By Healthcare Facilities Today

Quality improvement has always been an assumed component of healthcare infection prevention, but it has taken on new meaning in an age of healthcare reform, according to an article on the Infection Control Today website.

The article asks —  what is the true meaning of "quality," and what does it mean for infection preventionists?

"Quality improvement (QI) is not simply an end goal. QI is a continuous process that employs rapid cycles of improvement. The Donabedian model provides three dimensions for the quality of care. These dimensions are: the structure, which represents the attributes of settings where care is delivered; the process, or whether or not good medical practices are followed; and the outcome, which is the impact of the care on health status,"  according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

The article include six QI strategies, including the FADE QI model, the PDSA QI model, Six Sigma, CQI and TQM.

Read the article.