Quality Improvement
KWOL-ih-tee im-PROOV-ment
/ˈkwɒlɪtiː ɪmˈpruːvmənt/Listen
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Syllable breakdown
Dictionary meaning
Systematic, data-driven approaches to improving processes and outcomes in healthcare — including methods such as Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles, Lean, and Six Sigma — to reduce errors, variation, and waste
History and origin
Drawn from industrial quality management (Deming, Juran) and applied to healthcare from the 1980s; promoted by the IOM and NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement
Examples
- Quality improvement projects in hospitals have significantly reduced central-line infection rates.
- The PDSA cycle is the most widely used quality improvement methodology in primary care.
Synonyms: QI, continuous quality improvement, CQI, performance improvement
Pronunciation tips
Abbreviated QI; in the NHS 'QI' is ubiquitous; in the US 'PI' (Performance Improvement) is also common
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