In health care, what does the term 'quality control' refer to?

The term 'quality control' in health care refers specifically to the processes involved in monitoring and evaluating the standards of health services. This includes the systematic assessment of various aspects of health care delivery to ensure that they meet established standards of quality. Quality control is essential for maintaining high levels of patient safety, effectiveness of treatment, and overall care quality.

Monitoring can involve collecting data on patient outcomes, adherence to clinical guidelines, and compliance with regulatory standards. Evaluating this data helps health care organizations identify areas for improvement, implement necessary changes, and ensure that patients receive the highest quality of care possible.

While ensuring patient satisfaction, reducing health care costs, and improving employee performance can all be important aspects of a health care organization’s goals, they do not encapsulate the definition of quality control as it specifically focuses on the standards and processes that directly affect the quality of health services provided.