Quality assurance in a rehabilitation facility: a decentralized approach

Quality assurance (QA) in rehabilitation facilities and units must be tailored to rehabilitation activities, that is, those activities that enable patients to manage conditions and disabilities caused by their injuries or illnesses. Good Samaritan Medical and Rehabilitation Center in Zanesville, Ohio, has developed a system for QA in which managers of departments and services are responsible for QA in their own areas, thereby enabling them to monitor and evaluate the important aspects of care provided by their department or service. This article outlines the steps by which appropriate QA activities are determined and implemented in a rehabilitation facility using this decentralized approach.