Quality in the Healthcare System: A Review of Becher and Chassin’s Article, Essay Example

In the article, “Improving Quality, Minimizing Error: Making it Happen”, written by Becher and Chassin, their point on medical errors and it’s relation to quality is still valid.  The authors debate in the article from the IOM’s 1990 definition of quality and error, as the quality being the degree to which medical professionals in the health service industry result their services to desired outcomes.  The authors also indicate that problems in quality occur when services are rendered even when the risks outweigh the results, when the care is not performed when necessary and when the care is not performed properly. (Becher and Chassin, 2001)  These errors in quality still occur in today’s health system.   However, since this article was printed, there have been major advances to quality assurance in the medical field.  The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has research in progress to improve quality in the health care system.  For instance, they are researching ways for doctors and patients of different racial and ethnic backgrounds to communicate more effectively and they are developing methods to measure correct practices on discharging patients from the hospital to ensure it is not too soon.  Furthermore, more research has been conducted to determine financial and organizational methods that would increase quality. (AHRQ, 2002)   In addition, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released a quality strategy to improve quality in the health care system.  They are working with all providers in the system, such as doctors, nurses, assistants and so forth in order to improve quality.  (HHS, 2011)  Becher and Chassin’s article definitely prompted the need for future research in regard to quality improvement in the health care system and since their article there has shown vast improvement in quality.

References

AHRQ.  (2002).  Improving Health Care Quality. Fact Sheet. AHRQ Publication No. 02-P032,

September 2002. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/news/qualfact.htm.

Becher, E.C. and Chassin, M.R.  (2001).  Improving Quality, Minimizing Error: Making It

Happen.  Retrieved on March 6, 2012 from: http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/20/3/68.full.

HHS. (2011).  National Quality Strategy will promote better health, quality care for Americans.

Retrieved on March 6, 2012 from:  http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2011pres/03/20110321a.html.