Joint Commission journal on quality and patient safety / Joint Commission Resources
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Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf · Dec 2010
ReviewGuiding inpatient quality improvement: a systematic review of Lean and Six Sigma.
Two popular quality improvement (QI) approaches in health care are Lean and Six Sigma. Hospitals continue to adopt these QI approaches-or the hybrid Lean Sigma approach-with little knowledge on how well they produce sustainable improvements. A systematic literature review was conducted to determine whether Lean, Six Sigma, or Lean Sigma have been effectively used to create and sustain improvements in the acute care setting. ⋯ Lean, Six Sigma, and Lean Sigma as QI approaches can aid institutions in tackling a wide variety of problems encountered in acute care. However, the true impact of these approaches is difficult to judge, given that the lack of rigorous evaluation or clearly sustained improvements provides little evidence supporting broad adoption. There is still a need for future work that will improve the evidence base for understanding more about QI approaches and how to achieve sustainable improvement.
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Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf · Dec 2010
ReviewTwelve evidence-based principles for implementing self-management support in primary care.
Recommendations to improve self-management support and health outcomes for people with chronic conditions in primary care settings are provided on the basis of expert opinion supported by evidence for practices and processes. Practices and processes that could improve self-management support in primary care were identified through a nominal group process. In a targeted search strategy, reviews and meta-analyses were then identifed using terms from a wide range of chronic conditions and behavioral risk factors in combination with Self-Care, Self-Management, and Primary Care. On the basis of these reviews, evidence-based principles for self-management support were developed. ⋯ There is a growing evidence base for how self-management support for chronic conditions can be integrated into routine health care.
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This conference report presents highlights from the Sixth International Conference on Rapid Response Systems (RRSs) and Medical Emergency Teams.
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Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf · Oct 2010
Mobile in situ obstetric emergency simulation and teamwork training to improve maternal-fetal safety in hospitals.
Evidence from other high-risk industries has demonstrated that teamwork skills can be taught and effective teamwork may improve safety. Increasingly, health care providers, hospital administrators, and quality and safety professionals are considering simulation as a strategy to improve quality and patient safety. ⋯ In situ simulation is an effective way to develop new skills, to maintain infrequently used clinical skills even among experienced clinical teams, and to uncover and address latent safety threats in the clinical setting.
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Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf · Oct 2010
Leveraging quality improvement to achieve equity in health care.
INEQUALITY IN QUALITY: Disparities in health care and quality for racial, ethnic, linguistic, and other disadvantaged groups are widespread and persistent. Health care organizations are engaged in efforts to improve quality in general but often make little attempt to address disparities. ⋯ To achieve equity in health care, hospitals and other health care organizations should move toward culturally competent QI and disparities-targeted QI interventions to achieve equity in health care, a key pillar of quality.