Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Contributors
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- PART ONE DEFINING MEDICAL PROFESSIONALISM
- PART TWO CASES INVOLVING MEDICAL STUDENTS
- PART THREE CASES INVOLVING PHYSICIANS
- 3 Principle of Primacy of Patient Welfare
- 4 Principle of Patient Autonomy
- 5 Principle of Social Justice
- 6 Commitment to Honesty with Patients
- 7 Commitment to Patient Confidentiality
- 8 Commitment to Improving Quality of Care
- 9 Commitment to Maintaining Trust by Managing Conflicts of Interest
- 10 Commitment to Professional Responsibilities
- APPENDIX: Cases by Specialty
- Index
- References
8 - Commitment to Improving Quality of Care
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 February 2010
Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Contributors
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- PART ONE DEFINING MEDICAL PROFESSIONALISM
- PART TWO CASES INVOLVING MEDICAL STUDENTS
- PART THREE CASES INVOLVING PHYSICIANS
- 3 Principle of Primacy of Patient Welfare
- 4 Principle of Patient Autonomy
- 5 Principle of Social Justice
- 6 Commitment to Honesty with Patients
- 7 Commitment to Patient Confidentiality
- 8 Commitment to Improving Quality of Care
- 9 Commitment to Maintaining Trust by Managing Conflicts of Interest
- 10 Commitment to Professional Responsibilities
- APPENDIX: Cases by Specialty
- Index
- References
Summary
IMPROVING QUALITY OF CARE – ADULT PRIMARY CARE
A primary care physician who directs a large primary care clinic is notified of an insurance company audit that for the second consecutive year reports that a higher than predicted fraction of patients in that practice has cholesterol levels that are not at goal (Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP-III)). Following the audit last year, the physician notified his colleagues of these findings and spoke at a business meeting of the need to adhere to lipid-lowering recommendations. Despite the reminder given by the clinic director, the overall lipid results are slightly worse this year than last year.
A Perspective from an Internist and Quality of Care Scholar
Clinical Background
A strong body of evidence documents that elevated LDL cholesterol is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and that LDL-lowering interventions reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease events in both primary and secondary prevention settings. The effectiveness of cholesterol management in the prevention of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality has prompted many quality improvement efforts such as the Ambulatory Quality Alliance to develop quality measures related to cholesterol management.
The ATP-III recommends measurement of fasting lipoprotein levels (total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and triglycerides) every five years, beginning at age twenty years.
Information
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- Professionalism in MedicineA Case-Based Guide for Medical Students, pp. 309 - 360Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2009
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