AN OVERVIEW OF QUALITY ISSUES IN HEALTH-SERVICES

This paper establishes a common framework for understanding some of th e quality issues in health services. It presents definitions and examp les of the most frequently used and the most frequently confused terms related to quality. The meanings of quality, quality of health care, quality assessment, quality assurance, quality control and total quali ty management are described with illustrative examples. The major appr oaches to quality assessment and its uses are discussed. A model of th e quality assurance process is explained as well as the issues surroun ding quality assurance in the settings of primary and secondary health services.