Home > Quality > Defining Quality

Quality can be measured in many different ways. While there is no universal agreement on which method should be used, the following six criteria are often cited as the best indicators to determine whether or not you receive quality care for your medical condition:

• Credentials
• Experience
• Range of services
• Research and education
• Patient satisfaction
• Outcomes

Credentials

By Hospital
The Joint Commission is an independent, not-for-profit organization that evaluates and accredits nearly 18,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. The Joint Commission accreditation is recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to meeting certain performance standards. To earn and maintain accreditation, an organization must undergo an on-site survey by a Joint Commission survey team at least every three years. More information about The Joint Commission can be obtained by logging onto www.jointcommission.org.

By Physician
Board certification, or the international equivalent, means that doctors have completed the amount of training that a specialty board requires. These physicians have practiced for a specified period of time and passed a difficult written and oral examination. Board certification is generally accepted as a good indication of competence and experience.

Experience
For complex specialized care, the more experience the doctor has the better the results. According to a report published in the Annals of Internal Medicine (September 17, 2002), the majority of studies find a lower patient mortality rate for a given procedure when the hospital or physician has high-volume experience performing that procedure.

Range of Services
Hospitals with a broad range of services can treat more complex medical conditions. These hospitals are better equipped to manage complications, should they occur. Additionally, for diseases where many options for care exist, ranging from prevention, drug therapy, non-surgical intervention and surgery, your physician has more care choices. Therefore, you are better assured that the recommended procedure is the best one for you. Access to the full range of care options is important to your health

Research and Education
Teaching hospitals serve as research and training facilities that are more likely to boast expert specialists and the latest technology and techniques. As mentors, experienced physicians and scientists must keep up-to-date with the latest medical knowledge to be able to train staff. In addition, the health care staff is usually organized around a given disease or type of patient. This team approach to patient care facilitates the sharing of knowledge, research and clinical findings, resulting in the most rapid transfer of basic scientific knowledge from the laboratory to the bedside. In this way, patients benefit from the latest diagnostic and treatment options that often result in improved outcomes. According to national studies, major teaching hospitals have lower mortality rates and shorter hospital stays than other types of hospitals.

Patient Satisfaction
Patient satisfaction often reflects the personal side of care such as how willing doctors and nurses are to listen, answer questions and explain treatments; how much time the doctor spends with the patient; and if the hospital is clean and the food is good. You can use patient satisfaction data to predict what your experience is likely to be.

Outcomes
Although it is impossible to eliminate all risks of death and complications, especially for seriously ill patients, risks can be reduced by choosing a hospital with a lower mortality rate and/or a higher long-term survival or success rate. Risks generally will be higher for patients over age 65 who have other medical conditions such as diabetes, who are having a repeat coronary procedure, or who are undergoing multiple procedures such as bypass surgery with a valve repair. Ask the doctor and the hospital for their mortality rates and try to compare rates for patients most like yourself. If a doctor or hospital is reluctant to give information, look at alternatives.