| quality assurance, health care | Activities and programs intended to assure or improve the quality of care in either a defined medical setting or a program. The concept includes the assessment or evaluation of the quality of care; identification of problems or shortcomings in the delivery of care; designing activities to overcome these deficiencies; and follow-up monitoring to ensure effectiveness of corrective steps. (12 Dec 1998) |
|---|---|
| quality control | In biotechnology, quality control is essential to ensure purified protein pharmaceuticals are indeed pure and that they are intact and maintain their biological activity. (14 Nov 1997) |
| quality control chart | A chart illustrating the allowable limits of error in laboratory test performance, the limits being a defined deviation from the mean of a control serum, most commonly ±2 SD. See: quality control. (05 Mar 2000) |
| quality factor | <radiobiology> (Q) A multiplying factor used with absorbed dose to convert to dose equivalent and therefore to express the radiation's effectiveness in causing biological effects. (16 Dec 1997) |
| quality indicators, health care | Norms, criteria, standards, and other direct qualitative and quantitative measures used in determinng the quality of health care. (12 Dec 1998) |
| quality of health care | The levels of excellence which characterise the health service or health care provided based on accepted standards of quality. (12 Dec 1998) |
| quality of life | Refers to the level of comfort, enjoyment, ability to pursue daily activities. Often used in discussions of treatment options. (16 Dec 1997) |
| total quality management | The application of industrial management practice to systematically maintain and improve organization-wide performance. Effectiveness and success are determined and assessed by quantitative quality measures. (12 Dec 1998) |
| environmental quality objective | This is a regulatory value defining the quality to be aimed for in a particular aspect of the environment. Unlike an environmental quality standard, an EQO is not usually expressed in quantitative terms and cannot be enforced legally. (09 Oct 1997) |
| environmental quality standard | This regulatory value defines the maximum concentration of a potentially toxic substance which can be allowed in an environmental compartment, usually air (air quality standard - AQS) or water, over a defined period. (09 Oct 1997) |
| admitting department, hospital | Hospital department responsible for the flow of patients and the processing of admissions, discharges, transfers, and also most procedures to be carried out in the event of a patient's death. (12 Dec 1998) |
| american hospital association | A professional society in the united states whose membership is composed of hospitals. (12 Dec 1998) |
| anaesthesia department, hospital | Hospital department responsible for the administration of functions and activities pertaining to the delivery of anaesthetics. (12 Dec 1998) |
| ancillary services, hospital | Those support services other than room, board, and medical and nursing services that are provided to hospital patients in the course of care. They include such services as laboratory, radiology, pharmacy, and physical therapy services. (12 Dec 1998) |
| base hospital | A hospital unit located in a military or recreational encampment; usually of small size and limited facilities, for immediate care of illnesses and injuries. Synonym: camp hospital. (05 Mar 2000) |