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Terrence M. Shaneyfelt, MD,MPH

JAMA. 2001;286:2600-2601.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Quality of care can be defined in numerous ways. Perhaps the most inclusive definition is that proposed by the Institute of Medicine, which defines quality as the "degree to which health services for individuals and populations increase the likelihood of desired health outcomes and are consistent with current professional knowledge."¹ This seemingly simple definition highlights the complexity of the systems in which health care is delivered and the tensions among the various stakeholders in ensuring high-quality care.

Health services refers to treatment and prevention of disease, and applies to a variety of practitioners and settings. Physicians are usually most concerned with the quality of care they provide to individuals, whereas health care plans, employers, and other payers may be more interested in population-based measures of quality. Desired health outcomes implies that patients are informed about health care options and that their perspective is considered when assessing . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Author Affiliation: Section of General Internal Medicine, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and the Department of Medicine, University of Alabama School of Medicine, Birmingham.

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