Measuring quality is a thorny issue, one that is complicated by the
apparent desire to have a single measure of quality.
The Institute of Medicine lays out six characteristics of high-
quality care, which have been widely adopted in healthcare these include
care must be safe, effective and reliable, patient-centered, timely,
efficient and equitable.
All of these dimensions are important in delivering public value. The
key challenge is to balance these potentially conflicting characteristics.
The use of a 'dilemmas approach' (Hampden-Turner) or a 'Balanced Scorecard
Approach' (Kaplan & Norton) may be more beneficial than the reliance
on a single measure.
Rapid Response:
Multi-Dimensional Quality
Measuring quality is a thorny issue, one that is complicated by the
apparent desire to have a single measure of quality.
The Institute of Medicine lays out six characteristics of high-
quality care, which have been widely adopted in healthcare these include
care must be safe, effective and reliable, patient-centered, timely,
efficient and equitable.
All of these dimensions are important in delivering public value. The
key challenge is to balance these potentially conflicting characteristics.
The use of a 'dilemmas approach' (Hampden-Turner) or a 'Balanced Scorecard
Approach' (Kaplan & Norton) may be more beneficial than the reliance
on a single measure.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests