Application of continuous quality improvement techniques to the treatment of patients with hypertension.
This article reports how continuous quality improvement (CQI) techniques were applied to physician care of patients with hypertension. A physician task force at an ambulatory care center used CQI methods to address the needs of two important "customer" groups: (1) third party payors and (2) patients with hypertension. Treatment standards were defined that can also serve as a customer-oriented product description. The task force found patients' blood pressures generally well controlled. Future studies will focus on appointment making, giving advice, and the doctor's examination as subprocesses that strongly influence patient satisfaction.
Waggoner
D M
DM
School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH.
D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000592:standards*; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006123:Group Practice / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D009820:Ohio; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011357:Product Line Management / Q000592:standards; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012107:Research Design; D013597:Systems Analysis