USA. Initiative for quality improvements

Citation

(2002), "USA. Initiative for quality improvements", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 15 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijhcqa.2002.06215eab.014

USA. Initiative for quality improvements

USA

Initiative for quality improvements

In April, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) announced that 12 health care organisations will continue to seek dramatic improvements in the care they provide patients in the second phase of the $20.9 million initiative, Pursuing Perfection: Raising the Bar for Health Care Performance.

Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, MD, senior vice president and director of the Health Care Group of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. said: "we think that all the organizations participating in Pursuing Perfection can help the nation understand that near-perfect health care, as shown by measurable results, is within our grasp. We expect that these organizations will produce compelling examples that show health care professionals and the public just how good our health care can and should be."

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation launched the Pursuing Perfection programme in May 2001 with the release of survey findings that showed more than half of health care providers and administrators believe the overall quality of health care in the USA is not good. The survey also indicated that 80 per cent of health care providers believe fundamental changes are necessary in the health care system. The framework for Pursuing Perfection is outlined in the Institute of Medicine's report, Crossing the Quality Chasm. The report outlines six aims for improving health care: safety, effectiveness, patient-centredness, timeliness, efficiency and equity.

The 12 organisations participated in a seven-month initial phase under which they received funds to develop comprehensive plans for systematically improving health care quality. In the second phase, seven of them will receive two-year grants of $1.9 million each to help implement their plans. The others will continue to participate in the programme implementing all or part of their plan.

Donald M. Berwick, MD, MPP, president and CEO of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, said the goal of the initiative was to make it possible for patients to be measurably safer, healthier, functioning at higher levels, waiting less time for care, and feeling more respected by the health care system. He said that all 12 organisations had demonstrated a deep commitment and the will to contribute to the never-ending pursuit of perfection, and added: "we are confident that all of these outstanding organizations will continue their efforts to pursue perfect care and will become models of care that the world can emulate."