Quality Assurance:

A Comprehensive National Strategy for Health Care Is Needed

PEMD-90-14BR: Published: Feb 21, 1990. Publicly Released: Mar 26, 1990.

Additional Materials:

Contact:

Office of Public Affairs
(202) 512-4800
youngc1@gao.gov

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed health care quality assurance issues that would arise from expanding health care coverage to the uninsured, focusing on the need for a national quality assurance strategy.

GAO found that: (1) the concept of health care quality involved varying perceptions among patients, providers, and purchasers; (2) quality assurance, unlike quality assessment, often required behavioral changes to improve quality or prevent poor quality from occurring; (3) health care system design, including health care accessibility and administrative requirements, influenced quality assurance; (4) a comprehensive national strategy for health care quality assurance would ensure equitable care, regardless of the financing source; (5) health care providers' internal commitment to improving health care quality should be balanced with external organizations' monitoring of general quality levels; (6) the development of practice guidelines and standards was an important factor of comprehensive quality assurance; (7) an effective comprehensive quality assurance system would require an enhanced data system for monitoring health care practice patterns, regardless of the health care setting or provider; (8) a national organization would improve the local quality assurance review system by developing guidelines and review methods and overseeing local review activities; (9) accreditation and certification programs should be expanded to private practices; and (10) consumer education would be needed to assist new patients in using the health care system.

Oct 15, 2018

Oct 1, 2018

Sep 28, 2018

Sep 17, 2018

Sep 13, 2018

Sep 10, 2018

Sep 6, 2018

Sep 5, 2018

Sep 4, 2018

Aug 24, 2018

Looking for more? Browse all our products here