Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.
Appendix B Key Findings of the NHQRs and NHDRs The Future Directions committee scanned key messages from each year of the NHQR (Table B-1) and the NHDR (Table B-2) to evaluate the content of these messages. Each yearâs statements are variations on similar themes: that the quality of health care is suboptimal, that the pace of improvement is slow, and that disparities persist. The committee recommends reformulating the Highlights section of the reports, where such key messages are presented, to be more focused on priority areas, and geared toward future actions. Accordingly, key messages should be more targeted and action-oriented. 155
TABLE B-1â Key Findings of the National Healthcare Quality Report from 2003 to 2008, by Year 156 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Greater improvement is Quality is improving in Health care quality Most measures of quality Health care quality Health care quality is possible many areas, but change continues to improve at a are improving, but the pace continues to improve, but suboptimal and continues to takes time modest pace across most of change remains modest the rate of improvement has improve at a slow pace High quality health care is measures of quality slowed not yet a universal reality The gap between the best Variation in health care Reporting of hospital quality possible care and actual care Health care quality quality remains high Variation in quality of health is leading improvement, but Opportunities for preventive remains large improvement is variable, care across the Nation is patient safety is lagging care are frequently missed The rate of improvement with notable areas of high decreasing, but not for all Further improvement in accelerated for some Health care quality Management of chronic performance measures health care is possible measures while a few measurement is evolving, but diseases presents unique Health care quality is continued to show The safety of health care has much work remains quality challenges improving, but more deterioration improved since 2000, but There is more to learn remains to be done to more needs to be done Quality improvement varies achieve optimal quality by setting and phase of care Sustained rates of quality improvement are possible SOURCE: AHRQ, National Healthcare Quality Reports, 2003-2008. TABLE B-2â Key Findings of the National Healthcare Disparities Report from 2003 to 2008, by Year 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Inequality in quality persists Disparities are pervasive Disparities still exist Disparities remain prevalent Overall, disparities in health Disparities persist in health care quality and access are care quality Improvement is possible Improvement is possible Some disparities are Some disparities are not getting smaller diminishing diminishing while others are Magnitude and pattern of Data limitations hinder Gaps in information exist, increasing Progress is being made, but disparities are different within targeted improvement especially for specific Opportunities for many of the biggest gaps in subpopulations efforts conditions and populations improvement remain Opportunities for reducing quality and access have not disparities remain Some disparities exist across Differential access may lead Information about been reduced multiple priority populations to disparities in quality disparities is improving Information about The problem of persistent disparities is improving, but Knowledge of why uninsurance is a major gaps still exist disparities exist is limited barrier to reducing disparities Disparities come at a personal and societal price Opportunities to provide preventive care are frequently missed SOURCE: AHRQ, National Healthcare Disparities Reports, 2003-2008.
