Building Quality Organizations

SUMMARY
The monitoring and evaluation process in continuous quality improvement builds on other quality programs in place at most dialysis facilities/centers, especially of the facility is JCAHO accredited. The modifications in that quality improvement plan include these modifications and additions, primarily: emphasis on the leadership role in improving quality; expanding the scope of assessment and improvement activities beyond the strictly clinical to the interrelated governance, managerial, support and clinical processes that affect patient outcomes; utilizing other sources of feedback (in addition to ongoing monitoring) to trigger evaluation and improvement of care and services;
organizing the assessment and improvement activities around the flow of patient care and services, with special attention to how the "customer and supplier" relationships between departments (as well as within departments) can be improved, rather than compartmentalize activities within departments and services; focus first on processes of care and services rather than on the performance of individuals; emphasizing continuous improvement rather than only solving identified problems; and, maintaining improvement over time.
…