and their roles in improving patient care and demonstrating value.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Quality Improvement
- Health Services Research
- Measurement Science
Background:
- Healthcare quality assessment relies on effective measurement.
- Four primary categories of measures exist: volume, structure, outcome, and process (VSOP).
- Each measure type has distinct collection costs, benefits, and implications for healthcare quality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the characteristics and utility of different healthcare quality measure types.
- To emphasize the importance of understanding the relationships between measure types.
- To highlight the emerging role of patient satisfaction in quality assessment.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and conceptual analysis of VSOP measures.
- Examination of data collection challenges and costs associated with each measure type.
- Synthesis of current evidence on the process-outcome relationship and patient satisfaction.
Main Results:
- Volume and structure measures are easily collected but their direct impact on healthcare results can be unclear.
- Process measures are more resource-intensive to collect, with their link to outcomes being an active area of research.
- Patient satisfaction is increasingly recognized as a critical component of healthcare value.
Conclusions:
- A comprehensive understanding of VSOP measures and their interrelationships is essential for effective healthcare improvement.
- Strategic selection and application of measures are necessary to accurately demonstrate healthcare value.
- Integrating insights on measure types and patient satisfaction will drive meaningful advancements in healthcare quality.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Health 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:
Health Information Technology, commonly called HIT, integrates advanced information systems and technology in healthcare settings. Its primary functions include:
01:11Purpose 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:
Here's a breakdown of how health records serve these purposes:
01:19Quality 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...
01:22Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
Essential infection prevention measures are based on the knowledge of the infection chain, the modes of transmission in healthcare settings, and the use of the best practices in all healthcare settings. Compulsory public reporting of healthcare-associated infection rates is needed to allow individuals and the community to make informed choices regarding selecting a healthcare facility.
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
01:25Errors occurring during blood pressure monitoring
Blood pressure monitoring is a crucial clinical procedure in diagnosing and managing various cardiovascular conditions. Despite its significance, the accuracy of blood pressure measurements can be compromised by multiple factors, potentially leading to either falsely high or low readings. These inaccuracies are critical as they can significantly impact patient care. So, it is vital to understand these challenges deeply and adopt strategic approaches to minimize errors.
Several factors...
Several factors...
01:05Quality 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...
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...