title: A model for quality improvement in the neonatal intensive care unit.
abstract: This article describes a global approach for improving care in the neonatal intensive care unit, using as a case study the process to decrease mortality in extremely low-birth-weight neonates at Lee Memorial Health System, The Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida. Key components to the development of an integrated quality improvement (QI) program--information systems, use of evidence-based medicine, and organizational structure and culture--are presented. The challenge of demonstrating true improvement and the need to better understand the cost of care associated with QI initiatives also are discussed.
authors.affiliation: NICU, Lee Memorial Health Systems, Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida, Fort Myers, FL, USA. williamliu@polnet
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D003625:Data Collection / Q000592:standards; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005431:Florida / Q000453:epidemiology; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000592:standards*; D017146:Models, Organizational; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D015279:Organizational Culture; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012307:Risk Factors; D018511:Systems Integration; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration*