What is the purpose and process of evaluating the three aspects of health care: structure,   process, and outcome? 

What is the purpose and process of evaluating the three aspects of health care: structure,   process, and outcome? 

 A Continuous Quality Improvement evaluates three aspect of health care: the structure within which the care is given, the process of given care, and the outcome of that care.

Structure: refer to the setting in which the care is given and to resources that are available. There are aspects of the health care organization that can be evaluated: facility, equipment, staff, and finances. Although none of these structural factors alone can guaranty quality care, they make good care more likely.

Process: Process refers to the activity carried out by the healthcare providers and all the decision made while a patient is interesting with the organization. For example: setting of appointments, conducting a physical assessment, ordering a radiograph. Each of these processes can be evaluated in terms of timeliness. When process data are collected a set of objectives, procedures, or guidelines id needed to serve as a stand or gauge against which to compare the activity.

Outcomes: An outcome is the result of all the healthcare providers’ activities. Outcomes measures evaluate the effectiveness of nursing activities by answering such questions as: Did the patient recover? Outcomes standard address indicators such as physical and mental health, social and physical function, health attitudes, knowledge, and behavior.

It is necessary to evaluate the process as well as the outcome to determine why an intervention such as patient teaching succeeds or fails. A comprehensive evaluation includes all three aspects: structure, process and outcome.