Next Steps: HHS Releases National Quality Strategy for Health Care

Late last month, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) unveiled the long-awaited National Strategy for Quality Improvement in Health Care (National Quality Strategy).[1] The publication examines key areas of concern and improvement in the health care system, and was one of many national initiatives put forth by HHS to be drafted out of health reform legislation.  Created in collaboration with stakeholders in the health industry, the Strategy lays out ways to improve the quality and efficiency of care.  

According to an HHS press release, “The National Strategy for Quality Improvement in Health Care will promote quality health care that is focused on the needs of patients, families and communities.”

The Strategy[2] highlights these HHS goals:

• Making care safer: This goal targets reducing the risk of harm when care is provided.  “Health care providers should be relentless in their efforts to reduce the risk for injury from care, aiming for zero harm whenever possible and striving to create a system that reliably provides high-quality health care for everyone,” according to the HHS document.
  

• Ensuring patients and their families are engaged in the care process: Having patients and their families play an active role in care is crucial to improving patient engagement in the treatment process.  HHS states, “Care should adapt readily to individual and family circumstances, as well as differing cultures, languages, disabilities, health literacy levels and social backgrounds.”

• Promoting effective communication and coordination of care: Research has shown that increased provider coordination can significantly improve the quality and efficiency of patient care.  HHS believes communication is critical to achieving this goal.  “Effective care coordination models have begun to show that they can deliver better quality and lower costs in settings that range from small physician practices to large hospital centers,” states HHS.

• Promoting the most effective prevention and treatment practices for the leading causes of mortality, starting with cardiovascular disease: Preventative care remains a primary focus of health reform legislation.  Considering the number of Americans with preventable chronic diseases, HHS believes prevention is an opportunity to provide better initial care for patients, which results in lower costs down the road.  “More than 133 million Americans have at least one chronic illness, and many have several.  As individuals and health systems feel the strain of this growing trend, we need to do a better job preventing and treating a number of leading causes of mortality and illness in adults and children.”
  
  
• Working with communities to promote wide use of best practices to enable healthy living: HHS research has determined that sharing knowledge of best practices is critical in improving care.  “The broad goal of promoting better health is one that is shared across the country.”  HHS’ intentions of improving care on a local level align with those of the National Prevention and Health Promotion Strategy, a document released by HHS in 2010.
  

• Making quality care more affordable: Access to affordable care for individuals, families, employers and governments is a high priority of both the Strategy and health reform in general.  According to HHS, “There is good evidence that health care costs can be reduced while quality is improved.  Making sure the right care is delivered to the right person at the right time every time can also make care more affordable.”  HHS believes this is one of the critical areas to examine in trying to improve care and reduce costs.  “Reducing costs must be considered hand-in-hand with the aims of expanding access, providing better care, and promoting population health.”

The National Strategy on Quality Improvement in Health Care is just one of many being developed at the Department of Health and Human Services.  These strategies aim to provide better care and improve the overall quality of care through more patient-centered treatment while also creating healthier communities.