Table 1 Definitions of quality of care dimensions [32]
From: Patient and health worker perspectives on quality of HIV care and treatment services in Haiti
Dimension | Definition |
|---|---|
Safety | “Avoiding harm to patients from the care that is intended to help them.” |
Effectiveness | “Providing services based on scientific knowledge to all who could benefit, and refraining from providing services to those not likely to benefit (that is, avoiding both overuse of inappropriate care and underuse of effective care).” |
Patient-centeredness | “Providing care that is respectful of and responsive to individual preferences, needs, and values and ensuring that people’s values guide all clinical decisions. Care transitions and coordination should not be centered on health care providers, but on recipients.” |
Accessibility, timeliness, affordability | “Reducing unwanted waits and harmful delays for both those who receive and those who give care; reducing access barriers and financial risk for patients, families, and communities; and promoting care that is affordable for the system.” |
Efficiency | “Avoiding waste, including waste of equipment, supplies, ideas, and energy, and including waste resulting from poor management, fraud, corruption, and abusive practices. Existing resources should be leveraged to the greatest degree possible to finance services.” |
Equity | “Providing care that does not vary in quality because of personal characteristics such as gender, ethnicity, race, geographic location, and socioeconomic status.” |