title: Critical features of a curriculum in health care quality and resource management.
abstract: In response to mounting demands for quality and accountability in health care, a science of health care quality and resource management (QRM) has evolved, but too slowly and without the academic base needed to prepare practitioners to assume new roles and fulfill requirements to regulate their practice. To develop such a base, The University of Houston and The University of Texas Health Science Center sponsored a needs assessment survey to identify areas of knowledge and skills to be included in a master's degree curriculum in QRM. The study used a three-cycle Focus Delphi technique to secure experts' refinement of the survey instrument and consensus among participants, who included practitioner-members of the National Association of Quality Assurance Professionals (NAQAP), of health care administration educational program directors, and hospital administrators. Starting with a listing based on a competency outline obtained from NAQAP, the study identified critical learning needs and elaborated a framework with 12 broad categories and 108 specific knowledge and skill areas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77550-2776.
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Norman
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Randall
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Hornsby
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum; D003697:Delphi Technique; D004496:Education, Continuing; D006281:Health Occupations / Q000193:education*; D006739:Hospital Administration / Q000193:education*; D008331:Management Information Systems; D011361:Professional Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012308:Risk Management; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013781:Texas; D014600:Utilization Review