Application of quality improvement theory and process in a national multicenter HIV/AIDS clinical trials network.
Effective clinical trials depend on the production of scientifically sound data. Clinical research coordinators monitor various activities to assure that data meet standards for timeliness and quality. Traditional methods of assuring data quality are less than optimal because they are based on correcting mistakes after they occur. Because they are focused on problem prevention, the techniques of continuous quality improvement represent a more effective means of maintaining high quality of data. This article describes the means by which principles of continuous quality improvement were incorporated into an HIV/AIDS clinical research network, as well as outcomes associated with these efforts.
Rouff
Jack
J
Denver Terry Beirn Community Programs for Clinical Research on AIDS, Denver Public Health, Denver Health and Hospital Authority, Denver, Colorado, USA.
Child
Carroll
C
D015658:HIV Infections; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D012107:Research Design / Q000592:standards*; D017749:Total Quality Management; D014481:United States