title: Quality: performance improvement, teamwork, information technology and protocols.
abstract: Using the Institute of Medicine framework that outlines the domains of quality, this article considers four key aspects of health care delivery which have the potential to significantly affect the quality of health care within the pediatric intensive care unit. The discussion covers: performance improvement and how existing methods for reporting, review, and analysis of medical error relate to patient care; team composition and workflow; and the impact of information technologies on clinical practice. Also considered is how protocol-driven and standardized practice affects both patients and the fiscal interests of the health care system.
authors.affiliation: Division of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medical College, 525 East 68th Street, M-508, New York, NY 10065-4870, USA.
authors.forename: Nana E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pon
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002985:Clinical Protocols / Q000592:standards; D020000:Decision Support Systems, Clinical / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D030881:Disclosure / Q000592:standards; D057286:Electronic Health Records / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D015278:Intensive Care Units, Pediatric / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D050316:Medical Order Entry Systems; D008498:Medical Record Linkage; D015279:Organizational Culture; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D062209:Patient Handoff / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards