The terms QA (Quality Assurance) and CQI (Continuous Quality Assurance) are being used with increasing frequency in the EMS industry. What do these terms mean to the frontline providers of Prehospital health care?

Barbara Kahan and Michael Goodstadt, of Centre for Health Promotion, University of Toronto (http://heapro.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/14/1/83#SEC2) describe QA as a rather static program of measuring performance against a minimum standard. This is contrasted by their description of CQI, ‘a comprehensive management philosophy that focuses on continuous improvement by applying scientific methods to gain knowledge and control over variation in work processes’.

This definition of CQI is an excellent description of the QA/CQI program of the Durham Base Hospital Program. Our goal is the continued improvement of system performance. To achieve this goal we use a variety of tools, one of these is the QA tool – ACR audits. We review ACR’s and measure them against the standards of BLS/ALS patient Care Standards and our Medical Directives. Other tools come inthe form of various CQI reports. The results of many of these CQI activities can be viewed in our reports, listed below.

Course Evaluation Comparisons
Course Evaluations - 2005 College Certifications
Patch Log Audit March 2005
Spring 2005 Summary Report