National Healthcare Quality Week is sponsored by the National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ). This annual national recognition event brings attention to the profession of healthcare quality and celebrates the work of the individual healthcare quality management professionals who work diligently to enhance the quality of care and optimize patient safety.
While always vital to the healthcare process, healthcare quality management has been moved to the forefront of the industry in recent years. "This is an exciting time for healthcare quality professionals, as their roles and skills take on an even greater importance in healthcare organizations in response to demands to improve quality across the continuum," said NAHQ President Lenard L. Parisi, RN, MA, CPHQ, FNAHQ.
Healthcare quality management professionals ensure that their facilities meet requirements established by standard setters like the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the Joint Commission, DNV and others. They use established quality management principles to study a wide range of performance data, including patient outcomes and satisfaction. To assure that best practices and regulatory standards are followed, healthcare quality management professionals apply process improvement tools and methodologies and other skills.
NAHQ supports its more than 6,000 members and some 8,000 Certified Professionals in Healthcare Quality (CPHQs) by defining and advocating for the profession of healthcare quality, as well as offering education tools and resources, career services and CPHQ certification. The CPHQ is the only certification in the healthcare quality management field and demonstrates mastery of the broader picture of quality, including patient safety, information management, data collection and analysis, risk management and more.
"NAHQ believes quality and patient safety at the highest levels are achievable by assuring accuracy and transparency in collecting and reporting healthcare quality and patient safety data," said Parisi.
NAHQ has played a leading role in establishing healthcare quality management as an influential and respected profession. Through its award-winning Journal for Healthcare Quality, NAHQ has built a strong foundation of peer-reviewed studies demonstrating the achievements and contributions of healthcare quality professionals working in hospitals and other healthcare facilities across the healthcare continuum. The profession is growing and attracts graduates in the health sciences, skilled quality professionals from manufacturing backgrounds, and other interested in pursuing careers in health quality management.
During Healthcare Quality Week, October 19-25, NAHQ members and CPHQs informed administrators, allied health professionals and the public about the impact and importance of healthcare quality through educational events scheduled during the week.
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