Quality improvement in nursing care facilities: extent, impetus, and impact

This study examines the extent, motivation, and performance implications of normal quality improvement (QI) programs in Pennsylvania nursing care facilities. Responses to a 20-item survey sent to facility administrators indicate that continuous quality improvement/total quality management (CQI/TQM) adopters are more motivated by quality of care and human resource concerns in implementing QI, more satisfied with the results of QI efforts, and more aware of a competitive environment than are non-adopters. There are few differences between adopters and non-adopters with respect to organizational characteristics or performance on quality of care measures. Comparison with the results of a study of QI implementation in hospitals reveals some differences in motivation, but similarities in satisfaction with results.