216 lines
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216 lines
13 KiB
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<!-- "navbar" --><a id="Contents" name="Contents"></a>
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<div class="menu"><span class="topicHeader">Contents</span>
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<a href="." class="menuTop" >Introduction</a><span class="hide"><br />
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<br />
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</span>
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<a href="qntlite.htm" class="menunav" >The Good News: Things Are Getting Better</a><span class="hide"><br />
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<br />
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</span>
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<a href="qntlite2.htm" class="menunav" >How Is Quality Measured?</a><span class="hide"><br />
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<br />
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</span>
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<a href="qntlite3.htm" class="menunav" >Where Are These Measures?</a><span class="hide"><br />
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<br />
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</span>
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<a href="qntlite4.htm" class="menunav" >Choosing Quality Health Care</a><span class="hide"><br />
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<br />
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</span>
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<a href="qntlite5.htm" class="menunav" >Clinical Trials</a><span class="hide"><br />
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<br />
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</span>
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<a href="qntlite6.htm" class="menunav" >For More Information</a><span class="hide"><br />
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<br />
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</span></div>
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<div class="headnote">
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<p>This information is for reference purposes only. It was current when produced and may now be outdated. Archive material is no longer maintained, and some links may not work. Persons with disabilities having difficulty accessing this information should contact us at: <a href="https://info.ahrq.gov/">https://info.ahrq.gov</a>. Let us know the nature of the problem, the Web address of what you want, and your contact information. </p>
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<p>Please go to <a href="https://www.ahrq.gov/">www.ahrq.gov</a> for current information.</p></div>
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<!-- "main_content" -->
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<h1>Improving Health Care Quality</h1>
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<h2>A Guide for Patients and Families</h2>
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<p>This guide presents information and lists resources to help you get better quality health care. You can read all the way through or go directly to the sections that interest you the most:</p>
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<ul>
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<li><a href="qntlite.htm">What affects health care quality and how to become involved</a>.</li>
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<li><a href="qntlite2.htm">How health care quality is measured</a>.</li>
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<li><a href="qntlite3.htm">Where to find measurement tools</a>.</li>
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<li><a href="qntlite4.htm">How to make more informed health care decisions</a>.</li>
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<li><a href="qntlite5.htm">How you can find out about clinical trials</a>.</li>
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<li><a href="qntlite6.htm">List of resources, including Internet sites and phone numbers</a>.</li> </ul>
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<p> Every day, millions of Americans receive high-quality health care. They get the right care, at the right time, and in the right way. And, they get the best possible results. </p>
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<p>But every once in a while, something goes wrong. People receive health care services they don't need. Or they can't get care when they need it. Sometimes, people are affected by medical errors that could have been prevented. A medical error is a mistake that happens when a person gets health care services.</p>
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<p>The fact is, health care quality varies. There are many reasons for this because quality depends on many things, including where you live, who you are, and how much is known about treating your condition.</p>
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<p>Select for <a href="qntlite.pdf">print version</a> (PDF file, 75 KB). <a href="/pdfhelp.htm">PDF Help</a>.</p>
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<table width="90%" border="1" align="center" class="bluebox" cellpadding="8">
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<tr valign="top"><a name="acknowledgments" id="acknowledgments"></a>
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<td> <p>This guide was produced in a cooperative effort by the agencies of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), under the leadership of Secretary Donna E. Shalala:</p>
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<p>Administration for Children and Families<br />
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Administration on Aging<br />
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Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality<br />
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<br />
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Food and Drug Administration<br />
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Health Care Financing Administration<br />
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Health Resources and Services Administration<br />
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Indian Health Service<br />
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National Institutes of Health<br />
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Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion<br />
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Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration</p>
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<p>To learn more about the wealth of evidence-based information these agencies provide, visit the HHS Web site at <a href="http://www.hhs.gov/">http://www.hhs.gov</a>.</p>
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<p>For more information about quality health care, visit the HHS gateway to reliable health information at <a href="http://www.healthfinder.gov/">http://www.healthfinder.gov</a>.</p>
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<p>For partnerships to produce this or a more detailed print version of this guide, contact the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) at 800-358-9295 or write to AHRQ Clearinghouse, P.O. Box 8547, Silver Spring, MD 20907.</p>
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<p>To link to the AHRQ site or this guide, access our <a href="https://www.ahrq.gov/news/weblink.htm">Linking Policy</a>.</p> </td>
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<hr />
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<p class="size2" align="center">
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<a href="#Contents">Contents</a>
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<a href="qntlite.htm">Next Section</a> <img src="/images/arrow_rt.gif" width="8" height="11" alt="Next Section" border="0" /> </p>
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<hr />
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<br />
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<div class="footnote"><p> The information on this page is archived and provided for reference purposes only.</p></div>
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<p> </p>
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<div id="banner_Footeraddress"><p>Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality <img src="/images/bottom_dot.gif" alt="" /> 5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD 20857 <img src="/images/bottom_dot.gif" alt="" /> Telephone: (301) 427-1364</p></div>
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