HCMT Exam #2 Study Guide
Quality of Healthcare
IOM Report and Quality Definitions
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) concluded that computer-based patient records are essential
technology for healthcare.
Quality in healthcare is defined by effectiveness (doing the right things) and efficiency (doing
things right).
Examples of quality issues include overuse, underuse, and misuse of medical services.
Baldrige, Six Sigma, and FOCUS PDCA
Baldrige, Six Sigma, and FOCUS PDCA are methodologies for improving healthcare quality and
processes.
FOCUS PDCA involves finding, organizing, clarifying, understanding, and selecting solutions.
Six Sigma is a data-driven quality methodology aimed at eliminating process variation.
Validity, Reliability, and EMR
Reliability in healthcare focuses on principles like preoccupation with failure and sensitivity to
operations.
Validity refers to the extent to which a measure actually represents the concept being
measured.
Electronic Medical Records (EMR) include clinical data repository, decision support, controlled
medical vocabulary, and more.
Meaningful Use and HITECH/HIPAA
Meaningful Use criteria aim to improve quality, safety, efficiency, care coordination, and
privacy/security of patient health information.
HITECH (Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health) incentivizes health
organizations to adopt meaningful use of health information technology.
HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) standardizes data and regulates its
privacy in healthcare.
Quality of Healthcare
IOM Report and Quality Definitions
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) concluded that computer-based patient records are essential
technology for healthcare.
Quality in healthcare is defined by effectiveness (doing the right things) and efficiency (doing
things right).
Examples of quality issues include overuse, underuse, and misuse of medical services.
Baldrige, Six Sigma, and FOCUS PDCA
Baldrige, Six Sigma, and FOCUS PDCA are methodologies for improving healthcare quality and
processes.
FOCUS PDCA involves finding, organizing, clarifying, understanding, and selecting solutions.
Six Sigma is a data-driven quality methodology aimed at eliminating process variation.
Validity, Reliability, and EMR
Reliability in healthcare focuses on principles like preoccupation with failure and sensitivity to
operations.
Validity refers to the extent to which a measure actually represents the concept being
measured.
Electronic Medical Records (EMR) include clinical data repository, decision support, controlled
medical vocabulary, and more.
Meaningful Use and HITECH/HIPAA
Meaningful Use criteria aim to improve quality, safety, efficiency, care coordination, and
privacy/security of patient health information.
HITECH (Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health) incentivizes health
organizations to adopt meaningful use of health information technology.
HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) standardizes data and regulates its
privacy in healthcare.
