title: A framework for the continual improvement of health care: building and applying professional and improvement knowledge to test changes in daily work.
abstract: We seem to lack a well-defined, comprehensive, and shared understanding of what is required for the continual improvement of health care--at the organizational and the industry levels. This article presents a framework that defines the new body of knowledge which, when joined with the professional knowledge of health care workers, can make continual improvement possible; and gives requirements for building and applying this knowledge to bring about improvement in health care organizations.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), Nashville, TN 37202-0550.
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Batalden
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Stoltz
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D006126:Group Processes; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000458:organization & administration; D006296:Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D006298:Health Services Administration; D006764:Hospitals, Community / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D007857:Leadership; D017146:Models, Organizational; D012107:Research Design; D012945:Social Values; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States