Science. 1978 May 26;200(4344):856-64.

The quality of medical care.

Abstract

This article classifies the major approaches to the assessment of the process and outcomes of medical care. The apparent need to safeguard and enhance the quality of care has led to the institution of mechanisms that subject care to constant review so that deficiencies may be found and corrected. The article reviews the developments that led to the involvement of the federal government in this activity through its sponsorship of professional standards review organizations (PSRO's). The major features of the PSRO's are described and their possible effects discussed. It is too early to say how the PSRO's will fare, but should they fail to accomplish their objectives the pressure for more radical solutions will be difficult to resist.

PMID:: 417400; [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Publication Types, MeSH Terms

Publication Types

Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH Terms

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Other Literature Sources

Labome Researcher Resource - ExactAntigen/Labome

Libraries

LinkOut Holdings

Supplemental Content

Save items

Related citations in PubMed

PSRO-future impact on community mental health centers. [Community Ment Health J. 1975]
PSRO-future impact on community mental health centers.
Thorne MQ Jr. Community Ment Health J. 1975 Winter; 11(4):389-93.
Providers question PROs' effectiveness. Critics contend peer review organizations are too costly and fail to improve the quality of care. [Health Prog. 1992]
Providers question PROs' effectiveness. Critics contend peer review organizations are too costly and fail to improve the quality of care.
Rothschild RD. Health Prog. 1992 Jul-Aug; 73(6):28-32, 38.
PSRO's: are they effective? [Health Care Week. 1978]
PSRO's: are they effective?
Holcomb B. Health Care Week. 1978 May 15; 1(44):8, 17.
Review The evolution of the PSRO hospital review system. [Med Care. 1979]
Review The evolution of the PSRO hospital review system.
Goran MJ. Med Care. 1979 May; 17(5 Suppl):1-47.
Review Quality assurance today and tomorrow: forecast for the future. [Ann Intern Med. 1976]
Review Quality assurance today and tomorrow: forecast for the future.
Brook RH, Williams KN, Avery AD. Ann Intern Med. 1976 Dec; 85(6):809-17.

See reviews... See all...

Cited by 26 PubMed Central articles

Is the maturity of hospitals' quality improvement systems associated with measures of quality and patient safety? [BMC Health Serv Res. 2011]
Is the maturity of hospitals' quality improvement systems associated with measures of quality and patient safety?
Groene O, Mora N, Thompson A, Saez M, Casas M, Suñol R. BMC Health Serv Res. 2011 Dec 20; 11:344. Epub 2011 Dec 20.
Public reporting of the hospital standardized mortality ratio (HSMR): implications for the Canadian approach to safety and quality in health care. [Open Med. 2008]
Public reporting of the hospital standardized mortality ratio (HSMR): implications for the Canadian approach to safety and quality in health care.
Brien SE, Ghali WA. Open Med. 2008; 2(3):e70-3. Epub 2008 Aug 12.
Review Quality of private and public ambulatory health care in low and middle income countries: systematic review of comparative studies. [PLoS Med. 2011]
Review Quality of private and public ambulatory health care in low and middle income countries: systematic review of comparative studies.
Berendes S, Heywood P, Oliver S, Garner P. PLoS Med. 2011 Apr; 8(4):e1000433. Epub 2011 Apr 12.

See all...

Related information

Related Citations
Calculated set of PubMed citations closely related to the selected article(s) retrieved using a word weight algorithm. Related articles are displayed in ranked order from most to least relevant, with the “linked from” citation displayed first.
Cited in PMC
Full-text articles in the PubMed Central Database that cite the current articles.

Recent activity

Clear Turn Off Turn On

The quality of medical care.
The quality of medical care.
Science. 1978 May 26 ;200(4344):856-64.

PubMed
Continuing medical education. Changing behavior and improving outcomes.
Continuing medical education. Changing behavior and improving outcomes.
Arthritis Rheum. 1985 Oct ;28(10):1163-7.

PubMed
Research utilization as an organizational process.
Research utilization as an organizational process.
J Nurs Adm. 1978 Jul ;8(7):4-6.

PubMed
Improving antiulcer agent prescribing in a health maintenance organization.
Improving antiulcer agent prescribing in a health maintenance organization.
Am J Hosp Pharm. 1990 Aug ;47(8):1766-73.

PubMed
Following a natural experiment of guideline adaptation and early implementation:...
Following a natural experiment of guideline adaptation and early implementation: a mixed-methods study of facilitation.
Implement Sci. 2012 Feb 6 ;7:9.

PubMed

Your browsing activity is empty.

Activity recording is turned off.

Turn recording back on

PubMed

Result Filters

Display Settings:

Send to: