Action : Quality Measurement and Assessment

Measuring and assessing quality provides a foundation for identifying needs for improvement, developing effective interventions, and then monitoring progress toward desired results.

In the Sadeghi, Barzi, Mikhail, and Shabot text, the authors assert that an effort to improve quality "calls for setting outcome and performance targets (goals and expectations) beginning with the end in mind, and then formulating initiatives and actions (processes) that can serve as a bridge to take the organization from its current performance to its desired performance" (p. 182).

Having this "end in mind" can provide justification for dedicating valuable resources toward the effort, and help to lay a clear, concrete path that takes the organization from uncovering gaps between current performance and evidence-based targets to actually achieving those goals.

In this section of the Course Project, you focus on what you would measure-and how you would measure it-relative to your previously identified quality improvement issue. Note: This section of the Course Project will serve as the Portfolio Assignment for this course.

To prepare:

Review the Learning Resources. Also conduct a search of the literature related to your selected quality improvement issue and complete the Evidence Matrix (provided in this week's Learning Resources).

Evaluate the evidence presented in the research literature and the quality standards proposed by various organizations, including the IOM's six aims for quality improvement.

Based on this review and your knowledge of the organization that you have selected, determine appropriate measures and indicators of performance related to your identified quality improvement issue.

Consider how you could gather and use historical evidence of the organization's performance related to the quality improvement issue.

Also consider methods for gathering and assessing current quantitative and qualitative data, including those currently in use by the organization (e.g., chart audit data, staff surveys, quality indicators that are monitored, observations).

If possible, examine actual data to assess your selected organization's performance related to the issue.

Think about what, specifically, you would like to achieve related to this issue. Establish realistic, evidence-based quality performance targets.

Analyze gap(s) between the organization's current performance and the performance targets.

As you do this, you may wish to create a graphic organizer/alignment chart for your own use that illustrates:

The measures and indicators that you would evaluate

Current and historical data related to this quality issue-either actual data or methods for how you would collect and analyze the data

Methods for collecting and analyzing data in the future (including when you would do this)

Realistic, evidence-based targets.