The National Academy of Medicine defines health care quality as "the degree to which health care services for individuals and populations increase the likelihood of desired health outcomes and are consistent with current professional knowledge."
AHRQ offers information on the National Quality Strategy, data on health care quality, information on quality measurement projects, and resources on quality.
The National Quality Strategy is a national effort to align public- and private-sector stakeholders to achieve better health and health care for Americans. The Strategy was developed through a transparent and collaborative process with input from a range of stakeholders. Based on this input, the National Quality Strategy established a set of three overarching aims that builds on the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's Triple Aim®, supported by six priorities that address the most common health concerns that Americans face. To align with the National Quality Strategy, stakeholders can use nine levers to align their core business or organizational functions to drive improvement on the aims and priorities.