title: Quality of care in head and neck cancer.
abstract: Improving the quality of health care has become a national priority, as indicated by the establishment of multiple federal initiatives and by the actions of national medical societies and the American Board of Medical Specialties. Health care can be assessed in each of three dimensions: structure, process, and outcomes. Here we review recent efforts to evaluate the quality of care delivered to head and neck cancer patients and to develop methods for improvement and continual assessment, with a particular emphasis on the evaluation of process of care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 1445, Houston, TX 77030, USA. cmlewis@mdanderson.org
authors.forename: Carol M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Randal S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: Ehab Y
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Hanna
mesh_terms: D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000592:standards; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D011787:Quality of Health Care