Measurement & Improvement Categories

Safety - Patients ought to be as safe in healthcare facilities as they are in their own homes.

Effectiveness - The healthcare system should match care to science, avoiding both overuse of ineffective care and underuse of effective care.

Patient-Centeredness - Healthcare should honor the individual patient, respecting the patientŐs choices, culture, social context, and specific needs.

Timeliness - Care should continually reduce waiting times and delays for both patients and those who give care.

Efficiency - The effort to reduce waste and, thereby, reduce the total cost of care, should be never-ending. Examples of waste to be reduced include supplies, equipment, space, capital, ideas, and the human spirit.

Equity - The system should ensure equal access to high-quality care regardless of the patient's socio-economic status.