A simple approach to quality assurance in a complex ambulatory care setting.

In an effort to implement ongoing and continuous monitoring and evaluation of the quality of care in its unusually complex ambulatory care setting, the University of Chicago Hospitals developed a system of clinic-based activity. All 60 of its clinics use the same procedure, involving indicators that address both servicewide and clinic-specific concerns and a single, adaptable tool for data collection and reporting that makes it easier for centralized bodies to review and act on reports. Specific examples show how the system has improved care and encouraged multidisciplinary involvement in the quality assurance effort.