Americans are coming to understand that the quality of their health care is often compromised by gaps and shortcomings in the health care system. Indeed, a recent study by the RAND Corporation found that, over a two-year period, a sample of adults in 12 metropolitan areas received only about 55 percent of "recommended care," or just over half the number of preventive, acute, and chronic care processes indicated for patients of their age and health status.
(1)The problem of health care quality is multifaceted and serious. To help define its scope, the Fund last year issued a groundbreaking collection of information on quality, compiled by researchers Sheila Leatherman and Douglas McCarthy from more than 150 sources and presented in 54 charts.
Quality of Health Care in the United States: A Chartbook(2) detailed specific shortcomings in the care provided to patients of all ages, in all types of care (preventive, acute, chronic, and end-of-life), and in six important dimensions of care (safety, effectiveness, patient-centeredness, timeliness, efficiency, and equity).
The Fund is addressing the challenge of improving health care quality through four programs:
