ABSTRACT
Precisely defining quality medical care is as elusive as trying to grasp smoke. Everyone believes they know quality medical care when they see or experience it, but few succinctly can define the parameters that differentiate good from poor medical care. Oftentimes quality is construed to mean access to or availability of medical care, with little attention to specific patient interactions or outcomes. The social or societal view of quality is more of a functional assessment on a continuum. No discussion of quality can be complete without mention of costs. From the provider’s standpoint, the practical considerations relative to quality are responses to external pressures. The practices which have instituted their own patient satisfaction surveys and acted upon them will be viewed quite favorably by all. For other plan providers this becomes even more important if the patient’s expectations are to be met in the somewhat more restrictive environment of the managed care world.
