Guide to Health Care Quality
How to Know It When You See It
This guide is designed to
help you get quality health care.
Getting quality health care can
help you stay healthy and recover
faster when you become sick.
The tips presented here are
provided to help you be active in
making decisions about your health
care. The goal is to make sure you
receive the best possible care.
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You Deserve Quality Health Care
Getting quality health care can help you stay healthy and recover
faster when you become sick. However, we know that often people
do not get high-quality care. A 2004 study of 12 large U.S.
communities found that just over half (54.9 percent) of people were
receiving the care they needed.
What exactly is health care quality? We know that quality means
different things to different people. Some people think that getting
quality health care means seeing the doctor right away, being treated
courteously by the doctor's staff, or having the doctor spend a lot of
time with them.
While these things are important to all of us, clinical quality of care
is even more important. Think of it like this: getting quality health
care is like taking your car to a mechanic. The people in the shop
can be friendly and listen to your complaints, but the most important
thing is whether they fix the problem with your car.
Health care providers, the government, and many other groups are
working hard to improve health care quality. You also have a role to
play to make sure you and your family members receive the best
quality care possible.
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