Читать книгу The Quality Improvement Challenge - Richard J. Banchs - Страница 71

In healthcare, the patient is always the ultimate and final customer. But there may be additional customers, as we described in Chapter 3. The word customer applies to any person who receives the work product or output of a process. The customer is the end user of the process outcome. Generally, there are three main customers for a QI project team to consider (see Figure 8‐1):

 Patients. The patient is the customer. The patients’ needs must drive our improvement projects. Many of our QI efforts are launched to address our patients’ needs and expectations. Patients expect care that is safe, timely, effective, efficient, equitative, and patient‐centered (the six dimensions of the Institute of Medicine). The patient is called the external customer.

 Providers. Sometimes the customer is not the patient. Sometimes the customer is a provider. A QI project may be initiated to address the concern of a provider or group of providers. Providers need the work product of others to do their job. Providers need: reliable information, diagnostic services, lab services, imaging services, on‐time deliveries of supplies, and so on. Providers need the work product of others so they can provide effective and efficient care to their patients. Providers are called internal customers.

 Staff. The customers of a QI project can be the staff. Staff enable the delivery of care. These professionals also depend on others for information, equipment, and supplies to perform their duties and support patient care. Other people in the care value chain may be responsible for providing them with what they need to do their job. A QI project may be initiated to address their needs. Staff are also internal customers.

FIGURE 8‐1 The three types of customers in QI projects.