International Journal for Quality in Health Care 13:469-474 (2001)
© 2001 International Society for Quality in Health Care
The advantages and disadvantages of process-based measures of health care quality
Departments of Medicine, Health Policy & Management, and Epidemiology, and Quality of Care Research, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD
Departments of Anesthesiology & Critical Care Medicine, Surgery, and Health Policy & Management, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD
Departments of Medicine and Epidemiology, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
As consumers, payers, and regulatory agencies require evidence regarding health care quality, the demand for process of care measures will grow. Although outcome measures of quality represent the desired end results of health care, validated process of care measures provide an important additional element to quality improvement efforts, as they illuminate exactly which provider actions could be changed to improve patient outcomes. In this essay, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of process measures of quality, and outline some practical strategies and issues in implementing them.
Keywords: outcomes, performance improvement, quality
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