TOH CheckUp:
Measuring Excellence
At The Ottawa Hospital, excellence in patient care is a priority.
We are proud that patients and their families are at the centre of all we do and as a physician I see quality
around me every day.
How do we measure quality in healthcare?
In recent years, The Ottawa Hospital has begun to measure quality by
collecting and reporting available data to help us to understand where
we are, where we are going and how far we are from certain goals.
In order to do this, we look at areas such as patient satisfaction and wait times for diagnostic services to determine if we are on target for that segment of care. Indicators represent a snapshot in time and are helpful in providing clues as to what is happening in the hospital. Indicators are valuable to us if only to ensure that we are constantly improving in all areas of the essential services we deliver.
Why should we measure quality in healthcare?
There will always be new ways to improve – new techniques, new equipment, and new knowledge – to name a few. The Ottawa Hospital 's commitment to quality means that we will always strive to achieve the highest level of quality. Measuring quality helps us ensure consistency of care and assist us in monitoring and improving the quality of care we deliver.
Measurements can also provide much needed information to the hospital for decision-making and planning. Resources and staff can be allocated to areas proven to maximize patient care and provide support to those areas we determine make the most difference for patients in terms of quality and safety.
At The Ottawa Hospital, we know that the safety and comfort of our patients can't always be defined or measured in a scientific way. We do know that we can look to indicators to summarize what is happening in the hospital and can use them as tools to prompt us to look at certain areas more closely.
I invite you to review our quality indicators
and to contact me with
any comments you may have.
Dr. Jack Kitts
President and CEO
| 
