What is the focus of quality improvement in healthcare?

The focus of quality improvement in healthcare centers around enhancing patient care processes and outcomes. This involves systematically assessing and refining the methods used in delivering healthcare services to ensure better health results for patients. Quality improvement initiatives often implement best practices, promote evidence-based care, and encourage collaboration among healthcare teams to enhance the overall patient experience and boost health outcomes.

Efforts may include optimizing diagnostic and treatment protocols, improving patient safety procedures, and ensuring that patients receive the most effective interventions in a timely manner. By prioritizing these elements, healthcare organizations aim to elevate the level of care provided, ultimately benefiting the patients they serve.

In comparison, while increasing the number of healthcare providers, reducing costs, and eliminating patient involvement might be relevant considerations in certain contexts, they do not directly align with the core principles of quality improvement. Instead, quality improvement is inherently about making healthcare more effective, safe, and patient-centric.