Measuring quality progress

Science.gov (United States)

Lambert, Larry D.

1992-01-01

The study by the American Productivity & Quality Center (APQC) was commissioned by Loral Space Information Systems, Inc. and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to evaluate internal assessment systems. APQC benchmarked approaches to the internal assessment of quality management systems in three phases. The first phase included work conducted for the International Benchmarking Clearinghouse (IBC) and consisted of an in-depth analysis of the 1991 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award criteria. The second phase was also performed for the IBC and compared the 1991 award criteria among the following quality awards: Deming Prize, Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, The President's Award for Quality and Productivity Improvement, The NASA Excellence Award (The George M. Lowe Trophy) for Quality and Productivity Improvement and the Shigeo Shingo Award for Excellence in Manufacturing. The third phase compared the internal implementation approaches of 23 companies selected from American industry for their recognized, formal assessment systems.

National Recommended Water Quality Criteria

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — The National Recommended Water Quality Criteria is a compilation of national recommended water quality criteria for the protection of aquatic life and human health...

Quality improvement in neurology: dementia management quality measures.

Science.gov (United States)

Odenheimer, Germaine; Borson, Soo; Sanders, Amy E; Swain-Eng, Rebecca J; Kyomen, Helen H; Tierney, Samantha; Gitlin, Laura; Forciea, Mary Ann; Absher, John; Shega, Joseph; Johnson, Jerry

2014-03-01

Professional and advocacy organizations have long urged that dementia should be recognized and properly diagnosed. With the passage of the National Alzheimer's Project Act in 2011, an Advisory Council for Alzheimer's Research, Care, and Services was convened to advise the Department of Health and Human Services. In May 2012, the Council produced the first National Plan to address Alzheimer's disease, and prominent in its recommendations is a call for quality measures suitable for evaluating and tracking dementia care in clinical settings. Although other efforts have been made to set dementia care quality standards, such as those pioneered by RAND in its series Assessing Care of Vulnerable Elders (ACOVE), practitioners, healthcare systems, and insurers have not widely embraced implementation. This executive summary (full manuscript available at www.neurology.org) reports on a new measurement set for dementia management developed by an interdisciplinary Dementia Measures Work Group (DWG) representing the major national organizations and advocacy organizations concerned with the care of individuals with dementia. The American Academy of Neurology (AAN), the American Geriatrics Society, the American Medical Directors Association, the American Psychiatric Association, and the American Medical Association-convened Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement led this effort. The ACOVE measures and the measurement set described here apply to individuals whose dementia has already been identified and properly diagnosed. Although similar in concept to ACOVE, the DWG measurement set differs in several important ways; it includes all stages of dementia in a single measure set, calls for the use of functional staging in planning care, prompts the use of validated instruments in patient and caregiver assessment and intervention, highlights the relevance of using palliative care concepts to guide care before the advanced stages of illness, and provides evidence-based support

Methods for collecting algal samples as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program

Science.gov (United States)

Porter, Stephen D.; Cuffney, Thomas F.; Gurtz, Martin E.; Meador, Michael R.

1993-01-01

Benthic algae (periphyton) and phytoplankton communities are characterized in the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program as part of an integrated physical, chemical, and biological assessment of the Nation's water quality. This multidisciplinary approach provides multiple lines of evidence for evaluating water-quality status and trends, and for refining an understanding of the factors that affect water-quality conditions locally, regionally, and nationally. Water quality can be characterized by evaluating the results of qualitative and quantitative measurements of the algal community. Qualitative periphyton samples are collected to develop of list of taxa present in the sampling reach. Quantitative periphyton samples are collected to measure algal community structure within selected habitats. These samples of benthic algal communities are collected from natural substrates, using the sampling methods that are most appropriate for the habitat conditions. Phytoplankton samples may be collected in large nonwadeable streams and rivers to meet specific program objectives. Estimates of algal biomass (chlorophyll content and ash-free dry mass) also are optional measures that may be useful for interpreting water-quality conditions. A nationally consistent approach provides guidance on site, reach, and habitat selection, as well as information on methods and equipment for qualitative and quantitative sampling. Appropriate quality-assurance and quality-control guidelines are used to maximize the ability to analyze data locally, regionally, and nationally.

National network of environment radioactivity measurements. Press kit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-01-01

This document first presents the objectives, challenges, context, operation and actors of the French national network of environment radioactivity measurements. It discusses the reasons for these measurements, the way they are performed, who perform them and how they are transmitted to the national network. It describes the quality policy for these measurements, and how this network is at the service of authorities, experts and population. It outlines the originality of the French approach within the European Union, and how this network takes the population expectations and their evolution into account

Measurement quality assurance for radioassay laboratories

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McCurdy, D.E. [Yankee Atomic Environmental Laboratory, Boston, MA (United States)

1993-12-31

Until recently, the quality of U.S. radioassay laboratory services has been evaluated by a limited number of governmental measurement assurance programs (MAPs). The major programs have been limited to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). In 1988, an industry MAP was established for the nuclear power utility industry through the U.S. Council for Energy Awareness/National Institute of Standards and Technology (USCEA/NIST). This program functions as both a MAP for utility laboratories and/or their commercial contractor laboratories, and as a traceability program for the U.S. radioactive source manufacturers and the utility laboratories. Each of these generic MAPs has been initiated and is maintained to serve the specific needs of the sponsoring agency or organization. As a result, there is diversification in their approach, scope, requirements, and degree of traceability to NIST. In 1987, a writing committee was formed under the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) N42.2 committee to develop a standard to serve as the basis document for the creation of a national measurement quality assurance (MQA) program for radioassay laboratories in the U.S. The standard is entitled, {open_quotes}Measurement Quality Assurance For Radioassay Laboratories.{open_quotes} The document was developed to serve as a guide for MQA programs maintained for the specialized sectors of the radioassay community, such as bioassay, routine environmental monitoring, environmental restoration and waste management, radiopharmaceuticals, and nuclear facilities. It was the intent of the writing committee to develop a guidance document that could be utilized to establish a laboratory`s specific data quality objectives (DQOs) that govern the operational requirements of the radioassay process, including mandated protocols and recommendations.

Measurement quality assurance for radioassay laboratories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCurdy, D.E.

1993-01-01

Until recently, the quality of U.S. radioassay laboratory services has been evaluated by a limited number of governmental measurement assurance programs (MAPs). The major programs have been limited to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). In 1988, an industry MAP was established for the nuclear power utility industry through the U.S. Council for Energy Awareness/National Institute of Standards and Technology (USCEA/NIST). This program functions as both a MAP for utility laboratories and/or their commercial contractor laboratories, and as a traceability program for the U.S. radioactive source manufacturers and the utility laboratories. Each of these generic MAPs has been initiated and is maintained to serve the specific needs of the sponsoring agency or organization. As a result, there is diversification in their approach, scope, requirements, and degree of traceability to NIST. In 1987, a writing committee was formed under the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) N42.2 committee to develop a standard to serve as the basis document for the creation of a national measurement quality assurance (MQA) program for radioassay laboratories in the U.S. The standard is entitled, open-quotes Measurement Quality Assurance For Radioassay Laboratories.open-quotes The document was developed to serve as a guide for MQA programs maintained for the specialized sectors of the radioassay community, such as bioassay, routine environmental monitoring, environmental restoration and waste management, radiopharmaceuticals, and nuclear facilities. It was the intent of the writing committee to develop a guidance document that could be utilized to establish a laboratory's specific data quality objectives (DQOs) that govern the operational requirements of the radioassay process, including mandated protocols and recommendations

Measuring patent quality and national technological capacity in cross-country comparison

OpenAIRE

Boeing, Philipp; Müller, Elisabeth

2016-01-01

China recently surpassed the USA as the greatest global source of patent applications. However, without internationally comparable measures of patent quality it remains questionable whether China's patent expansion constitutes the rise of a new technological superpower. Our novel quality index is based on citations from international search reports and provides internationally comparable, quality-adjusted figures for applications made under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). We show that Ch...

Candidate Quality Measures for Hand Surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

2017-11-01

Quality measures are tools used by physicians, health care systems, and payers to evaluate performance, monitor the outcomes of interventions, and inform quality improvement efforts. A paucity of quality measures exist that address hand surgery care. We completed a RAND/UCLA (University of California Los Angeles) Delphi Appropriateness process with the goal of developing and evaluating candidate hand surgery quality measures to be used for national quality measure development efforts. A consortium of 9 academic upper limb surgeons completed a RAND/UCLA Delphi Appropriateness process to evaluate the importance, scientific acceptability, usability, and feasibility of 44 candidate quality measures. These addressed hand problems the panelists felt were most appropriate for quality measure development. Panelists rated the measures on an ordinal scale between 1 (definitely not valid) and 9 (definitely valid) in 2 rounds (preliminary round and final round) with an intervening face-to-face discussion. Ratings from 1 to 3 were considered not valid, 4 to 6 as equivocal or uncertain, and 7 to 9 as valid. If no more than 2 of the 9 ratings were outside the 3-point range that included the median (1-3, 4-6, or 7-9), the panelists were considered to be in agreement. If 3 or more of the panelists' ratings of a measure were within the 1 to 3 range and 3 or more ratings were in the 7 to 9 range, the panelists were considered to be in disagreement. There was agreement on 43% (19) of the measures as important, 27% (12) as scientifically sound, 48% (21) as usable, and 59% (26) as feasible to complete. Ten measures met all 4 of these criteria and were, therefore, considered valid measurements of quality. Quality measures that were developed address outcomes (patient-reported outcomes for assessment and improvement of function) and processes of care (utilization rates of imaging, antibiotics, occupational therapy, ultrasound, and operative treatment). The consortium developed 10

Quality control and quality assurance philosophy introduced in national personnel dosimetry service

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trousil, J.; Zelenka, Z.; Kvasnicka, O.

2008-01-01

There in National Personnel Dosimetry Service (NPDS) the implementation of the control system to guarantee the credibility of the measured personal dose equivalents results was given on the basis of the international recommendations published by the European Commission and the IAEA and in particular of the decree of the SUJB No. 132/2008 Coll. The quality control and the quality assurance are carried out in all three personal dosimetry services introduced in NPDS: in the film badge, thermoluminescent (TL) and neutron dosimetry. (authors)

Progress in organizing national and international comparisons for nuclear medicine measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sahagia, Maria; Waetjen, Anamaria C.; Ivan, Constantin

2008-01-01

The paper presents the progress registered by the Radionuclide Metrology Laboratory (RML) from IFIN-HH, in improvement of the quality of radiopharmaceuticals activity measurement, and assurance of the whole traceability chain from international level to the national users. The progress in organization of comparisons for radiopharmaceuticals activity measurement is analyzed. A detailed description of two recent national comparisons, and an international one, regarding 131 I solutions, within the frame of the IAEA's CRP E2.10.05 'Harmonization of quality practices for nuclear medicine radioactivity measurements' is done, with the analysis of the strong and week points in measurements. The most important outcome of the paper is the analysis of the evolution in quality of comparisons since a previously reported one. At the RML level, the improvements are: demonstration of the international equivalence of primary Romanian activity standard, improvement of the secondary standard, relevance of the comparison within the IAEA frame, implementation of a quality system in standardization and in comparisons, and implication of the RML in calibrations and metrological checks. The participants' reported improvements refer to growing of the awareness in quality of measurement and improvement of the measurement equipment. Reasons for future comparisons organization are presented. (author)

Measuring health care process quality with software quality measures.

Science.gov (United States)

Yildiz, Ozkan; Demirörs, Onur

2012-01-01

Existing quality models focus on some specific diseases, clinics or clinical areas. Although they contain structure, process, or output type measures, there is no model which measures quality of health care processes comprehensively. In addition, due to the not measured overall process quality, hospitals cannot compare quality of processes internally and externally. To bring a solution to above problems, a new model is developed from software quality measures. We have adopted the ISO/IEC 9126 software quality standard for health care processes. Then, JCIAS (Joint Commission International Accreditation Standards for Hospitals) measurable elements were added to model scope for unifying functional requirements. Assessment (diagnosing) process measurement results are provided in this paper. After the application, it was concluded that the model determines weak and strong aspects of the processes, gives a more detailed picture for the process quality, and provides quantifiable information to hospitals to compare their processes with multiple organizations.

A National Initiative to Advance School Mental Health Performance Measurement in the US

Science.gov (United States)

Connors, Elizabeth Halsted; Stephan, Sharon Hoover; Lever, Nancy; Ereshefsky, Sabrina; Mosby, Amanda; Bohnenkamp, Jill

2016-01-01

Standardized health performance measurement has increasingly become an imperative for assuring quality standards in national health care systems. As compared to somatic health performance measures, behavioral health performance measures are less developed. There currently is no national standardized performance measurement system for monitoring…

Apparent quality-of-life in nations : how long and happy people live

NARCIS (Netherlands)

R. Veenhoven (Ruut)

2005-01-01

textabstractQuality-of-life in nations can be measured by how long and happy people live. This is assessed by combining data on life expectancy drawn from civil registration with survey data on subjective enjoyment of life as a whole. This measure of 'apparent' quality-of-life is a good alternative

Governmental point of view on the Dutch National Cooperative Programme for Air Quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-06-01

Dutch air quality does not yet meet the European standards throughout the Netherlands. The Dutch National Cooperative Programme for Air Quality (NSL) is expected to realize improvements. This publication explains the Dutch plans for meeting the European standards for air quality in the coming years. It addresses the following subjects: the Dutch National Cooperative Programme for Air Quality (NSL); legal framework; historical development; current situation and autonomous development for PM10 and NO2; spatial projects; measure packages and financial means. [mk] [nl

Quality measurement affecting surgical practice: Utility versus utopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Henry, Leonard R; von Holzen, Urs W; Minarich, Michael J; Hardy, Ashley N; Beachy, Wilbur A; Franger, M Susan; Schwarz, Roderich E

2018-03-01

The Triple Aim: improving healthcare quality, cost and patient experience has resulted in massive healthcare "quality" measurement. For many surgeons the origins, intent and strengths of this measurement barrage seems nebulous-though their shortcomings are noticeable. This article reviews the major organizations and programs (namely the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) driving the somewhat burdensome healthcare quality climate. The success of this top-down approach is mixed, and far from convincing. We contend that the current programs disproportionately reflect the definitions of quality from (and the interests of) the national payer perspective; rather than a more balanced representation of all stakeholders interests-most importantly, patients' beneficence. The result is an environment more like performance management than one of valid quality assessment. Suggestions for a more meaningful construction of surgical quality measurement are offered, as well as a strategy to describe surgical quality from all of the stakeholders' perspectives. Our hope is to entice surgeons to engage in institution level quality improvement initiatives that promise utility and are less utopian than what is currently present. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Analysis of quality data based on national clinical databases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Utzon, Jan; Petri, A.L.; Christophersen, S.

2009-01-01

extent the selection of patients, random variation, confounding and inconsistency may have influenced results. The aim of this article is to summarize aspects of clinical healthcare data analyses provided from the national clinical quality databases and to show how data may be presented in a way which......There is little agreement on the philosophy of measuring clinical quality in health care. How data should be analyzed and transformed to healthcare information is an ongoing discussion. To accept a difference in quality between health departments as a real difference, one should consider to which...

The French National Network for the Measurement of Environmental Radioactivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaunet, P.

2010-01-01

After Chernobyl accident in 1986, the government began to implement mechanisms to ensure the quality of measurements of environmental radioactivity and to assure the transparency of information on environmental radioactivity monitoring results. Within this context, the French National Network for the Measurement of Environmental Radioactivity (RNM), is created in 2002 under the Public Health Code. This network is developed under the auspices of ASN in collaboration with IRSN and in partnership with government departments, major nuclear licensees, health agencies and environmental protection associations. In order to centralize information on environmental radioactivity and to provide access to measurement results, a single database that includes an the results of measurements of radioactivity in the environment on the national territory is build and a new web-site www.mesure-radioactivite.fr is launched. It provides quick and easy access to this database. The quality of measurements is performed by a laboratory system through an ASN decision. Novel initiative in Europe, the French National Network for the Measurement of Environmental Radioactivity web-site gives the user keys to understand the measurement results on the radiological state of the environment. The site will be improved over the time taking into account the feedback of the users. (author)

77 FR 30087 - Air Quality Designations for the 2008 Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-21

... and 81 Air Quality Designations for the 2008 Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards; Implementation of the 2008 National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Ozone: Nonattainment Area Classifications...-9668-2] RIN 2060-AP37 Air Quality Designations for the 2008 Ozone National Ambient Air Quality...

Software product quality measurement

OpenAIRE

Godliauskas, Eimantas

2016-01-01

This paper analyses Ruby product quality measures, suggesting three new measures for Ruby product quality measurement tool Rubocop to measure Ruby product quality characteristics defined in ISO 2502n standard series. This paper consists of four main chapters. The first chapter gives a brief view of software product quality and software product quality measurement. The second chapter analyses object oriented quality measures. The third chapter gives a brief view of the most popular Ruby qualit...

Validation of the National Institutes of Health Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Survey as a Quality-of-Life Instrument for Patients with Malignant Brain Tumors and Their Caregivers.

Science.gov (United States)

Romero, Melissa M; Flood, Lisa Sue; Gasiewicz, Nanci K; Rovin, Richard; Conklin, Samantha

2015-12-01

At present there is a lack of well-validated surveys used to measure quality of life in patients with malignant brain tumors and their caregivers. The main objective of this pilot study was to validate the National Institutes of Health Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (NIH PROMIS) survey for use as a quality-of-life measure in this population. This article presents the rationale for using the NIH PROMIS instrument as a quality-of-life measure for patients with malignant brain tumors and their caregivers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Transmission Quality Measurements in DAB+ Broadcast System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gilski Przemysław

2017-12-01

Full Text Available In the age of digital media, delivering broadcast content to customers at an acceptable level of quality is one of the most challenging tasks. The most important factor is the efficient use of available resources, including bandwidth. An appropriate way of managing the digital multiplex is essential for both the economic and technical issues. In this paper we describe transmission quality measurements in the DAB+ broadcast system. We provide a methodology for analysing parameters and factors related with the efficiency and reliability of a digital radio link. We describe a laboratory stand that can be used for transmission quality assessment on a regional and national level.

Understanding Quality Measures in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery

Science.gov (United States)

Vila, Peter M.; Schneider, John S.; Piccirillo, Jay F.; Lieu, Judith E. C.

2017-01-01

As health care reimbursements based on pay-for-performance models become more common, there is an unprecedented demand for ways to measure health care quality and demonstrate value. Performance measures, a type of quality measure, are unique tools in a health care delivery system that allow objective monitoring of adherence to specific goals and tracking of outcomes. We sought to provide information on the development of quality measures in otolaryngology–head and neck surgery, as well as the goals of performance measurement at a national level and for our specialty. The historical development, various types, and approach to creating effective performance measures are discussed. The primary methods of developing performance measures (using clinical practice guidelines, clinical registries, and alternative methods) are also discussed. Performance measures are an important tool that can aid otolaryngologists in achieving effective, efficient, equitable, timely, safe, and patient-centered care as outlined by the Institute of Medicine. PMID:26606715

Measuring quality of care: considering conceptual approaches to quality indicator development and evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Stelfox, Henry T; Straus, Sharon E

2013-12-01

In this article, we describe one approach for developing and evaluating quality indicators. We focus on describing different conceptual approaches to quality indicator development, review one approach for developing quality indicators, outline how to evaluate quality indicators once developed, and discuss quality indicator maintenance. The key steps for developing quality indicators include specifying a clear goal for the indicators; using methodologies to incorporate evidence, expertise, and patient perspectives; and considering contextual factors and logistics of implementation. The Strategic Framework Board and the National Quality Measure Clearinghouse have developed criteria for evaluating quality indicators that complement traditional psychometric evaluations. Optimal strategies for quality indicator maintenance and dissemination have not been determined, but experiences with clinical guideline maintenance may be informative. For quality indicators to effectively guide quality improvement efforts, they must be developed, evaluated, maintained, and implemented using rigorous evidence-informed practices. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Analysis of quality data based on national clinical databases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Utzon, Jan; Petri, A.L.; Christophersen, S.

2009-01-01

There is little agreement on the philosophy of measuring clinical quality in health care. How data should be analyzed and transformed to healthcare information is an ongoing discussion. To accept a difference in quality between health departments as a real difference, one should consider to which...... extent the selection of patients, random variation, confounding and inconsistency may have influenced results. The aim of this article is to summarize aspects of clinical healthcare data analyses provided from the national clinical quality databases and to show how data may be presented in a way which...... is understandable to readers without specialised knowledge of statistics Udgivelsesdato: 2009/9/14...

Socioeconomic Status and Age Variations in Health-Related Quality of Life: Results From the National Health Measurement Study

Science.gov (United States)

Cherepanov, Dasha; Palta, Mari; Dunham, Nancy Cross; Feeny, David; Fryback, Dennis G.

2009-01-01

Objectives We examine whether multiple health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measures are stratified by socioeconomic status (SES) and age in the United States. Methods Data are from the 2005/2006 National Health Measurement Study, a telephone survey of a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. We plot mean HRQoL scores by SES within age groups. Regression analyses test whether education, income, and assets each have independent associations with three “preference-based” HRQoL measures and self-rated health (SRH). We test whether these associations vary by age. Results There are SES disparities in HRQoL and SRH among adults in the United States at all age groups. Income differentials in HRQoL are strong across current adult age cohorts, except the 75–89 age cohort. Education and assets have statistically significant but weaker associations with HRQoL. All three SES measures are associated with SRH (net of each other) at every age group. Those in the lowest income and education groups in the 35–44 age cohort have worse HRQoL and SRH than those in higher SES groups in the 65+ age cohort. Discussion Significant improvements in HRQoL at the population level will only be possible if we improve the HRQoL of people at the lowest end of the socioeconomic distribution. PMID:19307286

Benchmarking by HbA1c in a national diabetes quality register--does measurement bias matter?

Science.gov (United States)

Carlsen, Siri; Thue, Geir; Cooper, John Graham; Røraas, Thomas; Gøransson, Lasse Gunnar; Løvaas, Karianne; Sandberg, Sverre

2015-08-01

Bias in HbA1c measurement could give a wrong impression of the standard of care when benchmarking diabetes care. The aim of this study was to evaluate how measurement bias in HbA1c results may influence the benchmarking process performed by a national diabetes register. Using data from 2012 from the Norwegian Diabetes Register for Adults, we included HbA1c results from 3584 patients with type 1 diabetes attending 13 hospital clinics, and 1366 patients with type 2 diabetes attending 18 GP offices. Correction factors for HbA1c were obtained by comparing the results of the hospital laboratories'/GP offices' external quality assurance scheme with the target value from a reference method. Compared with the uncorrected yearly median HbA1c values for hospital clinics and GP offices, EQA corrected HbA1c values were within ±0.2% (2 mmol/mol) for all but one hospital clinic whose value was reduced by 0.4% (4 mmol/mol). Three hospital clinics reduced the proportion of patients with poor glycemic control, one by 9% and two by 4%. For most participants in our study, correcting for measurement bias had little effect on the yearly median HbA1c value or the percentage of patients achieving glycemic goals. However, at three hospital clinics correcting for measurement bias had an important effect on HbA1c benchmarking results especially with regard to percentages of patients achieving glycemic targets. The analytical quality of HbA1c should be taken into account when comparing benchmarking results.

National Water Quality Standards Database (NWQSD)

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — The National Water Quality Standards Database (WQSDB) provides access to EPA and state water quality standards (WQS) information in text, tables, and maps. This data...

Global Influences on National Definitions of Quality Education: Examples from Spain and Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Engel, Laura C.; Rutkowski, David

2014-01-01

There is increasing attention worldwide to advancing quality education. Beyond a rhetorical aim, many international organizations and national education systems have articulated a commitment to promoting measures of quality education through the development of educational indicators. This article broadly explores the global influences on national…

Consumers' quality perception of national branded, national store branded, and imported store branded beef

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Banovic, Marija; Grunert, Klaus G.; Barreira, Maria Madalena

2010-01-01

This study investigated the differences in the consumers' quality perception of national branded, national store branded, and imported store branded beef. Partial Least Squares analysis is used for modelling the quality perception process. Results show that consumers perceived national branded...

Los Alamos National Laboratory Meteorology Monitoring Program: 2016 Data Completeness/ Quality Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bruggeman, David Alan [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2017-06-15

This report summarizes data completeness by tower and by instrument for 2016 and compares that data with the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) 2015 standards. This report is designed to make data users aware of data completeness and any data quality issues. LANL meteorology monitoring goals include 95% completeness for all measurements. The ANSI 2015 standard requires 90% completeness for all measurements. This report documents instrument/tower issues as they impact data completeness.

Venous Thromboembolism Quality Measures Fail to Accurately Measure Quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Lau, Brandyn D; Streiff, Michael B; Pronovost, Peter J; Haut, Elliott R

2018-03-20

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is 1 of the most common causes of preventable harm for patients in hospitals. Consequently, the Joint Commission, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the United Kingdom Care Quality Commission, the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission, and the American College of Surgeons have prioritized measuring and reporting VTE outcomes with the goal of reducing the incidence of and preventable harm from VTE. We developed a rubric for defect-free VTE prevention, graded each organizational VTE quality measure, and found that none of the current VTE-related quality measures adequately characterizes VTE prevention efforts or outcomes in hospitalized patients. Effective VTE prevention is multifactorial: clinicians must assess patients' risk for VTE and prescribe therapy appropriate for each patient's risk profile, patients must accept the prescribed therapy, and nurses must administer the therapy as prescribed. First, an ideal, defect-free VTE prevention process measure requires: (1) documentation of a standardized VTE risk assessment; (2) prescription of optimal, risk-appropriate VTE prophylaxis; and (3) administration of all risk-appropriate VTE prophylaxis as prescribed. Second, an ideal VTE outcome measure should define potentially preventable VTE as VTE that developed in patients who experienced any VTE prevention process failures. © 2018 American Heart Association, Inc.

Challenges and Opportunities in Using Patient-Reported Outcomes in Quality Measurement in Rheumatology

OpenAIRE

Wahl, Elizabeth; Yazdany, Jinoos

2016-01-01

Use of Patient-reported outcome measures (PROs) in rheumatology research is widespread, but use of PRO data to evaluate the quality of rheumatologic care delivered is less well established. This article reviews the use of PROs in assessing healthcare quality, and highlights challenges and opportunities specific to their use in rheumatology quality measurement. We first explore other countries’ experiences collecting and evaluating national PRO data to assess quality of care. We describe the c...

National evaluation of multidisciplinary quality metrics for head and neck cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Cramer, John D; Speedy, Sedona E; Ferris, Robert L; Rademaker, Alfred W; Patel, Urjeet A; Samant, Sandeep

2017-11-15

The National Quality Forum has endorsed quality-improvement measures for multiple cancer types that are being developed into actionable tools to improve cancer care. No nationally endorsed quality metrics currently exist for head and neck cancer. The authors identified patients with surgically treated, invasive, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in the National Cancer Data Base from 2004 to 2014 and compared the rate of adherence to 5 different quality metrics and whether compliance with these quality metrics impacted overall survival. The metrics examined included negative surgical margins, neck dissection lymph node (LN) yield ≥ 18, appropriate adjuvant radiation, appropriate adjuvant chemoradiation, adjuvant therapy within 6 weeks, as well as overall quality. In total, 76,853 eligible patients were identified. There was substantial variability in patient-level adherence, which was 80% for negative surgical margins, 73.1% for neck dissection LN yield, 69% for adjuvant radiation, 42.6% for adjuvant chemoradiation, and 44.5% for adjuvant therapy within 6 weeks. Risk-adjusted Cox proportional-hazard models indicated that all metrics were associated with a reduced risk of death: negative margins (hazard ratio [HR] 0.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.71-0.76), LN yield ≥ 18 (HR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.89-0.96), adjuvant radiation (HR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.64-0.70), adjuvant chemoradiation (HR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.79-0.88), and adjuvant therapy ≤6 weeks (HR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.89-0.96). Patients who received high-quality care had a 19% reduced adjusted hazard of mortality (HR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.79-0.83). Five head and neck cancer quality metrics were identified that have substantial variability in adherence and meaningfully impact overall survival. These metrics are appropriate candidates for national adoption. Cancer 2017;123:4372-81. © 2017 American Cancer Society. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Correction of stream quality trends for the effects of laboratory measurement bias

Science.gov (United States)

Alexander, Richard B.; Smith, Richard A.; Schwarz, Gregory E.

1993-01-01

We present a statistical model relating measurements of water quality to associated errors in laboratory methods. Estimation of the model allows us to correct trends in water quality for long-term and short-term variations in laboratory measurement errors. An illustration of the bias correction method for a large national set of stream water quality and quality assurance data shows that reductions in the bias of estimates of water quality trend slopes are achieved at the expense of increases in the variance of these estimates. Slight improvements occur in the precision of estimates of trend in bias by using correlative information on bias and water quality to estimate random variations in measurement bias. The results of this investigation stress the need for reliable, long-term quality assurance data and efficient statistical methods to assess the effects of measurement errors on the detection of water quality trends.

Good Governance and Happiness in Nations: Technical Quality Precedes Democracy and Quality Beats Size

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J.C. Ott (Jan Cornelis)

2010-01-01

textabstractAverage happiness differs markedly across nations and there appears to be a system in these differences. This paper considers the role of quality of governance, and in particular the role of technical quality as opposed to democratic quality. A comparison of 127 nations in 2006 shows

[Quality indicators for National Disease Management Guidelines using the example of the National Disease Management Guideline for "Chronic Heart Failure"].

Science.gov (United States)

Nothacker, Monika Judith; Langer, Thomas; Weinbrenner, Susanne

2011-01-01

Together with an expert committee a structured approach to determining quality indicators for National Disease Management Guidelines has been developed. The key steps of this approach include: introducing guideline authors to the methodology at an early stage of the process of guideline development, pre-selecting recommendations of the guideline which are potentially measurable by means of quality indicators, assessing the potentially measurable quality indicators in written form using five criteria (including their importance for the health care system and clarity of definitions) and approving them in a formal consensus process. For lack of a database these quality indicators must be regarded as preliminary. For the National Disease Management Guideline "Chronic Heart Failure" nine rate-based indicators have been chosen. The indicators correspond to important strong recommendations (grade of recommendation: A) from the fields of diagnosis (two), general therapeutic strategy (two), specific treatment (three), clinical monitoring (one) and co-ordination of care (one). In a second step, the quality indicators have to be validated within a pilot project. The determination and assessment of the potential quality indicators have revealed room for improvement of guideline development. In particular, there is a need for more health care data and for specification of recommendations.

General introduction for the “National field manual for the collection of water-quality data”

Science.gov (United States)

,

2018-02-28

BackgroundAs part of its mission, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collects data to assess the quality of our Nation’s water resources. A high degree of reliability and standardization of these data are paramount to fulfilling this mission. Documentation of nationally accepted methods used by USGS personnel serves to maintain consistency and technical quality in data-collection activities. “The National Field Manual for the Collection of Water-Quality Data” (NFM) provides documented guidelines and protocols for USGS field personnel who collect water-quality data. The NFM provides detailed, comprehensive, and citable procedures for monitoring the quality of surface water and groundwater. Topics in the NFM include (1) methods and protocols for sampling water resources, (2) methods for processing samples for analysis of water quality, (3) methods for measuring field parameters, and (4) specialized procedures, such as sampling water for low levels of mercury and organic wastewater chemicals, measuring biological indicators, and sampling bottom sediment for chemistry. Personnel who collect water-quality data for national USGS programs and projects, including projects supported by USGS cooperative programs, are mandated to use protocols provided in the NFM per USGS Office of Water Quality Technical Memorandum 2002.13. Formal training, for example, as provided in the USGS class, “Field Water-Quality Methods for Groundwater and Surface Water,” and field apprenticeships supplement the guidance provided in the NFM and ensure that the data collected are high quality, accurate, and scientifically defensible.

Measuring and improving quality in university hospitals in Canada: The Collaborative for Excellence in Healthcare Quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Backman, Chantal; Vanderloo, Saskia; Forster, Alan John

2016-09-01

Measuring and monitoring overall health system performance is complex and challenging but is crucial to improving quality of care. Today's health care organizations are increasingly being held accountable to develop and implement actions aimed at improving the quality of care, reducing costs, and achieving better patient-centered care. This paper describes the development of the Collaborative for Excellence in Healthcare Quality (CEHQ), a 5-year initiative to achieve higher quality of patient care in university hospitals across Canada. This bottom-up initiative took place between 2010 and 2015, and was successful in engaging health care leaders in the development of a common framework and set of performance measures for reporting and benchmarking, as well as working on initiatives to improve performance. Despite its successes, future efforts are needed to provide clear national leadership on standards for measuring performance. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Rural southeast Texas air quality measurements during the 2006 Texas Air Quality Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Schade, Gunnar W; Khan, Siraj; Park, Changhyoun; Boedeker, Ian

2011-10-01

The authors conducted air quality measurements of the criteria pollutants carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and ozone together with meteorological measurements at a park site southeast of College Station, TX, during the 2006 Texas Air Quality Study II (TexAQS). Ozone, a primary focus of the measurements, was above 80 ppb during 3 days and above 75 ppb during additional 8 days in summer 2006, suggestive of possible violations of the ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) in this area. In concordance with other air quality measurements during the TexAQS II, elevated ozone mixing ratios coincided with northerly flows during days after cold front passages. Ozone background during these days was as high as 80 ppb, whereas southerly air flows generally provided for an ozone background lower than 40 ppb. Back trajectory analysis shows that local ozone mixing ratios can also be strongly affected by the Houston urban pollution plume, leading to late afternoon ozone increases of as high as 50 ppb above background under favorable transport conditions. The trajectory analysis also shows that ozone background increases steadily the longer a southern air mass resides over Texas after entering from the Gulf of Mexico. In light of these and other TexAQS findings, it appears that ozone air quality is affected throughout east Texas by both long-range and regional ozone transport, and that improvements therefore will require at least a regionally oriented instead of the current locally oriented ozone precursor reduction policies.

Results from power quality measurements in Germany - An overview

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gerdes, G.J.; Santjer, F. [German Wind Energy Inst, Wilhelmshaven (Germany)

1996-12-31

Grid interferences caused by wind turbines (WT) are getting a severe problem in Germany with the fast increasing number of installed turbines. The wind energy capacity was doubled annually in the past three years. The actual situation and the plannings for the next years will lead to a situation, where high wind energy penetration will exercise a big influence on the power and voltage quality of local utility networks. Measurements performed in Germany according to a national guideline show a big variety in power quality performance of WT`s, which does affect the requirements for grid connection and thus the economical situation of wind energy projects to a large extent. The results from more than 25 power quality measurements will be discussed in this paper. 5 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab.

76 FR 72097 - Air Quality Designations for the 2008 Lead (Pb) National Ambient Air Quality Standards

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-22

... Air Quality Designations for the 2008 Lead (Pb) National Ambient Air Quality Standards AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: This rule establishes air quality designations for most areas in the United States for the 2008 lead (Pb) National Ambient Air Quality Standards...

ANALISIS PERBANDINGAN PENGHARGAAN KUALITAS MALCOLM BALDRIGE NATIONAL QUALITY AWARD DENGAN EUROPEAN QUALITY AWARD (MBNQA vs EQA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arfan Bakhtiar Amalia

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Persaingan bisnis global saat ini makin ketat. Dengan adanya Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA dan juga European Quality Award (EQA diharapkan mampu mendorong dan memotivasi perusahaan-perusahaan, baik yang sudah sukses maupun yang sedang berkembang, untuk selalu meningkatkan mutu dan kinerja, serta sebagai kunci daya saing. Dalam makalah ini, kita akan membahas penghargaan kualitas mengenai tujuan, manfaat dan perkembangan, dan trend saat ini, terutama untuk MBNQA dan EQM (European Quality Model. Kita akan membandingkan antara MBNQA dan EQM melalui pengertian, latar belakang, metode-metode, dan kriteria-kriteria, serta aplikasinya, sehingga dapat kita lakukan analisa perbandingan untuk keduanya. Kata Kunci  : Penghargaan Kualitas, Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA, European Quality Award (EQA   Emulation of global business in this time more and more to tighten. With existence of Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA as well as European Quality Award (EQA expected can push and motivate companies, both for have successful and also which is expanding, to always increase the quality and performance, and also as competitiveness key. In this paper, we will discuss about national quality award concerning target, benefit, growth, and trend in this time, especially MBNQA and EQM (European Quality Model. We will compare between MBNQA and EQM through congeniality, background, method, and criterions, and also its application,  so that earn us to analyse comparison to both of its. Keyword        : Quality Award, Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA, European Quality Award (EQA

Air Quality Modelling and the National Emission Database

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, S. S.

The project focuses on development of institutional strengthening to be able to carry out national air emission inventories based on the CORINAIR methodology. The present report describes the link between emission inventories and air quality modelling to ensure that the new national air emission...... inventory is able to take into account the data requirements of air quality models...

40 CFR Appendix S to Part 50 - Interpretation of the Primary National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Oxides of Nitrogen...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... Ambient Air Quality Standards for Oxides of Nitrogen (Nitrogen Dioxide) S Appendix S to Part 50 Protection... National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Oxides of Nitrogen (Nitrogen Dioxide) 1. General (a) This... national ambient air quality standards for oxides of nitrogen as measured by nitrogen dioxide (“NO2 NAAQS...

Composite measures of watershed health from a water quality perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Mallya, Ganeshchandra; Hantush, Mohamed; Govindaraju, Rao S

2018-05-15

Water quality data at gaging stations are typically compared with established federal, state, or local water quality standards to determine if violations (concentrations of specific constituents falling outside acceptable limits) have occurred. Based on the frequency and severity of water quality violations, risk metrics such as reliability, resilience, and vulnerability (R-R-V) are computed for assessing water quality-based watershed health. In this study, a modified methodology for computing R-R-V measures is presented, and a new composite watershed health index is proposed. Risk-based assessments for different water quality parameters are carried out using identified national sampling stations within the Upper Mississippi River Basin, the Maumee River Basin, and the Ohio River Basin. The distributional properties of risk measures with respect to water quality parameters are reported. Scaling behaviors of risk measures using stream order, specifically for the watershed health (WH) index, suggest that WH values increased with stream order for suspended sediment concentration, nitrogen, and orthophosphate in the Upper Mississippi River Basin. Spatial distribution of risk measures enable identification of locations exhibiting poor watershed health with respect to the chosen numerical standard, and the role of land use characteristics within the watershed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using Medicaid and CHIP claims data to support pediatric quality measurement: lessons from 3 centers of excellence in measure development.

Science.gov (United States)

Gidengil, Courtney; Mangione-Smith, Rita; Bailey, L Charles; Cawthon, Mary Lawrence; McGlynn, Elizabeth A; Nakamura, Mari M; Schiff, Jeffrey; Schuster, Mark A; Schneider, Eric C

2014-01-01

We sought to explore the claims data-related issues relevant to quality measure development for Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), illustrating the challenges encountered and solutions developed around 3 distinct performance measure topics: care coordination for children with complex needs, quality of care for high-prevalence conditions, and hospital readmissions. Each of 3 centers of excellence presents an example that illustrates the challenges of using claims data for quality measurement. Our Centers of Excellence in pediatric quality measurement used innovative methods to develop algorithms that use Medicaid claims data to identify children with complex needs; overcome some shortcomings of existing data for measuring quality of care for common conditions such as otitis media; and identify readmissions after hospitalizations for lower respiratory infections. Our experience constructing quality measure specifications using claims data suggests that it will be challenging to measure key quality of care constructs for Medicaid-insured children at a national level in a timely and consistent way. Without better data to underpin pediatric quality measurement, Medicaid and CHIP will have difficulty using some existing measures for accountability, value-based purchasing, and quality improvement both across states and within states. Copyright © 2014 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Many quality measurements, but few quality measures assessing the quality of breast cancer care in women: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Schachter, Howard M; Mamaladze, Vasil; Lewin, Gabriela; Graham, Ian D; Brouwers, Melissa; Sampson, Margaret; Morrison, Andra; Zhang, Li; O'Blenis, Peter; Garritty, Chantelle

2006-12-18

Breast cancer in women is increasingly frequent, and care is complex, onerous and expensive, all of which lend urgency to improvements in care. Quality measurement is essential to monitor effectiveness and to guide improvements in healthcare. Ten databases, including Medline, were searched electronically to identify measures assessing the quality of breast cancer care in women (diagnosis, treatment, followup, documentation of care). Eligible studies measured adherence to standards of breast cancer care in women diagnosed with, or in treatment for, any histological type of adenocarcinoma of the breast. Reference lists of studies, review articles, web sites, and files of experts were searched manually. Evidence appraisal entailed dual independent assessments of data (e.g., indicators used in quality measurement). The extent of each quality indicator's scientific validation as a measure was assessed. The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) was asked to contribute quality measures under development. Sixty relevant reports identified 58 studies with 143 indicators assessing adherence to quality breast cancer care. A paucity of validated indicators (n = 12), most of which assessed quality of life, only permitted a qualitative data synthesis. Most quality indicators evaluated processes of care. While some studies revealed patterns of under-use of care, all adherence data require confirmation using validated quality measures. ASCO's current development of a set of quality measures relating to breast cancer care may hold the key to conducting definitive studies.

National quality indicators and policies from 15 countries leading in adult end-of-life care: a systematic environmental scan.

Science.gov (United States)

Virdun, Claudia; Luckett, Tim; Lorenz, Karl A; Phillips, Jane

2018-06-01

The importance of measuring the quality of end-of-life care provision is undisputed, but determining how best to achieve this is yet to be confirmed. This study sought to identify and describe national end-of-life care quality indicators and supporting policies used by countries leading in their end-of-life care provision. A systematic environmental scan that included a web search to identify relevant national policies and indicators; hand searching for additional materials; information from experts listed for the top 10 (n=15) countries ranked in the 'quality of care' category of the 2015 Quality of Death Index study; and snowballing from Index experts. Ten countries (66%) have national policy support for end-of-life care measurement, five have national indicator sets, with two indicator sets suitable for all service providers. No countries mandate indicator use, and there is limited evidence of consumer engagement in development of indicators. Two thirds of the 128 identified indicators are outcomes measures (62%), and 38% are process measures. Most indicators pertain to symptom management (38%), social care (32%) or care delivery (27%). Measurement of end-of-life care quality varies globally and rarely covers all care domains or service providers. There is a need to reduce duplication of indicator development, involve consumers, consider all care providers and ensure measurable and relevant indicators to improve end-of-life care experiences for patients and families. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Quality of antenatal care in Zambia: a national assessment

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background Antenatal care (ANC) is one of the recommended interventions to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality. Yet in most Sub-Saharan African countries, high rates of ANC coverage coexist with high maternal and neonatal mortality. This disconnect has fueled calls to focus on the quality of ANC services. However, little conceptual or empirical work exists on the measurement of ANC quality at health facilities in low-income countries. We developed a classification tool and assessed the level of ANC service provision at health facilities in Zambia on a national scale and compared this to the quality of ANC received by expectant mothers. Methods We analysed two national datasets with detailed antenatal provider and user information, the 2005 Zambia Health Facility Census and the 2007 Zambia Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), to describe the level of ANC service provision at 1,299 antenatal facilities in 2005 and the quality of ANC received by 4,148 mothers between 2002 and 2007. Results We found that only 45 antenatal facilities (3%) fulfilled our developed criteria for optimum ANC service, while 47% of facilities provided adequate service, and the remaining 50% offered inadequate service. Although 94% of mothers reported at least one ANC visit with a skilled health worker and 60% attended at least four visits, only 29% of mothers received good quality ANC, and only 8% of mothers received good quality ANC and attended in the first trimester. Conclusions DHS data can be used to monitor “effective ANC coverage” which can be far below ANC coverage as estimated by current indicators. This “quality gap” indicates missed opportunities at ANC for delivering effective interventions. Evaluating the level of ANC provision at health facilities is an efficient way to detect where deficiencies are located in the system and could serve as a monitoring tool to evaluate country progress. PMID:23237601

Measuring Excellence: A Closer Look at Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Winners in the Manufacturing Category

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brian Cazzell

2009-05-01

Full Text Available The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award is the nation’s highest quality award. The application and review process is outlined in this work. The objective of this study was to examine the five previous winners in the Manufacturing category and to establish a firm conclusion about the award’s impact. The impact of the award was examined in several categories including financial performance, market share, and employee productivity. This study explored the accomplishments of each company and compared the common factors they shared with one another. It was found that all five companies experienced tremendous financial growth on average of 100% in either sales or revenue as a result of their dedication to quality which ultimately led to winning the MBNQA.

Many quality measurements, but few quality measures assessing the quality of breast cancer care in women: A systematic review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhang Li

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Breast cancer in women is increasingly frequent, and care is complex, onerous and expensive, all of which lend urgency to improvements in care. Quality measurement is essential to monitor effectiveness and to guide improvements in healthcare. Methods Ten databases, including Medline, were searched electronically to identify measures assessing the quality of breast cancer care in women (diagnosis, treatment, followup, documentation of care. Eligible studies measured adherence to standards of breast cancer care in women diagnosed with, or in treatment for, any histological type of adenocarcinoma of the breast. Reference lists of studies, review articles, web sites, and files of experts were searched manually. Evidence appraisal entailed dual independent assessments of data (e.g., indicators used in quality measurement. The extent of each quality indicator's scientific validation as a measure was assessed. The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO was asked to contribute quality measures under development. Results Sixty relevant reports identified 58 studies with 143 indicators assessing adherence to quality breast cancer care. A paucity of validated indicators (n = 12, most of which assessed quality of life, only permitted a qualitative data synthesis. Most quality indicators evaluated processes of care. Conclusion While some studies revealed patterns of under-use of care, all adherence data require confirmation using validated quality measures. ASCO's current development of a set of quality measures relating to breast cancer care may hold the key to conducting definitive studies.

Quality assurance for radon exposure chambers at the National Air and Radiation Environmental Laboratory, Montgomery, Alabama

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Semler, M.O.; Sensintaffar, E.L. [National Air and Radiation Environmental Laboratory, Montgomery, AL (United States)

1993-12-31

The Office of Radiation and Indoor Air, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), operates six radon exposure chambers in its two laboratories, the National Air and Radiation Environmental Laboratory (NAREL) in Montgomery, Alabama, and the Las Vegas Facility, Las Vegas, Nevada. These radon exposure chambers are used to calibrate and test portable radon measuring instruments, test commercial suppliers of radon measurement services through the Radon Measurement Proficiency Program, and expose passive measurement devices to known radon concentrations as part of a quality assurance plan for federal and state studies measuring indoor radon concentrations. Both laboratories participate in national and international intercomparisons for the measurement of radon and are presently working with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to receive a certificate of traceability for radon measurements. NAREL has developed an estimate of the total error in its calibration of each chamber`s continuous monitors as part of an internal quality assurance program. This paper discusses the continuous monitors and their calibration for the three chambers located in Montgomery, Alabama, as well as the results of the authors intercomparisons and total error analysis.

National Program of Quality Assurance in Radiotherapy in Cuba

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alonso Samper, J. L.; Dominguez Hung, L.; Morales Lopez, J. L.; Alfonso Laguardia, R.; Garcia Yip, F.

2001-01-01

It tries on the establishment of a Quality Assurance Nacional System, a Quality Assurance Committee implemented in Cuba, and a Quality Auditory National Program implemented in Cuba to control and assure radiotherapy quality

Data quality in the Danish National Acute Leukemia Registry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ostgård, Lene Sofie Granfeldt; Nørgaard, Jan Maxwell; Severinsen, Marianne Tang

2013-01-01

The Danish National Acute Leukemia Registry (DNLR) has documented coverage of above 98.5%. Less is known about the quality of the recorded data.......The Danish National Acute Leukemia Registry (DNLR) has documented coverage of above 98.5%. Less is known about the quality of the recorded data....

Innovating for quality and value: Utilizing national quality improvement programs to identify opportunities for responsible surgical innovation.

Science.gov (United States)

Woo, Russell K; Skarsgard, Erik D

2015-06-01

Innovation in surgical techniques, technology, and care processes are essential for improving the care and outcomes of surgical patients, including children. The time and cost associated with surgical innovation can be significant, and unless it leads to improvements in outcome at equivalent or lower costs, it adds little or no value from the perspective of the patients, and decreases the overall resources available to our already financially constrained healthcare system. The emergence of a safety and quality mandate in surgery, and the development of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) allow needs-based surgical care innovation which leads to value-based improvement in care. In addition to general and procedure-specific clinical outcomes, surgeons should consider the measurement of quality from the patients' perspective. To this end, the integration of validated Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) into actionable, benchmarked institutional outcomes reporting has the potential to facilitate quality improvement in process, treatment and technology that optimizes value for our patients and health system. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Measures of Gross National Happiness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruut Veenhoven

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Happiness is rising on the political agenda and this calls for measures of how well nations perform in creating great happiness for a great number, analogous to measures of success in creating wealth, such as GDP. Happiness is defined as subjective enjoyment of one’s life as-a-whole and this can be measured using self-reports. Question on happiness are currently used in large scale surveys of the general population in nations. As a result we have now comparable data on happiness in 144 contemporary nations and time-series of 25 years and longer on 11 developed nations. These data can be aggregated in different ways: If the aim is simply greater happiness for a greater number of citizens, Average happiness (AH is an appropriate measure. If the focus is on enduring happiness, it is better to combine average happiness with longevity in an index of Happy Life Years (HLY. If the aim is to reduce disparity among citizens a relevant indicator is the Inequality of Happiness (IH in the nations as measured with the standard deviation. Average and dispersion can also be combined in an index of Inequality-Adjusted Happiness (IAH. Comparison across nations shows sizable differences on all these measures of gross national happiness and these differences correspond with societal characteristics that can be influenced by policy makers, such as freedom and justice. Comparison over time shows major improvement during the last decade.

Performance of biometric quality measures.

Science.gov (United States)

Grother, Patrick; Tabassi, Elham

2007-04-01

We document methods for the quantitative evaluation of systems that produce a scalar summary of a biometric sample's quality. We are motivated by a need to test claims that quality measures are predictive of matching performance. We regard a quality measurement algorithm as a black box that converts an input sample to an output scalar. We evaluate it by quantifying the association between those values and observed matching results. We advance detection error trade-off and error versus reject characteristics as metrics for the comparative evaluation of sample quality measurement algorithms. We proceed this with a definition of sample quality, a description of the operational use of quality measures. We emphasize the performance goal by including a procedure for annotating the samples of a reference corpus with quality values derived from empirical recognition scores.

Quality assurance programme at the National Calibration Laboratory in Tanzania

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muhogora, W.E.; Yoloye, O.; Ngaile, J.; Lema, U.S.

2000-01-01

A quality assurance programme at the National Calibration Laboratory for ionizing radiation in Tanzania is described. The programme focuses mainly on regular stability check source and reference output measurements, performance testing of TLD systems as well as some external audit checks. It is found that the stability check source measurements are within ± 1%. Similarly, the air kerma rate measurements agree well with calibration uncertainties, that is ± 2% for protection level measurements and ± 1.5% for clinical dosimetry. The results of comparison of dose measurements done on site and those obtained from some external audit checks are also within requirements. This shows that the working standards have been kept with good care, and that the traceability to the international measurement system is adequately maintained. Some examples on calibration transfer activities are briefly discussed

QUALITY OF NATIONAL ECONOMIC GROWTH: FACTORS AND DETERMINANTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nikolaj I. Komkov

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The subject / topic: TThe theme of this article is very relevant in the light of changes in the global geo-economic structure and changing the role and place ofRussiain world economic and geopolitical relations. The article deals with the basic aspects of national economic growth, which slowed down in the last three years. The main reason for slowing national economic growth is associated with the depletion of the reserves of the traditional export-oriented development of the Russian economy, as well as problems with sluggish innovative transformation. In this paper, based on a systematic analysis of economic processes and the interpretation of analytical data, addresses the general theoretical and methodological aspects of the quality of economic development, as well as practical guidelines and recommendations related to sustainable national socio-economic development in the context of external constraints.The purpose / objectives: The aim of the article is to analyze the theoretical and methodological aspects of the quality of economic development of the Russian economy, which happened in the face of economic sanctions. Objectives of the article: justify practical directions and recommendations related to sustainable national socio-economic development in the context of external constraints, determine the prospects for the economy of theRussian Federationin the conditions of the introduction of sectoral sanctions by Western countries. Methodology:Methodological basis of this article are the comparative and economic-statistical methods of analysis.The Results: The study revealed that the harsh environment (sanctions, depreciation of the ruble, and others. Require surgical intervention and adjustments not only the current socio-economic plans, but also to take urgent measures to ensure the development prospects. The most important decision is the degree of support advanced scientific and technical programs and the creation of new domestic

Technical and Non-Technical Measures for air pollution emission reduction: The integrated assessment of the regional Air Quality Management Plans through the Italian national model

Science.gov (United States)

D'Elia, I.; Bencardino, M.; Ciancarella, L.; Contaldi, M.; Vialetto, G.

2009-12-01

The Italian Air Quality legislation underwent sweeping changes with the implementation of the 1996 European Air Quality Framework Directive when the Italian administrative Regions were entrusted with air quality management tasks. The most recent Regional Air Quality Management Plans (AQMPs) highlighted the importance of Non-Technical Measures (NTMs), in addition to Technical Measures (TMs), in meeting environmental targets. The aim of the present work is to compile a list of all the TMs and NTMs taken into account in the Italian Regional AQMPs and to give in the target year, 2010, an estimation of SO 2, NO x and PM 10 emission reductions, of PM 10 concentration and of the health impact of PM 2.5 concentrations in terms of Life Expectancy Reduction. In order to do that, RAINS-Italy, as part of the National Integrated Modeling system for International Negotiation on atmospheric pollution (MINNI), has been applied. The management of TMs and NTMs inside RAINS have often obliged both the introduction of exogenous driving force scenarios and the control strategy modification. This has inspired a revision of the many NTM definitions and a clear choice of the definition adopted. It was finally highlighted that only few TMs and NTMs implemented in the AQMPs represent effective measures in reaching the environmental targets.

Workshop on measurement quality assurance for ionizing radiation: Proceedings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heath, J.A.; Swinth, K.L. [comps.

1993-12-31

This workshop was held to review the status of secondary level calibration accreditation programs, review related measurement accreditation programs, document lessons learned, and to present changes in programs due to new national priorities involving radioactivity measurements. Contents include: fundamentals of measurement quality assurance (MQA), standards for MQA programs; perspectives and policies; complete MQA programs; future MQA programs; QA/QC programs--radioactivity; QA/QC programs--dosimetry; laboratory procedures for QA/QC; in-house control of reference dosimetry laboratories; in-house controls of radioactivity laboratories; and poster session. Selected papers are indexed separately for inclusion in the Energy Science and Technology Database.

Workshop on measurement quality assurance for ionizing radiation: Proceedings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heath, J.A.; Swinth, K.L.

1993-01-01

This workshop was held to review the status of secondary level calibration accreditation programs, review related measurement accreditation programs, document lessons learned, and to present changes in programs due to new national priorities involving radioactivity measurements. Contents include: fundamentals of measurement quality assurance (MQA), standards for MQA programs; perspectives and policies; complete MQA programs; future MQA programs; QA/QC programs--radioactivity; QA/QC programs--dosimetry; laboratory procedures for QA/QC; in-house control of reference dosimetry laboratories; in-house controls of radioactivity laboratories; and poster session. Selected papers are indexed separately for inclusion in the Energy Science and Technology Database

Quality control of calibration system for area monitors at National Laboratory of Metrology from Ionizing Radiations (LNMRI)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramos, M.M.O.; Freitas, L.C. de

1992-01-01

The quality control of equipment used in calibration from the National Laboratory of Metrology on Ionizing Radiations is presented, with results of standard measure systems and irradiation system. Tables and graphics with the quality of systems are also shown. (C.G.C.)

Assessing the quality of care in a new nation: South Sudan's first national health facility assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Berendes, Sima; Lako, Richard L; Whitson, Donald; Gould, Simon; Valadez, Joseph J

2014-10-01

We adapted a rapid quality of care monitoring method to a fragile state with two aims: to assess the delivery of child health services in South Sudan at the time of independence and to strengthen local capacity to perform regular rapid health facility assessments. Using a two-stage lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) design, we conducted a national cross-sectional survey among 156 randomly selected health facilities in 10 states. In each of these facilities, we obtained information on a range of access, input, process and performance indicators during structured interviews and observations. Quality of care was poor with all states failing to achieve the 80% target for 14 of 19 indicators. For example, only 12% of facilities were classified as acceptable for their adequate utilisation by the population for sick-child consultations, 16% for staffing, 3% for having infection control supplies available and 0% for having all child care guidelines. Health worker performance was categorised as acceptable in only 6% of cases related to sick-child assessments, 38% related to medical treatment for the given diagnosis and 33% related to patient counselling on how to administer the prescribed drugs. Best performance was recorded for availability of in-service training and supervision, for seven and ten states, respectively. Despite ongoing instability, the Ministry of Health developed capacity to use LQAS for measuring quality of care nationally and state-by-state, which will support efficient and equitable resource allocation. Overall, our data revealed a desperate need for improving the quality of care in all states. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Measuring Quality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Næsby, Torben

local differences in the quality of day care facilities in Denmark (Nordahl et al, 2012; Hansen et al, 2016) and also that we in fact have little knowledge of whether the desired politically determined targets are being met or not and what the quality is really like. In order to measure the quality......The Danish Day Care Facilities Act (2015), which provides the curriculum on which day care education is based, does not stipulate very clearly what children should learn and therefore how educational processes in preschools should be organised. This means that we must accept that there are large...... of preschool in Denmark a new research project using the ECERS 3 instrument has been launched. This could capture quality from a global quality standard’s perspective, building the basis for a further investigation of practice in Danish early childhood provisions and centers in a more narrow approach...

Groundwater quality data from the National Water-Quality Assessment Project, May 2012 through December 2013

Science.gov (United States)

Arnold, Terri L.; Desimone, Leslie A.; Bexfield, Laura M.; Lindsey, Bruce D.; Barlow, Jeannie R.; Kulongoski, Justin T.; Musgrove, MaryLynn; Kingsbury, James A.; Belitz, Kenneth

2016-06-20

Groundwater-quality data were collected from 748 wells as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Project of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Program from May 2012 through December 2013. The data were collected from four types of well networks: principal aquifer study networks, which assess the quality of groundwater used for public water supply; land-use study networks, which assess land-use effects on shallow groundwater quality; major aquifer study networks, which assess the quality of groundwater used for domestic supply; and enhanced trends networks, which evaluate the time scales during which groundwater quality changes. Groundwater samples were analyzed for a large number of water-quality indicators and constituents, including major ions, nutrients, trace elements, volatile organic compounds, pesticides, and radionuclides. These groundwater quality data are tabulated in this report. Quality-control samples also were collected; data from blank and replicate quality-control samples are included in this report.

78 FR 47191 - Air Quality Designations for the 2010 Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Primary National Ambient Air Quality...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-05

... Air Quality Designations for the 2010 Sulfur Dioxide (SO[bdi2]) Primary National Ambient Air Quality... air quality designations for certain areas in the United States for the 2010 primary Sulfur Dioxide (SO 2 ) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). The EPA is issuing this rule to identify areas...

The Riks-Stroke story: building a sustainable national register for quality assessment of stroke care.

Science.gov (United States)

Asplund, Kjell; Hulter Åsberg, Kerstin; Appelros, Peter; Bjarne, Daniela; Eriksson, Marie; Johansson, Asa; Jonsson, Fredrik; Norrving, Bo; Stegmayr, Birgitta; Terént, Andreas; Wallin, Sari; Wester, Per-Olov

2011-04-01

Riks-Stroke, the Swedish Stroke Register, is the world's longest-running national stroke quality register (established in 1994) and includes all 76 hospitals in Sweden admitting acute stroke patients. The development and maintenance of this sustainable national register is described. Riks-Stroke includes information on the quality of care during the acute phase, rehabilitation and secondary prevention of stroke, as well as data on community support. Riks-Stroke is unique among stroke quality registers in that patients are followed during the first year after stroke. The data collected describe processes, and medical and patient-reported outcome measurements. The register embraces most of the dimensions of health-care quality (evidence-based, safe, provided in time, distributed fairly and patient oriented). Annually, approximately 25,000 patients are included. In 2009, approximately 320,000 patients had been accumulated (mean age 76-years). The register is estimated to cover 82% of all stroke patients treated in Swedish hospitals. Among critical issues when building a national stroke quality register, the delicate balance between simplicity and comprehensiveness is emphasised. Future developments include direct transfer of data from digital medical records to Riks-Stroke and comprehensive strategies to use the information collected to rapidly implement new evidence-based techniques and to eliminate outdated methods in stroke care. It is possible to establish a sustainable quality register for stroke at the national level covering all hospitals admitting acute stroke patients. Riks-Stroke is fulfilling its main goals to support continuous quality improvement of Swedish stroke services and serve as an instrument for following up national stroke guidelines. © 2010 The Authors. International Journal of Stroke © 2010 World Stroke Organization.

[Extraction of management information from the national quality assurance program].

Science.gov (United States)

Stausberg, Jürgen; Bartels, Claus; Bobrowski, Christoph

2007-07-15

Starting with clinically motivated projects, the national quality assurance program has established a legislative obligatory framework. Annual feedback of results is an important means of quality control. The annual reports cover quality-related information with high granularity. A synopsis for corporate management is missing, however. Therefore, the results of the University Clinics in Greifswald, Germany, have been analyzed and aggregated to support hospital management. Strengths were identified by the ranking of results within the state for each quality indicator, weaknesses by the comparison with national reference values. The assessment was aggregated per clinical discipline and per category (indication, process, and outcome). A composition of quality indicators was claimed multiple times. A coherent concept is still missing. The method presented establishes a plausible summary of strengths and weaknesses of a hospital from the point of view of the national quality assurance program. Nevertheless, further adaptation of the program is needed to better assist corporate management.

National Health Insurance, Profitability, and Service Quality: Case Study at the Private Hospital in West Java

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andriyani Rahmah Fahriati

2018-02-01

Full Text Available National health insurance is one of the government programs to facilitate health services for the people. The purpose of this research to determine whether there are effects of National Health Insurance program (JKN on profitability and service quality at Juanda Kuningan Hospital, of West Java. The method using the paired-t-test to analyze the difference between before and after the National Health Insurance program. The result showed that there is a difference in profitability and service quality between pre and post the implementation of national health insurance program. Gross profit margin measured the profitability, net profit margin, return on total assets, and return on equity. This result means that the value of the company's profitability is better when the program JKN yet takes place in the Juanda hospital. While on the service quality variable it is found that the mean value is higher when the JKN program has conducted at the hospital.DOI: 10.15408/etk.v17i1.7064

Quality Assurance In Radioactivity Measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Riekstina, D.; Veveris, O.; Smilskalne, G.

2007-01-01

The credibility of obtained results is ensured by the quality assurance and control. The main requisitions involved in the quality assurance of the laboratory according to the requirements of LVS EN ISO/IEC 17025:2005 are: 1) the use of calibrated equipment only; 2) the regular and long-time use of reference materials in the control of equipment; 3) the estimation of uncertainty sources and determination of uncertainties within the given interval of credibility; 4) the validation and verification. The very important requirement is regular participation in the interlaboratory intercomparison exercises that makes it possible to estimate and find possible error sources and carry out the corrective actions. The measurements of the radioactivity of Cs-137, Co-60, H-3, the natural radioactive nuclides as well as other radionuclides in different environmental (soil, precipitation, different types of water, needles, et al.) samples, and in various radioactive polluted objects are carried out in the Laboratory of Radiation physics. The quality assurance system was implemented in our laboratory in 2000. Since 1999 laboratory is regular participant in the interlaboratory intercomparison exercises, organized by the RISO National Laboratory (Denmark) and IAEA (Vienna). The paper shows the laboratory's system of quality assurance and its implementation. We have the internal quality audit program that takes into account the requirements of LVS EN ISO/IEC 17025: 2005, but the main attention is paid to the intercomparison of the results of analyses of laboratories, their evaluation and interpretation. Only credible and justified results can be the basis for further use in any field, thus making it possible to make legitimate decisions. (Authors)

MDS Quality Measures

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — A list of the quality measures displayed on Nursing Home Compare, excluding Measures of Rehospitalization, Emergency Room Visit, and Community Discharge. Each row...

Kenneth W. Kizer on a national quality strategy. Interview by Lori Blades and Patricia A. Cholewka.

Science.gov (United States)

Kizer, K W

2000-01-01

Kenneth W. Kizer, MD MPH, is president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the National Forum for Health Care Quality Measurement and Reporting (National Quality Forum [NQF]), a not-for-profit membership organization created to develop and implement a national strategy for measuring and reporting healthcare quality. Dr. Kizer previously served as Under Secretary for Health in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and is widely credited as being the chief architect of and driving force behind the greatest transformation of VA healthcare since its creation in 1946. NQF is a public-private partnership designed to involve all segments of the nation's healthcare system. The organization was proposed as part of the findings of the President's Advisory Commission on Consumer Protection and Quality in the Health Care Industry (1998). Since the release of those findings, leaders from consumer, purchaser, provider, health plan, and health services research organizations, as well as from government, have met to define the mission, structure, and financing of NQF, and staff support has been provided by the United Hospital Fund of New York. NQF is primarily a membership dues- and grant-financed organization and has received significant public and private funding from foundation and corporate grants, including a $2.5-million founding grant from the Robert-Wood Johnson Foundation and a $1-million founding grant from the California Healthcare Foundation. NQF also received initial financial support from The Commonwealth Fund and United Hospital Fund.

Comparing farmer and measured assessments of soil quality in Tanzania: Do they align?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Allison C. Kelly

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Background: There is a wide gap between actual and potential yields for many crops in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA. Experts identify poor soil quality as a primary constraint to increased agricultural productivity. Therefore, increasing agricultural productivity by improving soil quality is seen as a viable strategy to enhance food security. Yet adoption rates of programs focused on improving soil quality have generally been lower than expected [1], [2]. Results: We explore a seldom considered factor that may limit farmers’ demand for improved soil quality, namely, whether the farmers’ self-assessment of their soil quality match the assessments of soil scientists. In this paper, using data from the Tanzania National Panel Survey (TZNPS, part of the Living Standards Measurement Study – Integrated Surveys on Agriculture (LSMS-ISA, we compare farmers’ own assessments of soil quality with scientific measurements of soil quality from the Harmonized World Soil Database (HWSD. The study found a considerable “mismatch” and most notably, that 11.5 percent of survey households that reported having “good” soil quality are measured by scientific standards to have severely limited nutrient availability. Conclusion: Mismatches between scientific measurements and farmer assessments of soil quality may highlight a potential barrier for programs seeking to encourage farmers to adopt soil quality improvement activities.

Improving Oncology Quality Measurement in Accountable Care: Filling Gaps with Cross-Cutting Measures.

Science.gov (United States)

Valuck, Tom; Blaisdell, David; Dugan, Donna P; Westrich, Kimberly; Dubois, Robert W; Miller, Robert S; McClellan, Mark

2017-02-01

each gap, we searched for available measures not already being used in programs. Where existing measures did not cover gaps, we recommended refinements to existing measures or proposed measures for development. We shared the results of the measure gap analysis with a roundtable of national experts in cancer care and oncology measurement. During a web meeting and an in-person meeting, the roundtable reviewed the gap analysis and identified priority opportunities for improving measurement. The group determined that overreliance on condition-specific process measures is problematic because of rapidly changing evidence and increasing personalization of cancer care. The group's primary recommendation for enhancing measure sets was to prioritize and develop effective cross-cutting measures that assess clinical and patient-reported outcomes, including shared decision making, care planning, and symptom control. The group also prioritized certain safety and structural measures to complement condition-specific process measures. Further, the group explored strategies for using clinical pathways and devising layered measurement approaches to improve measurement for accountable care. This article presents the roundtable's conclusions and recommendations for next steps. Funding for this project was provided by the National Pharmaceutical Council (NPC). Westrich and Dubois are employees of the NPC. Valuck is a partner with Discern Health. Blaisdell and Dugan are employed by Discern Health. McClellan reports fees for serving on the Johnson & Johnson Board of Directors. Dugan reports consulting fees from the National Committee for Quality Assurance and Pharmacy Quality Alliance. The remaining authors report no relationship or financial interest with any entity that would pose a conflict of interest with the subject matter of this article. Study concept and design were contributed by Blaisdell, Valuck, Dugan, and Westrich. Blaisdell took the lead in data collection, along with Valuck

The Role of the Transport System in the National Management of Life Quality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Berveno Oksana V.

2015-11-01

a number of internal problems but also accelerate the development of transit potential and integration of the national transport system into the global transport system. The national transport strategy should identify and rank the primary modernization measures giving priority to socially significant ones, those providing quality of life.

Quality Management Systems for the National Qualifications Framework. Quality Assurance in Education and Training.

Science.gov (United States)

New Zealand Qualifications Authority, Wellington.

This booklet explores the idea of quality and its management as it applies to providers of education in particular, but also as it applies to national standards bodies and workplaces offering on-the-job training. It explores the focus on quality in industry and education and defines quality in terms of the features of quality and their…

Establishment of national emission measurement activity in neighbouring areas of Finland

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aunela, L.; Larjava, K.; Jormanainen, P. [VTT Chemical Technology, Espoo (Finland). Environmental Technology; Muurinen, M. [Enemi Ltd, Lahti (Finland); Hietamaeki, M. [Ministry of the Environment, Helsinki (Finland)

1995-12-31

Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania (the Baltic countries) and the Republic State of Carelia, Russia belong to the so-called nearby areas of Finland. All being part of the former Soviet Union, they are now undergoing the establishment of their own environment- managing systems. Finland has shown a great amount of interest in supporting the efforts of these areas to solve their environmental problems. In 1993 VTT started, at the request of the East European Project of the Finnish Ministry of the Environment, a four year project aiming at the establishment of national atmospheric emission measurement systems in the Baltic countries and the Republic state of Carelia (later: the counterpart countries). Proper national emission measurement systems were regarded important in order to provide reliable data on the emission situation for national and international use. The main target of the work is to raise the level of the emission measurements in the counterpart countries to the international level. Two aspects were considered to be required to achieve this goal; (1) delivery of proper emission measurement equipment, (2) training of the emission measurement personnel. It was estimated that within three to four years these counterpart countries could join the Finnish quality assurance system in emission measurements if desired. (author)

Establishment of national emission measurement activity in neighbouring areas of Finland

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aunela, L; Larjava, K; Jormanainen, P [VTT Chemical Technology, Espoo (Finland). Environmental Technology; Muurinen, M [Enemi Ltd, Lahti (Finland); Hietamaeki, M [Ministry of the Environment, Helsinki (Finland)

1996-12-31

Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania (the Baltic countries) and the Republic State of Carelia, Russia belong to the so-called nearby areas of Finland. All being part of the former Soviet Union, they are now undergoing the establishment of their own environment- managing systems. Finland has shown a great amount of interest in supporting the efforts of these areas to solve their environmental problems. In 1993 VTT started, at the request of the East European Project of the Finnish Ministry of the Environment, a four year project aiming at the establishment of national atmospheric emission measurement systems in the Baltic countries and the Republic state of Carelia (later: the counterpart countries). Proper national emission measurement systems were regarded important in order to provide reliable data on the emission situation for national and international use. The main target of the work is to raise the level of the emission measurements in the counterpart countries to the international level. Two aspects were considered to be required to achieve this goal; (1) delivery of proper emission measurement equipment, (2) training of the emission measurement personnel. It was estimated that within three to four years these counterpart countries could join the Finnish quality assurance system in emission measurements if desired. (author)

Overview of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program

Science.gov (United States)

Leahy, P.P.; Thompson, T.H.

1994-01-01

The Nation's water resources are the basis for life and our economic vitality. These resources support a complex web of human activities and fishery and wildlife needs that depend upon clean water. Demands for good-quality water for drinking, recreation, farming, and industry are rising, and as a result, the American public is concerned about the condition and sustainability of our water resources. The American public is asking: Is it safe to swim in and drink water from our rivers or lakes? Can we eat the fish that come from them? Is our ground water polluted? Is water quality degrading with time, and if so, why? Has all the money we've spent to clean up our waters, done any good? The U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program was designed to provide information that will help answer these questions. NAWQA is designed to assess historical, current, and future water-quality conditions in representative river basins and aquifers nationwide. One of the primary objectives of the program is to describe relations between natural factors, human activities, and water-quality conditions and to define those factors that most affect water quality in different parts of the Nation. The linkage of water quality to environmental processes is of fundamental importance to water-resource managers, planners, and policy makers. It provides a strong and unbiased basis for better decisionmaking by those responsible for making decisions that affect our water resources, including the United States Congress, Federal, State, and local agencies, environmental groups, and industry. Information from the NAWQA Program also will be useful for guiding research, monitoring, and regulatory activities in cost effective ways.

Designing nursing excellence through a National Quality Forum nurse scholar program.

Science.gov (United States)

Neumann, Julie A; Brady-Schluttner, Katherine A; Attlesey-Pries, Jacqueline M; Twedell, Diane M

2010-01-01

Closing the knowledge gap for current practicing nurses in the Institute of Medicine (IOM) core competencies is critical to providing safe patient care. The National Quality Forum (NQF) nurse scholar program is one organization's journey to close the gap in the IOM core competencies in a large teaching organization. The NQF nurse scholar program is positioned to provide a plan to assist current nurses to accelerate their learning about quality improvement, evidence-based practice, and informatics, 3 of the core competencies identified by the IOM, and focus on application of skills to NQF nurse-sensitive measures. Curriculum outline, educational methodologies, administrative processes, and aims of the project are discussed.

Earnings Quality Measures and Excess Returns.

Science.gov (United States)

Perotti, Pietro; Wagenhofer, Alfred

2014-06-01

This paper examines how commonly used earnings quality measures fulfill a key objective of financial reporting, i.e., improving decision usefulness for investors. We propose a stock-price-based measure for assessing the quality of earnings quality measures. We predict that firms with higher earnings quality will be less mispriced than other firms. Mispricing is measured by the difference of the mean absolute excess returns of portfolios formed on high and low values of a measure. We examine persistence, predictability, two measures of smoothness, abnormal accruals, accruals quality, earnings response coefficient and value relevance. For a large sample of US non-financial firms over the period 1988-2007, we show that all measures except for smoothness are negatively associated with absolute excess returns, suggesting that smoothness is generally a favorable attribute of earnings. Accruals measures generate the largest spread in absolute excess returns, followed by smoothness and market-based measures. These results lend support to the widespread use of accruals measures as overall measures of earnings quality in the literature.

National Committee for the follow-up of measures for radiotherapy 2008-2011 - Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buzyn, A.; Grall, J.Y; Selleret, F.X.; Lacoste, A.C.; Maraninchi, D.; Harousseau, J-L.; Chauvet, B.; LE DU, D.; Saout, C.; Renody, N.; Depenweiller, C.; Goinere, R.

2012-06-01

As always more patients suffering from cancer are treated by radiotherapy, and as several over-irradiation events occurred in 2007, measures have been implemented to guarantee radiotherapy practice quality and safety. This document reports the work and actions performed by the national follow-up committee and its work groups to define, implement and follow-up these measures. They encompassed information actions towards patients, public, physicians and establishment managers, and new authorization measures. The committee also addressed radiotherapy professions involved in manipulation, dosimetry, as well as radio-physicists and radiotherapists. It introduced measures regarding vigilance in radiation, the improvement of quality and safety in radiation therapy centres, research and development, and the financing of these measures

Service Quality Measurements: A Review

OpenAIRE

Ali Ramezani Ghotbabadi; Setareh Feiz; Rohaizat Baharun

2015-01-01

Service quality measurement is one of the significant measurement tools for firms to understand consumers’ needs and wants by analyzing the experience of consumers and customers’ satisfaction on the services provided. Although there is no general agreement on one particular model used as the measurement of service quality perceived, there are some effective models offered by researchers during decades of study in this area. In the recent years, researchers believe that service quality is mult...

Measuring tourists' satisfaction with quality of life issues at an arts festival

OpenAIRE

Petzer, Daniel; Kruger, Philippus

2008-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to measure tourists' satisfaction with quality of life issues at an arts festival - the Aardklop National Arts Festival in Potchefstroom. Problem investigated: Understanding satisfaction with quality of life issues could assist Festival organizers and other businesses to improve services for tourists by tailoring these to meet their needs. Satisfied tourists spread positive word-of-mouth communication and are more likely to return in the futur...

Does adding clinical data to administrative data improve agreement among hospital quality measures?

Science.gov (United States)

Hanchate, Amresh D; Stolzmann, Kelly L; Rosen, Amy K; Fink, Aaron S; Shwartz, Michael; Ash, Arlene S; Abdulkerim, Hassen; Pugh, Mary Jo V; Shokeen, Priti; Borzecki, Ann

2017-09-01

Hospital performance measures based on patient mortality and readmission have indicated modest rates of agreement. We examined if combining clinical data on laboratory tests and vital signs with administrative data leads to improved agreement with each other, and with other measures of hospital performance in the nation's largest integrated health care system. We used patient-level administrative and clinical data, and hospital-level data on quality indicators, for 2007-2010 from the Veterans Health Administration (VA). For patients admitted for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure (HF) and pneumonia we examined changes in hospital performance on 30-d mortality and 30-d readmission rates as a result of adding clinical data to administrative data. We evaluated whether this enhancement yielded improved measures of hospital quality, based on concordance with other hospital quality indicators. For 30-d mortality, data enhancement improved model performance, and significantly changed hospital performance profiles; for 30-d readmission, the impact was modest. Concordance between enhanced measures of both outcomes, and with other hospital quality measures - including Joint Commission process measures, VA Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP) mortality and morbidity, and case volume - remained poor. Adding laboratory tests and vital signs to measure hospital performance on mortality and readmission did not improve the poor rates of agreement across hospital quality indicators in the VA. Efforts to improve risk adjustment models should continue; however, evidence of validation should precede their use as reliable measures of quality. Published by Elsevier Inc.

National protocol for quality assurance in DXA-bone densitometry

Science.gov (United States)

Slavchev, A.; Avramova-Cholakova, S.; Vassileva, J.

2008-01-01

Osteoporosis becomes largely one of the most important socially significant and costly diseases. Modern techniques (DXA, US) are applied for bone densitometry. The paper presents a protocol for quality assurance especially of DXA-bone densitometers including quality control made in compliance with international standards (ISCD, IOF). The methodology has been tested in practice by measurements on site-functional assessment, entrance dose, radiation protection, calibration, in-vitro precision. It is expected to raise the quality of the diagnostic process in concert with the EU Medical Directive 97/43 particularly for population screening and sensitive groups. The protocol is an essential part of the National Program for constraining osteoporosis which has been elaborated at the Ministry of Health and at present under implementation throughout the country. It aims at reducing the risk, factors spreading, at diminishing the fracture risk the morbidity and the mortality from osteoporosis. An integral multidisciplinary approach to the problem solving is applied as well as training on three levels — doctors, patients, population, which effectively will contribute for obtaining real results in preventing osteoporosis.

Measuring data quality for ongoing improvement a data quality assessment framework

CERN Document Server

Sebastian-Coleman, Laura

2013-01-01

The Data Quality Assessment Framework shows you how to measure and monitor data quality, ensuring quality over time. You'll start with general concepts of measurement and work your way through a detailed framework of more than three dozen measurement types related to five objective dimensions of quality: completeness, timeliness, consistency, validity, and integrity. Ongoing measurement, rather than one time activities will help your organization reach a new level of data quality. This plain-language approach to measuring data can be understood by both business and IT and provides pra

Students Matter: Quality Measurements in Online Courses

Science.gov (United States)

Unal, Zafer; Unal, Aslihan

2016-01-01

Quality Matters (QM) is a peer review process designed to certify the quality of online courses and online components. It has generated widespread interest and received national recognition for its peer-based approach to quality assurance and continuous improvement in online education. While the entire QM online course design process is…

78 FR 63168 - Judges Panel of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-23

... INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Fangmeyer, Acting Director, Baldrige Performance Excellence Program, National... Baldrige National Quality Award AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of... Quality Award (Judges Panel) will meet in closed session Monday through Friday, November 4-8, 2013, 8:30 a...

Nationwide quality improvement of cholecystectomy: results from a national database

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Harboe, Kirstine M; Bardram, Linda

2011-01-01

To evaluate whether quality improvements in the performance of cholecystectomy have been achieved in Denmark since 2006, after revision of the Danish National Guidelines for treatment of gallstones.......To evaluate whether quality improvements in the performance of cholecystectomy have been achieved in Denmark since 2006, after revision of the Danish National Guidelines for treatment of gallstones....

77 FR 61572 - Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Panel of Judges

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-10

... composed of twelve members prominent in the fields of quality, innovation, and performance management and... Hertz, Director, Baldrige Performance Excellence Program, National Institute of Standards and Technology... Quality Award Panel of Judges AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of...

76 FR 22675 - Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Panel of Judges

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-22

... prominent in the fields of quality, innovation, and performance management and appointed by the Secretary of..., Director, Baldrige Performance Excellence Program, National Institute of Standards and Technology... Quality Award Panel of Judges AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of...

78 FR 47674 - Judges Panel of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-06

... Performance Excellence Program, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899... Baldrige National Quality Award AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of... Quality Award (Award) will meet in closed session on Wednesday, August 28, 2013, 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m...

Measuring Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Quality of Care: Discharge Self-Care Functional Status Quality Measure.

Science.gov (United States)

Pardasaney, Poonam K; Deutsch, Anne; Iriondo-Perez, Jeniffer; Ingber, Melvin J; McMullen, Tara

2018-06-01

To describe the calculation and psychometric properties of the discharge self-care functional status quality measure implemented in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) Quality Reporting Program on October 1, 2016. Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) patients from 38 IRFs that participated in the CMS Post-Acute Care Payment Reform Demonstration were included in this cohort study. Data came from the Continuity Assessment Record and Evaluation Item Set, IRF-Patient Assessment Instrument, and Medicare claims. For each patient, we calculated an expected discharge self-care score, risk-adjusted for demographic and baseline clinical characteristics. The performance score of each IRF equaled the percentage of patient stays where the observed discharge self-care score met or exceeded the expected score. We assessed the measure's discriminatory ability across IRFs and reliability. IRFs. Medicare FFS patients aged ≥21 years (N=4769). Not applicable. Facility-level discharge self-care quality measure performance score. A total of 4769 patient stays were included; 57% of stays were in women, and 12.1% were in patients aged quality measure showed strong reliability, with intraclass correlation coefficients of .91. The discharge self-care quality measure showed strong discriminatory ability and reliability, representing an important initial step in evaluation of IRF self-care outcomes. A wide range in performance scores suggested a gap in quality of care across IRFs. Future work should include testing the measure with nationwide data from all IRFs. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Comparing definitions of outpatient surgery: Implications for quality measurement.

Science.gov (United States)

Mull, Hillary J; Rivard, Peter E; Legler, Aaron; Pizer, Steven D; Hawn, Mary T; Itani, Kamal M F; Rosen, Amy K

2017-08-01

Adverse event (AE) rates in outpatient surgery are inconsistently reported, partly because of the lack of a standard definition of outpatient surgery. We compared the types and rates of surgical procedures defined by two national healthcare agencies: Health Care Cost Institute (HCCI) and the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) and considered implications for quality measurement. We used HCCI and HCUP definitions to identify FY2012-14 VA outpatient surgeries. There were six times as many HCCI surgeries as HCUP (6,575,830 versus 1,086,640). Ninety-nine percent of HCUP-defined surgeries were also identified by HCCI. More HCUP surgeries had higher average Medicare Relative Value Units then HCCI surgeries [5.3 (SD = 4.4) versus 1.6 (SD = 2.3) RVUs]. Rates and types of procedures vary widely between definitions. Quality measurement using HCCI versus HCUP may produce significantly lower AE rates because many of the surgeries included reflect low complexity and potentially low risk of AEs. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Defining Multiple Chronic Conditions for Quality Measurement.

Science.gov (United States)

Drye, Elizabeth E; Altaf, Faseeha K; Lipska, Kasia J; Spatz, Erica S; Montague, Julia A; Bao, Haikun; Parzynski, Craig S; Ross, Joseph S; Bernheim, Susannah M; Krumholz, Harlan M; Lin, Zhenqiu

2018-02-01

Patients with multiple chronic conditions (MCCs) are a critical but undefined group for quality measurement. We present a generally applicable systematic approach to defining an MCC cohort of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries that we developed for a national quality measure, risk-standardized rates of unplanned admissions for Accountable Care Organizations. To define the MCC cohort we: (1) identified potential chronic conditions; (2) set criteria for cohort conditions based on MCC framework and measure concept; (3) applied the criteria informed by empirical analysis, experts, and the public; (4) described "broader" and "narrower" cohorts; and (5) selected final cohort with stakeholder input. Subjects were patients with chronic conditions. Participants included 21.8 million Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries in 2012 aged 65 years and above with ≥1 of 27 Medicare Chronic Condition Warehouse condition(s). In total, 10 chronic conditions were identified based on our criteria; 8 of these 10 were associated with notably increased admission risk when co-occurring. A broader cohort (2+ of the 8 conditions) included 4.9 million beneficiaries (23% of total cohort) with an admission rate of 70 per 100 person-years. It captured 53% of total admissions. The narrower cohort (3+ conditions) had 2.2 million beneficiaries (10%) with 100 admissions per 100 person-years and captured 32% of admissions. Most stakeholders viewed the broader cohort as best aligned with the measure concept. By systematically narrowing chronic conditions to those most relevant to the outcome and incorporating stakeholder input, we defined an MCC admission measure cohort supported by stakeholders. This approach can be used as a model for other MCC outcome measures.

National Water Quality Inventory, 1975 Report to Congress.

Science.gov (United States)

Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC. Office of Water Programs.

This document summarizes state submissions and provides a national overview of water quality as requested in Section 305(b) of the 1972 Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments (P.L. 92-500). This report provides the first opportunity for states to summarize their water quality and to report to EPA and Congress. Chapters of this report deal…

How to Improve the Quality of Screening Endoscopy in Korea: National Endoscopy Quality Improvement Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Yu Kyung

2016-07-01

In Korea, gastric cancer screening, either esophagogastroduodenoscopy or upper gastrointestinal series (UGIS), is performed biennially for adults aged 40 years or older. Screening endoscopy has been shown to be associated with localized cancer detection and better than UGIS. However, the diagnostic sensitivity of detecting cancer is not satisfactory. The National Endoscopy Quality Improvement (QI) program was initiated in 2009 to enhance the quality of medical institutions and improve the effectiveness of the National Cancer Screening Program (NCSP). The Korean Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy developed quality standards through a broad systematic review of other endoscopic quality guidelines and discussions with experts. The standards comprise five domains: qualifications of endoscopists, endoscopic unit facilities and equipment, endoscopic procedure, endoscopy outcomes, and endoscopic reprocessing. After 5 years of the QI program, feedback surveys showed that the perception of QI and endoscopic practice improved substantially in all domains of quality, but the quality standards need to be revised. How to avoid missing cancer in endoscopic procedures in daily practice was reviewed, which can be applied to the mass screening endoscopy. To improve the quality and effectiveness of NCSP, key performance indicators, acceptable quality standards, regular audit, and appropriate reimbursement are necessary.

Comparison of laboratory and field remote sensing methods to measure forage quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Xulin; Wilmshurst, John F; Li, Zhaoqin

2010-09-01

Recent research in range ecology has emphasized the importance of forage quality as a key indicator of rangeland condition. However, we lack tools to evaluate forage quality at scales appropriate for management. Using canopy reflectance data to measure forage quality has been conducted at both laboratory and field levels separately, but little work has been conducted to evaluate these methods simultaneously. The objective of this study is to find a reliable way of assessing grassland quality through measuring forage chemistry with reflectance. We studied a mixed grass ecosystem in Grasslands National Park of Canada and surrounding pastures, located in southern Saskatchewan. Spectral reflectance was collected at both in-situ field level and in the laboratory. Vegetation samples were collected at each site, sorted into the green grass portion, and then sent to a chemical company for measuring forage quality variables, including protein, lignin, ash, moisture at 135 °C, Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF), Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF), Total Digestible, Digestible Energy, Net Energy for Lactation, Net Energy for Maintenance, and Net Energy for Gain. Reflectance data were processed with the first derivative transformation and continuum removal method. Correlation analysis was conducted on spectral and forage quality variables. A regression model was further built to investigate the possibility of using canopy spectral measurements to predict the grassland quality. Results indicated that field level prediction of protein of mixed grass species was possible (r² = 0.63). However, the relationship between canopy reflectance and the other forage quality variables was not strong.

Comparison of Laboratory and Field Remote Sensing Methods to Measure Forage Quality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhaoqin Li

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Recent research in range ecology has emphasized the importance of forage quality as a key indicator of rangeland condition. However, we lack tools to evaluate forage quality at scales appropriate for management. Using canopy reflectance data to measure forage quality has been conducted at both laboratory and field levels separately, but little work has been conducted to evaluate these methods simultaneously. The objective of this study is to find a reliable way of assessing grassland quality through measuring forage chemistry with reflectance. We studied a mixed grass ecosystem in Grasslands National Park of Canada and surrounding pastures, located in southern Saskatchewan. Spectral reflectance was collected at both in-situ field level and in the laboratory. Vegetation samples were collected at each site, sorted into the green grass portion, and then sent to a chemical company for measuring forage quality variables, including protein, lignin, ash, moisture at 135 ºC, Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF, Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF, Total Digestible, Digestible Energy, Net Energy for Lactation, Net Energy for Maintenance, and Net Energy for Gain. Reflectance data were processed with the first derivative transformation and continuum removal method. Correlation analysis was conducted on spectral and forage quality variables. A regression model was further built to investigate the possibility of using canopy spectral measurements to predict the grassland quality. Results indicated that field level prediction of protein of mixed grass species was possible (r2 = 0.63. However, the relationship between canopy reflectance and the other forage quality variables was not strong.

Computer controlled quality of analytical measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clark, J.P.; Huff, G.A.

1979-01-01

A PDP 11/35 computer system is used in evaluating analytical chemistry measurements quality control data at the Barnwell Nuclear Fuel Plant. This computerized measurement quality control system has several features which are not available in manual systems, such as real-time measurement control, computer calculated bias corrections and standard deviation estimates, surveillance applications, evaluaton of measurement system variables, records storage, immediate analyst recertificaton, and the elimination of routine analysis of known bench standards. The effectiveness of the Barnwell computer system has been demonstrated in gathering and assimilating the measurements of over 1100 quality control samples obtained during a recent plant demonstration run. These data were used to determine equaitons for predicting measurement reliability estimates (bias and precision); to evaluate the measurement system; and to provide direction for modification of chemistry methods. The analytical chemistry measurement quality control activities represented 10% of the total analytical chemistry effort

Quality system in Malaysian National Tissue Bank

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Go Boon Thong; Firdaus, M. N.; Abd Rani Shamsudin

1999-01-01

Quality System in Malaysian National Tissue Bank is based on the Quality Manual which has been drawn up by the chairman, who is the Dean, School of Medical Sciences. The Quality Manual include general standard for Tissue Banking in University Science of Malaysia which describe and explain a set of general standard similar to the EATB standard. The primary aim of the quality system is to produce a safe and effective tissue graft for successful clinical use and to ensure the safety of tissue bank operators. The Quality Manual also related the role of a Technical Manual, which explain the standard of technical aspect of tissue bank in a Quality Assurance. The safe working environment and Good Laboratory Practice is highlight in Quality System. Documentation of tissue bank activities is the key to the administration to tissue bank. Finally Quality System in tissue banking will never be complete without a Tissue Bank Auditing System which allow the tissue bank coordinator and staff to look into the problem and further enhance the progress of the tissue bank

Slovak National Prize for Quality 2004

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steflik, Marian

2009-01-01

Competition for the Slovak National Prize for Quality is a milestone in the history of the Mochovce NPP. The Mochovce NPP won the prize in 2004. The article describes in detail the preparatory efforts including not only technological issues but also various administrative challenges. The impacts of this achievement on the plant's subsequent development are also highlighted. (orig.)

Validation Study for the Brief Measure of Quality of Life and Quality of Care: A Questionnaire for the National Random Sampling Hospital Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Shimizu, Megumi; Fujisawa, Daisuke; Kurihara, Miho; Sato, Kazuki; Morita, Tatsuya; Kato, Masashi; Miyashita, Mitsunori

2017-08-01

To monitor quality of life (QOL) for patients with cancer in a large population-based survey, we developed a short QOL and quality-of-care (QOC) questionnaire. To determine the validity and reliability of this new questionnaire for evaluating QOL in patients with cancer. Outpatients and inpatients at National Cancer Center Hospital East were administered a questionnaire, including the following items-the short QOL and QOC questionnaire (physical distress, pain, emotional distress, walk burden, and need for help with self-care; perceived general health status; and satisfaction with medical care and treatment by doctor, communication with doctor, support by health-care staff other than doctor, care for physical symptoms such as pain, and psychological care), the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G), the Cancer Care Evaluation Scale (CCES) for patients, and demographic and medical data. We then readministered the short QOL and QOC questionnaire. In total, 329 outpatients and 239 inpatients completed the survey (response rates: 80% and 90%, respectively). Total Cronbach α for the short QOL and QOC questionnaire was 0.83 for outpatients and 0.82 for inpatients. Items of the questionnaire correlated with cancer-specific measurements, FACT-G, and CCES. Intraclass correlation coefficients for all items of the questionnaire were 0.79 and 0.89 in each setting. Items of QOL and QOC did not correlate with each other. The validity and reliability of the short QOL and QOC questionnaire appear sufficient. This questionnaire enables continuous monitoring of patient QOL in large population-based surveys.

Distributional Benefit Analysis of a National Air Quality Rule

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jin Huang

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Under Executive Order 12898, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA must perform environmental justice (EJ reviews of its rules and regulations. EJ analyses address the hypothesis that environmental disamenities are experienced disproportionately by poor and/or minority subgroups. Such analyses typically use communities as the unit of analysis. While community-based approaches make sense when considering where polluting sources locate, they are less appropriate for national air quality rules affecting many sources and pollutants that can travel thousands of miles. We compare exposures and health risks of EJ-identified individuals rather than communities to analyze EPA’s Heavy Duty Diesel (HDD rule as an example national air quality rule. Air pollutant exposures are estimated within grid cells by air quality models; all individuals in the same grid cell are assigned the same exposure. Using an inequality index, we find that inequality within racial/ethnic subgroups far outweighs inequality between them. We find, moreover, that the HDD rule leaves between-subgroup inequality essentially unchanged. Changes in health risks depend also on subgroups’ baseline incidence rates, which differ across subgroups. Thus, health risk reductions may not follow the same pattern as reductions in exposure. These results are likely representative of other national air quality rules as well.

Achieving Improvement Through Nursing Home Quality Measurement

OpenAIRE

Harris, Yael; Clauser, Steven B.

2002-01-01

CMS has initiated the Nursing Home Quality Initiative (NHQI) to improve the quality of nursing home care. Central to the NHQI is the public reporting of nursing home quality measures that serve as the basis for the Initiative's communication and quality improvement program. This article provides an overview of the NHQI, focusing on the role of nursing home quality measures in achieving improvements in nursing home care. We also describe the evolution of quality measurement in nursing homes, a...

Quality assurance handbook for measurement laboratories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delvin, W.L.

1984-10-01

This handbook provides guidance in the application of quality assurance to measurement activities. It is intended to help those persons making measurements in applying quality assurance to their work activities by showing how laboratory practices and quality assurance requirements are integrated to provide control within those activities. The use of the guidance found in this handbook should help provide consistency in the interpretation of quality assurance requirements across all types of measurement laboratories. This handbook also can assist quality assurance personnel in understanding the relationships between laboratory practices and quality assurance requirements. The handbook is composed of three chapters and several appendices. Basic guidance is provided by the three chapters. In Chapter 1, the role of quality assurance in obtaining quality data and the importance of such data are discussed. Chapter 2 presents the elements of laboratory quality assurance in terms of practices that can be used in controlling work activities to assure the acquisition of quality data. Chapter 3 discusses the implementation of laboratory quality assurance. The appendices provide supplemental information to give the users a better understanding of the following: what is quality assurance; why quality assurance is required; where quality assurance requirements come from; how those requirements are interpreted for application to laboratory operations; how the elements of laboratory quality assurance relate to various laboratory activities; and how a quality assurance program can be developed

Development of a national audit tool for juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a BSPAR project funded by the Health Care Quality Improvement Partnership.

Science.gov (United States)

McErlane, Flora; Foster, Helen E; Armitt, Gillian; Bailey, Kathryn; Cobb, Joanna; Davidson, Joyce E; Douglas, Sharon; Fell, Andrew; Friswell, Mark; Pilkington, Clarissa; Strike, Helen; Smith, Nicola; Thomson, Wendy; Cleary, Gavin

2018-01-01

Timely access to holistic multidisciplinary care is the core principle underpinning management of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Data collected in national clinical audit programmes fundamentally aim to improve health outcomes of disease, ensuring clinical care is equitable, safe and patient-centred. The aim of this study was to develop a tool for national audit of JIA in the UK. A staged and consultative methodology was used across a broad group of relevant stakeholders to develop a national audit tool, with reference to pre-existing standards of care for JIA. The tool comprises key service delivery quality measures assessed against two aspects of impact, namely disease-related outcome measures and patient/carer reported outcome and experience measures. Eleven service-related quality measures were identified, including those that map to current standards for commissioning of JIA clinical services in the UK. The three-variable Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score and presence/absence of sacro-iliitis in patients with enthesitis-related arthritis were identified as the primary disease-related outcome measures, with presence/absence of uveitis a secondary outcome. Novel patient/carer reported outcomes and patient/carer reported experience measures were developed and face validity confirmed by relevant patient/carer groups. A tool for national audit of JIA has been developed with the aim of benchmarking current clinical practice and setting future standards and targets for improvement. Staged implementation of this national audit tool should facilitate investigation of variability in levels of care and drive quality improvement. This will require engagement from patients and carers, clinical teams and commissioners of JIA services. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology.

Development of a national audit tool for juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a BSPAR project funded by the Health Care Quality Improvement Partnership

Science.gov (United States)

McErlane, Flora; Foster, Helen E; Armitt, Gillian; Bailey, Kathryn; Cobb, Joanna; Davidson, Joyce E; Douglas, Sharon; Fell, Andrew; Friswell, Mark; Pilkington, Clarissa; Strike, Helen; Smith, Nicola; Thomson, Wendy; Cleary, Gavin

2018-01-01

Abstract Objective Timely access to holistic multidisciplinary care is the core principle underpinning management of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Data collected in national clinical audit programmes fundamentally aim to improve health outcomes of disease, ensuring clinical care is equitable, safe and patient-centred. The aim of this study was to develop a tool for national audit of JIA in the UK. Methods A staged and consultative methodology was used across a broad group of relevant stakeholders to develop a national audit tool, with reference to pre-existing standards of care for JIA. The tool comprises key service delivery quality measures assessed against two aspects of impact, namely disease-related outcome measures and patient/carer reported outcome and experience measures. Results Eleven service-related quality measures were identified, including those that map to current standards for commissioning of JIA clinical services in the UK. The three-variable Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score and presence/absence of sacro-iliitis in patients with enthesitis-related arthritis were identified as the primary disease-related outcome measures, with presence/absence of uveitis a secondary outcome. Novel patient/carer reported outcomes and patient/carer reported experience measures were developed and face validity confirmed by relevant patient/carer groups. Conclusion A tool for national audit of JIA has been developed with the aim of benchmarking current clinical practice and setting future standards and targets for improvement. Staged implementation of this national audit tool should facilitate investigation of variability in levels of care and drive quality improvement. This will require engagement from patients and carers, clinical teams and commissioners of JIA services. PMID:29069424

Quality assurance for measurements of the radioactivity in the area of the"Horia Hulubei" National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering, IFIN-HH.

Science.gov (United States)

Stochioiu, Ana; Luca, Aurelian; Sahagia, Maria; Margineanu, Romul Mircea; Tudor, Ion

2012-10-01

This paper presents one part of the activities deployed by the Laboratory for Environment and Personnel Dosimetry (LDPM) of IFIN-HH, namely the radiological monitoring of the environment within the Institute's area and its surrounding influence zone, according to the program approved by the National Regulatory Body for Nuclear Activities, CNCAN. The representative reports regard the radioactive content of soil, surface and underground water, cultivated and spontaneous vegetation, aerosols and atmospheric fallout, sediments. The common requirement is that the measured quantities be precise and the reported values be reliable and credible. This goal is achieved by maintaining a Quality System, verified within the obtaining and maintaining of the laboratory accreditation, according to the international standard ISO/IEC 17025:2005.The LDPM is accredited by the Romanian accreditation body, RENAR, member of the European Accreditation, EA and is designed by CNCAN as a notified testing laboratory. Many measurements were performed in collaboration with the Radionuclide Metrology Laboratory (RML) from IFIN-HH, RENAR accredited and CNCAN notified for calibration and for testing in the field of radioactivity measurement. This paper proposes a short presentation of the important aspects in our activity: i. description of equipment, samplingmethods, processing and measurement of environmental samples; ii. validation of equipment and methods by participation in international and national proficiency tests; iii. a five year follow chart, containing the results in measurement of samples; iv. a recent application, with a wide impact in Romanian mass media: the credible daily report on the possible influence of Fukushima accident over the Romanian environmental radioactivity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Challenges of measuring quality in emergency management

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lynette, Jennifer Elyse

2016-01-01

This paper describes the challenges and importance of measuring quality within the field of emergency response. Using quality as a standard of measurement to evaluate response efforts of trained personnel in emergency situations is necessary to increase effectiveness in the response phase...... of an emergency event. The intended outcome of utilizing quality as a tool of measurement is to save additional lives, property, and resources. The adoption of a system to measure quality can be utilized by multiple professions under the broader field of emergency response services. Quality is discussed in terms...

Effectiveness of local air quality measures; Effectiviteit van likale luchtkwaliteitsmaatregelen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Bommel, R.; Van de Poll, T. [Royal Haskoning DHV, Amersfoort (Netherlands)

2013-12-15

This article examines the effects of local air quality measures which are calculated by order of the city of Utrecht. The conclusions are that environmental zones and other local measures contribute to meet the targets and improve public health. It is also explained why this is the case, and the question is raised whether or not national measures would be better [Dutch] Dit artikel gaat in op de effecten van lokale maatregelen die zijn berekend in opdracht van de gemeente Utrecht. De conclusie: milieuzones en andere lokale maatregelen dragen bij aan het halen van normen en leveren gezondheidswinst op. Er wordt uitgelegd waarom dat zo is en de vraag wordt gesteld of landelijke maatregelen niet beter zijn.

Quality of water resources of the Ouachita National Forest, Arkansas

Science.gov (United States)

Cole, Elizabeth F.; Morris, E.E.

1986-01-01

Surface water and groundwater quality was documented in the Ouachita National Forest by collecting surface water quality data at 15 points and groundwater quality data at 11 sites from April 1984 through August 1985. The data were compared to drinking water standards and the results are tabulated. Surface water in the Ouachita National Forest is relatively abundant. It is low in mineralization and chemically suitable for most uses with minimal treatment. Groundwater is relatively scarce. The low yields of wells limit the use of groundwater primarily to domestic use. The water is chemically suitable for most purposes but may require treatment for the removal of iron. (Peters-PTT)

Temporal Changes in the Quality of Acute Stroke Care in Five National Audits across Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Steffi Hillmann

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Data on potential variations in delivery of appropriate stroke care over time are scarce. We investigated temporal changes in the quality of acute hospital stroke care across five national audits in Europe over a period of six years. Methods. Data were derived from national stroke audits in Germany, Poland, Scotland, Sweden, and England/Wales/Northern Ireland participating within the European Implementation Score (EIS collaboration. Temporal changes in predefined quality indicators with comparable information between the audits were investigated. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate adherence to quality indicators over time. Results. Between 2004 and 2009, individual data from 542,112 patients treated in 538 centers participating continuously over the study period were included. In most audits, the proportions of patients who were treated on a SU, were screened for dysphagia, and received thrombolytic treatment increased over time and ranged from 2-fold to almost 4-fold increase in patients receiving thrombolytic therapy in 2009 compared to 2004. Conclusions. A general trend towards a better quality of stroke care defined by standardized quality indicators was observed over time. The association between introducing a specific measure and higher adherence over time might indicate that monitoring of stroke care performance contributes to improving quality of care.

National Quality Improvement Center on Early Childhood

Science.gov (United States)

Browne, Charlyn Harper

2014-01-01

The national Quality Improvement Center on early Childhood (QIC-eC) funded four research and demonstration projects that tested child maltreatment prevention approaches. The projects were guided by several key perspectives: the importance of increasing protective factors in addition to decreasing risk factors in child maltreatment prevention…

Importance of Leadership Style towards Quality of Care Measures in Healthcare Settings: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Sfantou, Danae F; Laliotis, Aggelos; Patelarou, Athina E; Sifaki-Pistolla, Dimitra; Matalliotakis, Michail; Patelarou, Evridiki

2017-10-14

Effective leadership of healthcare professionals is critical for strengthening quality and integration of care. This study aimed to assess whether there exist an association between different leadership styles and healthcare quality measures. The search was performed in the Medline (National Library of Medicine, PubMed interface) and EMBASE databases for the time period 2004-2015. The research question that guided this review was posed as: "Is there any relationship between leadership style in healthcare settings and quality of care?" Eighteen articles were found relevant to our research question. Leadership styles were found to be strongly correlated with quality care and associated measures. Leadership was considered a core element for a well-coordinated and integrated provision of care, both from the patients and healthcare professionals.

Quality Control in diagnostic radiology according to national regulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Domienik, J.; Chruscielewski, W.; Jankowski, J.

2006-01-01

The aim of the paper is to review the main aspects of quality control of radiological devices according to the current national regulations. Explanation of the physical principles of image formation by different test phantoms used to measure focal spot sizes is presented in appendix. The obligation for quality assurance (QA) for all X-ray systems which follows European standards was enforced in updated '' Atomic Law Act '' of 29 November 2000 . This document is the main regulatory act which establishes the basic safety standards for radiation protection in Poland. The main modifications introduced by this new Act concerned the issue of radiation protection of individuals undergoing medical examinations with the use of ionizing radiation which is regulated by EC Directive 97/43 Euratom. According to this Directive quality assurance programmes, including quality control measures need to be implemented by the holder of the radiological installation. Therefore, in the above Act the Minister of Health has been obligated to impose specific regulations describing the way of implementation of general principles laid down in the Directive. Some of these regulations, like those concerning QC tests and tolerances, have already been mentioned in the document titled '' On the conditions for safe application of ionizing radiation in medicine ''. For example, the QC program in radiography is being considered; the obligatory tests- acceptance, routine and annual- are discussed and specific procedures are being indicated. The main idea of the document '' On the conditions for safe application of ionizing radiation in medicine '' which concerns radiation protection of patients and staff against ionizing radiation used in medicine is to implement the surveillance of all X-ray systems in form of acceptance tests followed by internal tests (routine and annual) performed in accordance with European standards. (author)

Quality Teaching in Addressing Student Achievement: A Comparative Study between National Board Certified Teachers and Other Teachers on the Kentucky Core Content Test Results

Science.gov (United States)

Buecker, Harrie Lynne

2010-01-01

This dissertation focused on the link between quality teaching and its potential impact on student achievement. National Board Certification is used to represent quality teaching and student achievement is measured by the Kentucky Core Content Test. Data were gathered on the reading and mathematics scores of students of National Board Teachers who…

Continuing Medical Education Improves Gastroenterologists' Compliance with Inflammatory Bowel Disease Quality Measures.

Science.gov (United States)

Sapir, Tamar; Moreo, Kathleen; Carter, Jeffrey D; Greene, Laurence; Patel, Barry; Higgins, Peter D R

2016-07-01

Low rates of compliance with quality measures for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have been reported for US gastroenterologists. We assessed the influence of quality improvement (QI) education on compliance with physician quality reporting system (PQRS) measures for IBD and measures related to National Quality Strategy (NQS) priorities. Forty community-based gastroenterologists participated in the QI study; 20 were assigned to educational intervention and control groups, respectively. At baseline, randomly selected charts of patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis were retrospectively reviewed for the gastroenterologists' performance of 8 PQRS IBD measures and 4 NQS-related measures. The intervention group participated in a series of accredited continuing medical education (CME) activities focusing on QI. Follow-up chart reviews were conducted 6 months after the CME activities. Independent t tests were conducted to compare between-group differences in baseline-to-follow-up rates of documented compliance with each measure. The analysis included 299 baseline charts and 300 follow-up charts. The intervention group had significantly greater magnitudes of improvement than the control group for the following measures: assessment of IBD type, location, and activity (+14 %, p = 0.009); influenza vaccination (+13 %, p = 0.025); pneumococcal vaccination (+20 %, p = 0.003); testing for latent tuberculosis before anti-TNF-α therapy (+10 %, p = 0.028); assessment of hepatitis B virus status before anti-TNF-α therapy (+9 %, p = 0.010); assessment of side effects (+17 %, p = 0.048), and counseling patients about cancer risks (+13 %, p = 0.013). QI-focused CME improves community-based gastroenterologists' compliance with IBD quality measures and measures aligned with NQS priorities.

Managing air quality in a rapidly developing nation: China

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Ming; Chan, Chak K.; Yao, Xiaohong

As the world gets ready to begin the second decade of the twenty-first century, global climate change has been recognized as a real threat to civilization as we know it. The rapid and successful economic growth of developing nations, particularly China and India, is contributing to climate change. The route to initial economic success in China followed that of the developed nations through the development of industries. Unfortunately, China's environmental protection efforts have not been the same as in developed countries because China is vastly different culturally, socially, economically and, especially, politically from developed nations. When China started to deal with environmental concerns in the late 1970s, it took advantage of the experiences of other countries in establishing environmental standards and regulations, but it did not have a model to follow when it came to implementing these standards and regulations because of the abovementioned differences. Economically, China is transitioning from an agricultural base into an industrial base; however, even now, 60% of the population remains farmers. China has been and still is heavily dependent upon coal for energy, resulting in serious atmospheric particulate pollution. While growing efforts have been expended on the environment, at this juncture of its economic development, China would be well served to revisit the traditional "develop first and clean up later" approach and to find a balance between development and protecting the environment. Against this backdrop, a reflective look of the effort to manage air quality from 1949-2008 (with an emphasis on the past 30 years) in China is presented in this paper. The environmental component of the 2008 Olympic Games is examined as a special example to illustrate the current measures being used to improve air quality in China.

A National Quality Improvement Collaborative for the clinical use of outcome measurement in specialised mental healthcare: results from a parallel group design and a nested cluster randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Metz, Margot J; Veerbeek, Marjolein A; Franx, Gerdien C; van der Feltz-Cornelis, Christina M; de Beurs, Edwin; Beekman, Aartjan T F

2017-05-01

Although the importance and advantages of measurement-based care in mental healthcare are well established, implementation in daily practice is complex and far from optimal. To accelerate the implementation of outcome measurement in routine clinical practice, a government-sponsored National Quality Improvement Collaborative was initiated in Dutch-specialised mental healthcare. To investigate the effects of this initiative, we combined a matched-pair parallel group design (21 teams) with a cluster randomised controlled trial (RCT) (6 teams). At the beginning and end, the primary outcome 'actual use and perceived clinical utility of outcome measurement' was assessed. In both designs, intervention teams demonstrated a significant higher level of implementation of outcome measurement than control teams. Overall effects were large (parallel group d =0.99; RCT d =1.25). The National Collaborative successfully improved the use of outcome measurement in routine clinical practice. None. © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2017. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Non-Commercial, No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) license.

[Quality measurement using administrative data in mandatory quality assurance].

Science.gov (United States)

Heller, Günther; Szecsenyi, Joachim; Willms, Gerald; Broge, Björn

2014-01-01

For several years, the use of administrative data in mandatory quality measurement has been requested by several stakeholders in Germany. Main advantages of using administrative data include the reduction of documentary expenditures and the possibility to perform longitudinal quality analyses across different healthcare units. After a short introduction, a brief overview of the current use of administrative data for mandatory quality assurance as well as current developments is given, which will then be further exemplified by decubital ulcer prophylaxis. By using administrative data coding expenditures in this clinical area could be reduced by nine million data fields. At the same time the population analysed was expanded resulting in a more than tenfold increase in potentially quality-relevant events. Finally, perspectives, further developments, possibilities as well as limits of quality measurement with administrative data are discussed. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

National water summary 1986; Hydrologic events and ground-water quality

Science.gov (United States)

Moody, David W.; Carr, Jerry E.; Chase, Edith B.; Paulson, Richard W.

1988-01-01

water quality. The significant time lag between a waterquality change in one part of an aquifer system and the effects of that change at a downgradient site, such as a well, results from the generally slow movement of ground water. This lag between cause and observed effect needs to be considered in evaluating the effectiveness of current and future ground-water policies and remedial measures.Conclusive answers to questions about the location, extent, and severity of ground-water contamination, and about trends in ground-water quality, must await further collection and analysis of data from the Nation's aquifers. Generalizations, however, can be made, and the 1986 National Water Summary, which describes the natural quality of ground-water resources in each State and the major contamination problems that have been identified as of 1986, provides a national perspective of the ground-water-quality situation.The 1986 National Water Summary follows the format of previous volumes. It contains three parts, and the contents of each of these parts are highlighted below.

Quality measurement and improvement in liver transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Mathur, Amit K; Talwalkar, Jayant

2018-06-01

There is growing interest in the quality of health care delivery in liver transplantation. Multiple stakeholders, including patients, transplant providers and their hospitals, payers, and regulatory bodies have an interest in measuring and monitoring quality in the liver transplant process, and understanding differences in quality across centres. This article aims to provide an overview of quality measurement and regulatory issues in liver transplantation performed within the United States. We review how broader definitions of health care quality should be applied to liver transplant care models. We outline the status quo including the current regulatory agencies, public reporting mechanisms, and requirements around quality assurance and performance improvement (QAPI) activities. Additionally, we further discuss unintended consequences and opportunities for growth in quality measurement. Quality measurement and the integration of quality improvement strategies into liver transplant programmes hold significant promise, but multiple challenges to successful implementation must be addressed to optimise value. Copyright © 2018 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessment of sediment quality collected from the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park, Sabah

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohd Suhaimi Elias; Mohd Suhaimi Hamzah; Shamsiah Abdul Rahman; Siong, Wee Boon; Nazaratul Ashifa Abdullah Salim

2012-01-01

Assessment of source and sediment quality was carried out on marine sediments collected from the Tuanku Abdul Rahman National Park. Enrichment factors (EF), pollution load index (PLI) and geo-accumulation index (Igeo) were used to identify the sources of pollution, degree of contamination and sediment quality, respectively. Elemental analyses of marine sediment samples were performed by using the Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA). Results from the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park of Sabah indicated that most of the elements are considered to be from lithological or natural origin with EF values of less than 2 except for As (10 stations), Cr (3 stations), Lu (5 stations), Mg (2 stations), Sb (6 stations) and U (3 stations). For the sediment quality, most of the study area can be categorised as unpolluted for most of the elements (Igeo value < 2) except for As, Cr, Lu, Mg, Sb and U. A few study areas were slightly low contaminated with As, Cr, Lu, Mg, Sb and U. The contamination of As, Cr, Lu, Mg, Sb and U in the study area can be categorised as moderate with Igeo values ranged from 1 to 2. Meanwhile, the results of PLI value for sediment were ranged from 0.93 to 1.47 (PLI < 50) indicating there are not required to perform drastic rectification measures for the screening of the elements in the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park. Overall, assessment of the sediment quality at the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park showed a few elements such as As, Cr, Lu, Mg, Sb and U were slightly enriched while most of the elements were similar to background values. (author)

The air quality in Norwegian cities. Development - reasons - measures - future

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larssen, Steinar; Hagen, Leif Otto

1998-12-01

There is an increasing focus on the air quality in Norwegian cities and townships. The air quality depends on several factors and the connections are complex. The aim of this report is to present a short and simple survey of this complex field. The report consists of three parts: Part 1 is a survey of the development until today. Measurements of SO 2 and soot were started in the 1950's. Systematic determinations of NO x and NO 2 , CO and particles, ozone and benzene was started during the last three decades. The population exposure to air pollutants and their main sources are described as well as the air quality in Norwegian cities compared to other cities in Europe. In part 2 developments within transport, a sector necessary for understanding the development, are described. Part 3 is a survey of forecasting the air quality in Norway, pollution warnings and surveillance. The forecasts are based on assumed developments in important sectors such as transport, energy consumption for heating and industrial purposes and the effects of demands for fuel and vehicles. Effect analyses of further measures which may be useful for reaching the national goals for the air quality are carried out. A survey of the most important limiting values and criteria as well as technical terms is presented in the report and in the appendix. The report is commissioned by the Norwegian Petroleum Institute (Norsk Petroleumsinstitutt) and the Norwegian Road Federation (Opplysningsraadet for Veitrafikken)

Inter-Rater Agreement of Pressure Ulcer Risk and Prevention Measures in the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators(®) (NDNQI).

Science.gov (United States)

Waugh, Shirley Moore; Bergquist-Beringer, Sandra

2016-06-01

In this descriptive multi-site study, we examined inter-rater agreement on 11 National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators(®) (NDNQI(®) ) pressure ulcer (PrU) risk and prevention measures. One hundred twenty raters at 36 hospitals captured data from 1,637 patient records. At each hospital, agreement between the most experienced rater and each other team rater was calculated for each measure. In the ratings studied, 528 patients were rated as "at risk" for PrU and, therefore, were included in calculations of agreement for the prevention measures. Prevalence-adjusted kappa (PAK) was used to interpret inter-rater agreement because prevalence of single responses was high. The PAK values for eight measures indicated "substantial" to "near perfect" agreement between most experienced and other team raters: Skin assessment on admission (.977, 95% CI [.966-.989]), PrU risk assessment on admission (.978, 95% CI [.964-.993]), Time since last risk assessment (.790, 95% CI [.729-.852]), Risk assessment method (.997, 95% CI [.991-1.0]), Risk status (.877, 95% CI [.838-.917]), Any prevention (.856, 95% CI [.76-.943]), Skin assessment (.956, 95% CI [.904-1.0]), and Pressure-redistribution surface use (.839, 95% CI [.763-.916]). For three intervention measures, PAK values fell below the recommended value of ≥.610: Routine repositioning (.577, 95% CI [.494-.661]), Nutritional support (.500, 95% CI [.418-.581]), and Moisture management (.556, 95% CI [.469-.643]). Areas of disagreement were identified. Findings provide support for the reliability of 8 of the 11 measures. Further clarification of data collection procedures is needed to improve reliability for the less reliable measures. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Measuring quality of dental care: Caries prevention services for children.

Science.gov (United States)

Herndon, Jill Boylston; Tomar, Scott L; Catalanotto, Frank A; Rudner, Nancy; Huang, I-Chan; Aravamudhan, Krishna; Shenkman, Elizabeth A; Crall, James J

2015-08-01

The authors conducted a study to validate the following 3 evidence-based, process-of-care quality measures focused on dental caries prevention for children with an elevated risk of experiencing caries: sealants for 6- to 9-year-olds, sealants for 10- to 14-year-olds, and topical fluoride. Using evidence-based guidelines, the Dental Quality Alliance developed measures for implementation with administrative data at the plan and program levels. To validate the measures, the authors used data from the Florida and Texas Medicaid programs and Children's Health Insurance Programs and from national commercial dental benefit plans. Data were extracted from 414 randomly selected dental office records to validate the use of administrative data to accurately calculate the measures. The authors also assessed statistically significant variations in overall measure performance. Agreement between administrative data and dental records was 95% for sealants (κ = 0.82) and 90% for topical fluoride (κ = 0.78). Sensitivity and specificity were 90.7% and 88.5% for topical fluoride and 77.8% and 98.8% for sealants, respectively. Variation in overall measure performance was greatest for topical fluoride (χ(2) = 5,887.1; P caries received at least 2 topical fluoride applications during the reporting year. Although there was greater variation in performance for sealants for 6- to 9-year-olds (range, 21.0-31.3%; χ(2) = 548.6; P caries prevention process-of-care quality measures can be implemented feasibly and validly using administrative claims data. The measures can be used to assess, monitor, and improve the proportion of children with an elevated risk of experiencing dental caries who receive evidence-based caries prevention services. Copyright © 2015 American Dental Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

How and why is aquatic quality changing at Nahanni National Park Reserve, NWT, Canada?

Science.gov (United States)

Halliwell, Douglas R; Catto, Steve

2003-01-01

Nahanni National Park Reserve is located at southwestern NWT-Yukon border. One of the first UNESCO World Heritage sites, Nahanni lies within Taiga Cordillera and Taiga Shield Ecozones. Base and precious metal mining occurred upstream of Nahanni prior to park establishment. Nahanni waters, sediments, fish, and caribou have naturally elevated metals levels. Baseline water, sediment and fish tissue quality data were collected and analyzed throughout Nahanni during 1988-91 and 1992-97. These two programs characterized how aquatic quality variables are naturally varying in space and time, affected by geology, stream flow, seasonality, and extreme meteorological and geological events. Possible anthropogenic causes of aquatic quality change were examined. Measured values were compared to existing Guidelines and site-specific objectives were established.

76 FR 67429 - National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-01

... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) Meeting AGENCY: National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, Office of... submissions comply with the requirements of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, or be submitted in an...

Development, enhancement, and evaluation of aircraft measurement techniques for national ambient air quality standard criteria pollutants

Science.gov (United States)

Brent, Lacey Cluff

The atmospheric contaminants most harmful to human health are designated Criteria Pollutants. To help Maryland attain the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for Criteria Pollutants, and to improve our fundamental understanding of atmospheric chemistry, I conducted aircraft measurements in the Regional Atmospheric Measurement Modeling Prediction Program (RAMMPP). These data are used to evaluate model simulations and satellite observations. I developed techniques for improving airborne observation of two NAAQS pollutants, particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). While structure and composition of organic aerosol are important for understanding PM formation, the molecular speciation of organic ambient aerosol remains largely unknown. The spatial distribution of reactive nitrogen is likewise poorly constrained. To examine water-soluble organic aerosol (WSOA) during an air pollution episode, I designed and implemented a shrouded aerosol inlet system to collect PM onto quartz fiber filters from a Cessna 402 research aircraft. Inlet evaluation conducted during a side-by-side flight with the NASA P3 demonstrated agreement to within 30%. An ion chromatographic mass spectrometric method developed using the NIST Standard Reference Material (SRM) 1649b Urban Dust, as a surrogate material resulted in acidic class separation and resolution of at least 34 organic acids; detection limits approach pg/g concentrations. Analysis of aircraft filter samples resulted in detection of 8 inorganic species and 16 organic acids of which 12 were quantified. Aged, re-circulated metropolitan air showed a greater number of dicarboxylic acids compared to air recently transported from the west. While the NAAQS for NO2 is rarely exceeded, it is a precursor molecule for ozone, America's most recalcitrant pollutant. Using cavity ringdown spectroscopy employing a light emitting diode (LED), I measured vertical profiles of NO2 (surface to 2.5 km) west (upwind) of the Baltimore

Measuring effectiveness of food quality management

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spiegel, van der M.

2004-01-01

Keywords: effectiveness, food quality management, instrument, quality performance, contextual factors, agri-food production, conceptual model, performance measurement indicators, identification, validation, assessment, quality assurance systems, QA systems, HACCP, Hygiene code, ISO, BRC, GMP, bakery

Effects of equipment performance on data quality from the National Atmospheric Deposition Program/National Trends Network and the Mercury Deposition Network

Science.gov (United States)

Wetherbee, Gregory A.; Rhodes, Mark F.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey Branch of Quality Systems operates the Precipitation Chemistry Quality Assurance project (PCQA) to provide independent, external quality-assurance for the National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP). NADP is composed of five monitoring networks that measure the chemical composition of precipitation and ambient air. PCQA and the NADP Program Office completed five short-term studies to investigate the effects of equipment performance with respect to the National Trends Network (NTN) and Mercury Deposition Network (MDN) data quality: sample evaporation from NTN collectors; sample volume and mercury loss from MDN collectors; mercury adsorption to MDN collector glassware, grid-type precipitation sensors for precipitation collectors, and the effects of an NTN collector wind shield on sample catch efficiency. Sample-volume evaporation from an NTN Aerochem Metrics (ACM) collector ranged between 1.1–33 percent with a median of 4.7 percent. The results suggest that weekly NTN sample evaporation is small relative to sample volume. MDN sample evaporation occurs predominantly in western and southern regions of the United States (U.S.) and more frequently with modified ACM collectors than with N-CON Systems Inc. collectors due to differences in airflow through the collectors. Variations in mercury concentrations, measured to be as high as 47.5 percent per week with a median of 5 percent, are associated with MDN sample-volume loss. Small amounts of mercury are also lost from MDN samples by adsorption to collector glassware irrespective of collector type. MDN 11-grid sensors were found to open collectors sooner, keep them open longer, and cause fewer lid cycles than NTN 7-grid sensors. Wind shielding an NTN ACM collector resulted in collection of larger quantities of precipitation while also preserving sample integrity.

A PRESSURE ULCER AND FALL RATE QUALITY COMPOSITE INDEX FOR ACUTE CARE UNITS: A MEASURE DEVELOPMENT STUDY

Science.gov (United States)

Jayawardhana, Ananda; Burman, Mary E.; Dunton, Nancy E.; Staggs, Vincent S.; Bergquist-Beringer, Sandra; Gajewski, Byron J.

2016-01-01

Background Composite indices are single measures that combine the strengths of two or more individual measures and provide broader, easy-to-use measures for evaluation of provider performance and comparisons across units and hospitals to support quality improvement. Objective The study objective was to develop a unit-level inpatient composite nursing care quality performance index – the Pressure Ulcer and Fall Rate Quality Composite Index. Design Two-phase measure development study. Settings 5,144 patient care units in 857 United States hospitals participating in the National Database of Nursing Quality Indictors® during the year 2013. Methods The Pressure Ulcer and Fall Rate Quality Composite Index was developed in two phases. In Phase 1 the formula was generated using a utility function and generalized penalty analysis. Experts with experience in healthcare quality measurement provided the point of indicator equivalence. In Phase 2 initial validity evidence was gathered based on hypothesized relationships between the Pressure Ulcer and Fall Rate Quality Composite Index and other variables using two-level (unit, hospital) hierarchical linear mixed modeling. Results The Pressure Ulcer and Fall Rate Quality Composite Index = 100 − PUR − FR, where PUR is pressure ulcer rate and FR is total fall rate. Higher scores indicate better quality. Bland-Altman plots demonstrated agreement between pairs of experts and provided evidence for inter-rater reliability of the formula. The validation process demonstrated that higher registered nurse skill mix, higher percent of registered nurses with a baccalaureate in nursing or higher degree, higher percent of registered nurses with national specialty certification, and lower percent of hours supplied by agency staff were significantly associated with higher Pressure Ulcer and Fall Rate Quality Composite Index scores. Higher percentages of unit patients at risk for a hospital-acquired pressure ulcer and higher unit rates of

The Quest for Strategic Malaysian Quality National Primary School Leaders

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Hairuddin Mohd

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the nine-point strategic leadership characteristics of Malaysian Quality National Primary School Leaders (QNPSL) and to indicate the implications of these findings for the current educational management and leadership practices in their quest for Malaysian quality education.…

National comparison of activity measurements of 131I, 60Co, and 133Ba in Indonesia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wurdiyanto, Gatot; Marsoem, Pujadi; Widodo, Susilo; Iskandar, Dadong; Muhayatun; Hartoyo, Unggul; Sugino; Gede Sutresna, I.; Hutabarat, Tommy; Suparman, Ibon; Purwanto, Setyo

2014-01-01

National comparisons of radioactivity measurements of 131 I and 60 Co (in 2010) and of 133 Ba (in 2011) were carried out within the framework of the National Radiation Metrology Laboratory Program of Indonesia, coordinated by PTKMR-BATAN. Eleven laboratories took part in the comparison, and all measurements were made using gamma spectrometry, on point sources with an activity between 2000 Bq and 6000 Bq. Several laboratories reported values which were more than 10% different from the reference value for 131 I and 133 Ba. Possible reasons for these differences are discussed. This program will be continued with other radionuclides to maintain and control quality assurance for the local laboratories. - Highlights: • PTKMR-BATAN coordinated national comparison of 131 I, 60 Co and 133 Ba. • Eleven laboratories took part in the comparison. • All measurements were done using gamma spectrometry methods. • For 131 I and 133 Ba, 3 laboratories have more than 10% difference from reference laboratory value

The Water-Quality Partnership for National Parks—U.S. Geological Survey and National Park Service, 1998–2016

Science.gov (United States)

Nilles, Mark A.; Penoyer, Pete E; Ludtke, Amy S.; Ellsworth, Alan C.

2016-07-13

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Park Service (NPS) work together through the USGS–NPS Water-Quality Partnership to support a broad range of policy and management needs related to high-priority water-quality issues in national parks. The program was initiated in 1998 as part of the Clean Water Action Plan, a Presidential initiative to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Clean Water Act. Partnership projects are developed jointly by the USGS and the NPS. Studies are conducted by the USGS and findings are used by the NPS to guide policy and management actions aimed at protecting and improving water quality.The National Park Service manages many of our Nation’s most highly valued aquatic systems across the country, including portions of the Great Lakes, ocean and coastal zones, historic canals, reservoirs, large rivers, high-elevation lakes and streams, geysers, springs, and wetlands. So far, the Water-Quality Partnership has undertaken 217 projects in 119 national parks. In each project, USGS studies and assessments (http://water.usgs.gov/nps_partnership/pubs.php) have supported science-based management by the NPS to protect and improve water quality in parks. Some of the current projects are highlighted in the NPS Call to Action Centennial initiative, Crystal Clear, which celebrates national park water-resource efforts to ensure clean water for the next century of park management (http://www.nature.nps.gov/water/crystalclear/).New projects are proposed each year by USGS scientists working in collaboration with NPS staff in specific parks. Project selection is highly competitive, with an average of only eight new projects funded each year out of approximately 75 proposals that are submitted. Since the beginning of the Partnership in 1998, 189 publications detailing project findings have been completed. The 217 studies have been conducted in 119 NPS-administered lands, extending from Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska to Everglades

History and background of quality measurement.

Science.gov (United States)

Chun, Jonathan; Bafford, Andrea Chao

2014-03-01

Health care quality measurement has become increasingly emphasized, as providers and administrators respond to public and government demands for improved patient care. This article will review the evolution of surgical quality measurement and improvement from its infancy in the 1850s to the vast efforts being undertaken today.

The aquatic real-time monitoring network; in-situ optical sensors for monitoring the nation's water quality

Science.gov (United States)

Pellerin, Brian A.; Bergamaschi, Brian A.; Murdoch, Peter S.; Downing, Bryan D.; Saraceno, John Franco; Aiken, George R.; Striegl, Robert G.

2011-01-01

Floods, hurricanes, and longer-term changes in climate and land use can have profound effects on water quality due to shifts in hydrologic flow paths, water residence time, precipitation patterns, connectivity between rivers and uplands, and many other factors. In order to understand and respond to changes in hydrology and water quality, resource managers and policy makers have a need for accurate and early indicators, as well as the ability to assess possible mechanisms and likely outcomes. In-situ optical sensors-those making continuous measurements of constituents by absorbance or fluorescence properties in the environment at timescales of minutes to years-have a long history in oceanography for developing highly resolved concentrations and fluxes, but are not commonly used in freshwater systems. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has developed the Aquatic Real-Time Monitoring Network, with high-resolution optical data collection for organic carbon, nutrients, and sediment in large coastal rivers, along with continuous measurements of discharge, water temperature, and dissolved inorganic carbon. The collecting of continuous water-quality data in the Nation?s waterways has revealed temporal trends and spatial patterns in constituents that traditional sampling approaches fail to capture, and will serve a critical role in monitoring, assessment and decision-making in a rapidly changing landscape.

Measuring earnings quality: Evidence from New Zealand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Nurul Houqe

2011-01-01

Full Text Available We utilize two basic approaches to measure the quality of earnings which control two different dimensions of earnings management. The research design is structured primary on the basis of calculating two different measures of the quality of earnings on the industry level and on the company level. We calculate earnings quality for New Zealand public firms from the OSIRIS (http://www.osiris.com database for 2004-2007. This research concludes that various stakeholders should apply more than one measure for the quality of earning in order to have strong evidence about the level of quality before taking any corrective action or making any decision related to that company. If one company is having low quality of earning according to one technique and high quality of earnings according to another, the stakeholders cannot have a final conclusion about that company and they need more investigations and analysis to assess the quality of earnings

Quality control of gamma radiation measuring systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Surma, M.J.

2002-01-01

The problem of quality control and assurance of gamma radiation measuring systems has been described in detail. The factors deciding of high quality of radiometric measurements as well as statistical testing and calibration of measuring systems have been presented and discussed

Does litigation increase or decrease health care quality? A national study of negligence claims against nursing homes

Science.gov (United States)

Stevenson, David G.; Spittal, Matthew J.; Studdert, David M.

2016-01-01

Background The tort system is supposed to help improve the quality and safety of health care, but whether it actually does so is controversial. Most previous studies modeling the effect of negligence litigation on quality of care are ecologic. Objective To assess whether the experience of being sued and incurring litigation costs affects the quality of care subsequently delivered in nursing homes. Research Design, Subjects, Measures We linked information on 6,471 negligence claims brought against 1,514 nursing homes between 1998 and 2010 to indicators of nursing home quality drawn from two U.S. national datasets (Online Survey, Certification, and Reporting system; Minimum Data Set Quality Measure/Indicator Reports). At the facility level, we tested for associations between 9 quality measures and 3 variables indicating the nursing homes’ litigation experience in the preceding 12–18 months (total indemnity payments; total indemnity payments plus administrative costs; ≥1 paid claims vs. none). The analyses adjusted for quality at baseline, case-mix, ownership, occupancy, year, and facility and state random effects. Results Nearly all combinations of the 3 litigation exposure measures and 9 quality measures—27 models in all—showed an inverse relationship between litigation costs and quality. However only a few of these associations were statistically significant, and the effect sizes were very small. For example, a doubling of indemnity payments was associated with a 1.1% increase in the number of deficiencies and a 2.2% increase in pressure ulcer rates. Conclusions Tort litigation does not increase the quality performance of nursing homes, and may decrease it slightly. PMID:23552438

Does litigation increase or decrease health care quality?: a national study of negligence claims against nursing homes.

Science.gov (United States)

Stevenson, David G; Spittal, Matthew J; Studdert, David M

2013-05-01

The tort system is supposed to help improve the quality and safety of health care, but whether it actually does so is controversial. Most previous studies modeling the effect of negligence litigation on quality of care are ecologic. To assess whether the experience of being sued and incurring litigation costs affects the quality of care subsequently delivered in nursing homes. We linked information on 6471 negligence claims brought against 1514 nursing homes between 1998 and 2010 to indicators of nursing home quality drawn from 2 US national datasets (Online Survey, Certification, and Reporting system; Minimum Data Set Quality Measure/Indicator Reports). At the facility level, we tested for associations between 9 quality measures and 3 variables indicating the nursing homes' litigation experience in the preceding 12-18 months (total indemnity payments; total indemnity payments plus administrative costs; ≥ 1 paid claims vs. none). The analyses adjusted for quality at baseline, case-mix, ownership, occupancy, year, and facility and state random effects. Nearly all combinations of the 3 litigation exposure measures and 9 quality measures--27 models in all--showed an inverse relationship between litigation costs and quality. However, only a few of these associations were statistically significant, and the effect sizes were very small. For example, a doubling of indemnity payments was associated with a 1.1% increase in the number of deficiencies and a 2.2% increase in pressure ulcer rates. Tort litigation does not increase the quality performance of nursing homes, and may decrease it slightly.

More quality measures versus measuring what matters: a call for balance and parsimony.

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, Gregg S; Nelson, Eugene C; Pryor, David B; James, Brent; Swensen, Stephen J; Kaplan, Gary S; Weissberg, Jed I; Bisognano, Maureen; Yates, Gary R; Hunt, Gordon C

2012-11-01

External groups requiring measures now include public and private payers, regulators, accreditors and others that certify performance levels for consumers, patients and payers. Although benefits have accrued from the growth in quality measurement, the recent explosion in the number of measures threatens to shift resources from improving quality to cover a plethora of quality-performance metrics that may have a limited impact on the things that patients and payers want and need (ie, better outcomes, better care, and lower per capita costs). Here we propose a policy that quality measurement should be: balanced to meet the need of end users to judge quality and cost performance and the need of providers to continuously improve the quality, outcomes and costs of their services; and parsimonious to measure quality, outcomes and costs with appropriate metrics that are selected based on end-user needs.

Public hospital quality report awareness: evidence from National and Californian Internet searches and social media mentions, 2012

Science.gov (United States)

Huesch, Marco D; Currid-Halkett, Elizabeth; Doctor, Jason N

2014-01-01

Objectives Publicly available hospital quality reports seek to inform consumers of important healthcare quality and affordability attributes, and may inform consumer decision-making. To understand how much consumers search for such information online on one Internet search engine, whether they mention such information in social media and how positively they view this information. Setting and design A leading Internet search engine (Google) was the main focus of the study. Google Trends and Google Adwords keyword analyses were performed for national and Californian searches between 1 August 2012 and 31 July 2013 for keywords related to ‘top hospital’, best hospital’, and ‘hospital quality’, as well as for six specific hospital quality reports. Separately, a proprietary social media monitoring tool was used to investigate blog, forum, social media and traditional media mentions of, and sentiment towards, major public reports of hospital quality in California in 2012. Primary outcome measures (1) Counts of searches for keywords performed on Google; (2) counts of and (3) sentiment of mentions of public reports on social media. Results National Google search volume for 75 hospital quality-related terms averaged 610 700 searches per month with strong variation by keyword and by state. A commercial report (Healthgrades) was more commonly searched for nationally on Google than the federal government's Hospital Compare, which otherwise dominated quality-related search terms. Social media references in California to quality reports were generally few, and commercially produced hospital quality reports were more widely mentioned than state (Office of Statewide Healthcare Planning and Development (OSHPD)), or non-profit (CalHospitalCompare) reports. Conclusions Consumers are somewhat aware of hospital quality based on Internet search activity and social media disclosures. Public stakeholders may be able to broaden their quality dissemination initiatives by

Variation in performance measure criteria significantly affects cardiology practice rankings: Insights from the National Cardiovascular Data Registry's Practice Innovation and Clinical Excellence Registry.

Science.gov (United States)

Eapen, Zubin J; Tang, Fengming; Jones, Phil G; Maddox, Thomas M; Oetgen, William J; Spertus, John A; Rumsfeld, John S; Heidenreich, Paul A; Peterson, Eric D; Drozda, Joseph P

2015-06-01

Million Hearts is a national initiative to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes over 5 years by improving cardiovascular prevention. An important tool in the success of programs like Million Hearts is public ranking on the quality of practices, yet different measures may provide different rankings, so the true quality of practices is difficult to discern. We evaluated the quality of ambulatory cardiology care using performance measure metrics. We compared rankings of practices participating in the National Cardiovascular Data Registry's Practice Innovation and Clinical Excellence Registry using measures from (1) the physician quality reporting system and (2) the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association/Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement. We compared achievement rates for measures between the 2 frameworks and determined correlations in rankings using Spearman correlation coefficients. From January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2012, there were 1,711,326 patients enrolled from 111 US practices. Among eligible patients, the physician quality reporting system and American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association/Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement measures were achieved in 76.1% versus 77.4% for antiplatelet prescription (P performance and failing to achieve public health goals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quality assurance, quality control and quality audit in diagnostic radiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vassileva, J.

2009-01-01

Full text:The lecture aims to present contemporary view of quality assurance in X-Ray diagnosis and its practical realization in Bulgaria. In the lecture the concepts of quality assurance, quality control and clinical audit will be defined and their scope will be considered. An answer of the following questions will be given: why is it necessary to determine the dose of patient in X-ray studies, what is the reference dose level and how it is used for dosimetric quantity which characterized the patient's exposure in X-ray, mammography and CT scans and how they are measured, who conducted the measurement and how to keep the records, what are the variations of doses in identical tests and what defines them? The findings from a national survey of doses in diagnostic radiology, conducted in 2008-2009 and the developed new national reference levels will be presented. The main findings of the first tests of radiological equipment and the future role of quality control as well as the concept of conducting clinical audit and its role in quality assurance are also presented. Quality assurance of the diagnostic process with minimal exposure of patients is a strategic goal whose realization requires understanding, organization and practical action, both nationally and in every hospital. To achieve this the important role of education and training of physicians, radiological technicians and medical physicists is enhanced

Investigation of Service Quality of Measurement Reference Points for the Internet Services on Mobile Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Lipenbergs, E.; Bobrovs, Vj.; Ivanovs, G.

2016-10-01

To ensure that end-users and consumers have access to comprehensive, comparable and user-friendly information regarding the Internet access service quality, it is necessary to implement and regularly renew a set of legislative regulatory acts and to provide monitoring of the quality of Internet access services regarding the current European Regulatory Framework. The actual situation regarding the quality of service monitoring solutions in different European countries depends on national regulatory initiatives and public awareness. The service monitoring solutions are implemented using different measurement methodologies and tools. The paper investigates the practical implementations for developing a harmonising approach to quality monitoring in order to obtain objective information on the quality of Internet access services on mobile networks.

Measures of Gross National Happiness

NARCIS (Netherlands)

R. Veenhoven (Ruut)

2009-01-01

textabstractHappiness is rising on the political agenda and this calls for measures of how well nations perform in creating great happiness for a great number, analogous to measures of success in creating wealth, such as GDP. Happiness is defined as subjective enjoyment of one’s life as-a-whole and

National trends in drinking water quality violations.

Science.gov (United States)

Allaire, Maura; Wu, Haowei; Lall, Upmanu

2018-02-27

Ensuring safe water supply for communities across the United States is a growing challenge in the face of aging infrastructure, impaired source water, and strained community finances. In the aftermath of the Flint lead crisis, there is an urgent need to assess the current state of US drinking water. However, no nationwide assessment has yet been conducted on trends in drinking water quality violations across several decades. Efforts to reduce violations are of national concern given that, in 2015, nearly 21 million people relied on community water systems that violated health-based quality standards. In this paper, we evaluate spatial and temporal patterns in health-related violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act using a panel dataset of 17,900 community water systems over the period 1982-2015. We also identify vulnerability factors of communities and water systems through probit regression. Increasing time trends and violation hot spots are detected in several states, particularly in the Southwest region. Repeat violations are prevalent in locations of violation hot spots, indicating that water systems in these regions struggle with recurring issues. In terms of vulnerability factors, we find that violation incidence in rural areas is substantially higher than in urbanized areas. Meanwhile, private ownership and purchased water source are associated with compliance. These findings indicate the types of underperforming systems that might benefit from assistance in achieving consistent compliance. We discuss why certain violations might be clustered in some regions and strategies for improving national drinking water quality.

76 FR 76048 - Air Quality Designations for the 2008 Lead (Pb) National Ambient Air Quality Standards

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-06

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 40 CFR Part 81 [EPA-HQ-OAR-2009-0443; FRL-9492-3] RIN 2060-AR17 Air Quality Designations for the 2008 Lead (Pb) National Ambient Air Quality Standards Correction In rule document 2011-29460 appearing on pages 72097-72120 in the issues of Tuesday, November 22, 2011...

Quality Management of Measurements incl. Documentation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tosello, Guido; De Chiffre, Leonardo

2004-01-01

-Nürnberg, Chair for Quality Management and Manufacturing-Oriented Metrology (Germany). 'Metro-E-Learn' project proposes to develop and implement a coherent learning and competence chain that leads from introductory and foundation e-courses in initial manufacturing engineering studies towards higher....... Machine tool testing 9. The role of manufacturing metrology for QM 10. Inspection planning 11. Quality management of measurements incl. Documentation 12. Advanced manufacturing measurement technology The present report (which represents the section 11 - Quality management of measurements incl....... Documentation – of the e-learning system) is part of the contribution of the Department for Manufacturing Engineering and Management (IPL) / Centre for Geometrical Metrology (CGM) at the Technical University of Denmark to the MINERVA EU project mentioned above....

Quality Assurance and Quality Control in TLD Measurement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhuiyan, S.I.; Qronfla, M.M.; Abulfaraj, W.H.; Kinsara, A.A.; Taha, T.M.; Molla, N.I.; Elmohr, S.M.

2008-01-01

TLD technique characterized by high precision and reproducibility of dose measurement is presented by addressing pre-readout annealing, group sorting, dose evaluation, blind tests, internal dose quality audit and external quality control audits. Two hundred and forty TLD chips were annealed for 1 hour at 4000 degree C followed by 2 h at 1000 degree C. After exposure of 1 mGy from 90 Sr irradiator TLDs were subjected to pre-readout annealing at 1000 degree C, then readout, sorted into groups each with nearly equal sensitivity. Upon repeating the procedures, TLDs having response >3.5% from group mean were dropped to assuring group stability. Effect of pre-readout annealing has been studied. Series of repeated measurements were conducted to stabilize calibration procedures and DCF generation using SSDL level 137 Cs calibrator, dose master, ionization chambers. Performed internal dose quality audits, blind tests and validated by external QC tests with King Abdulaziz City of Science and Technology

National water summary 1990-91: Hydrologic events and stream water quality

Science.gov (United States)

Paulson, Richard W.; Chase, Edith B.; Williams, John S.; Moody, David W.

1993-01-01

National Water Summary 1990-91 Hydrologic Events and Stream Water Quality was planned to complement existing Federal-State water-quality reporting to the U.S. Congress that is required by the Clean Water Act of 1972. This act, formally known as the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 (Public Law 92-500), and its amendments in 1977,1979,1980,1981,1983, and 1987, is the principal basis for Federal-State cooperation on maintaining and reporting on water quality in the United States. Under section 305(b) of the Clean Water Act, the States must designate uses for waterbodies, biennially assess whether the waterbodies meet designated uses, and report to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which in turn summarizes the findings of the State assessments in a biennial National Water Quality Inventory report to the Congress.

National Coal Quality Inventory (NACQI)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Robert Finkelman

2005-09-30

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted the National Coal Quality Inventory (NaCQI) between 1999 and 2005 to address a need for quality information on coals that will be mined during the next 20-30 years. Collaboration between the USGS, State geological surveys, universities, coal burning utilities, and the coal mining industry plus funding support from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) permitted collection and submittal of coal samples for analysis. The chemical data (proximate and ultimate analyses; major, minor and trace element concentrations) for 729 samples of raw or prepared coal, coal associated shale, and coal combustion products (fly ash, hopper ash, bottom ash and gypsum) from nine coal producing States are included. In addition, the project identified a new coal reference analytical standard, to be designated CWE-1 (West Elk Mine, Gunnison County, Colorado) that is a high-volatile-B or high-volatile-A bituminous coal with low contents of ash yield and sulfur, and very low, but detectable contents of chlorine, mercury and other trace elements.

Improving regional variation using quality of care measures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Scott A Berkowitz

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Scott A Berkowitz1, Gary Gerstenblith1, Robert Herbert2, Gerard Anderson1,21Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; 2Center for Hospital Finance and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USAAbstract: There is significant regional variability in the quality of care provided in the United States. This article compares regional performance for three measures that focus on transitions in care, and the care of patients with multiple conditions. Admissions for people with ambulatory care-sensitive conditions, hospital readmissions within 30 days of discharge, and compliance with practice guidelines for people with three chronic conditions (congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and diabetes were analyzed using data drawn from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Standard Analytic Files for 5% of a 2004 national sample of Medicare beneficiaries which was divided by hospital referral regions and regional performance. There were significant regional differences in performance which we hypothesize could be improved through better care coordination and system management.Keywords: performance, quality, chronic condition, ambulatory care, sensitive conditions, readmissions

Quality assurance plan for the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment Remediation Project at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Phase 1 -- Interim corrective measures and Phase 2 -- Purge and trap reactive gases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-11-01

This Quality Assurance Plan (QAP) identifies and describes the systems utilized by the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment Remediation Project (MSRERP) personnel to implement the requirements and associated applicable guidance contained in the Quality Program Description Y/QD-15 Rev. 2 (Energy Systems 1995f). This QAP defines the quality assurance (QA) requirements applicable to all activities and operations in and directly pertinent to the MSRERP Phase 1--Interim Corrective Measures and Phase 2--Purge and Trap objectives. This QAP will be reviewed, revised, and approved as necessary for Phase 3 and Phase 4 activities. This QAP identifies and describes the QA activities and procedures implemented by the various Oak Ridge National Laboratory support organizations and personnel to provide confidence that these activities meet the requirements of this project. Specific support organization (Division) quality requirements, including the degree of implementation of each, are contained in the appendixes of this plan

Monitoring groundwater quality in South-Africa: Development of a national strategy

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Parsons, R

1995-04-01

Full Text Available Little is known about the temporal distribution of groundwater quality on a national scale in South Africa. The effective management of the country's groundwater resources is thus difficult and a need exists for a national network for monitoring...

Development of an instrument to measure patient perception of the quality of nursing care and related hospital services at the national hospital of sri lanka.

Science.gov (United States)

Senarat, Upul; Gunawardena, Nalika S

2011-06-01

This study aimed to develop and validate an instrument to measure patient perception of quality of nursing care and related hospital services in a tertiary care setting. We compiled an instrument with 72 items that patients may perceive as quality of nursing care and related hospital services, following an extensive literature search, discussions with patients and care pro-I viders and a brainstorming session with an expert panel. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka. A sample (n = 120) of patients stayed in general surgical or medical units responded to the interviewer administered instrument upon discharge. Item analysis and principal component factor analysis were performed to assess validity, and internal consistency was calculated to measure reliability. Of the 72 items, 18 had greater than 20% of responses as 'not relevant'. A further 11 items were eliminated since item-total correlations were less than .2. Factor analysis was performed on remaining 43 items which resulted in 36 items classifying into eight factors accounting for 71% of the variation. Factor loadings in the final solution after Varimax rotation were interpersonal aspects (.68-.85), efficiency (.62-.79), competency (.66-.68), comfort (.60-.84), physical environment (.65-.82), cleanliness (.81-.85), personalized information (.76-.83), and general instructions (.61-.78). The instrument had high Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = .91). We developed a comprehensive, reliable and valid, 36-item instrument that may be used to measure patient perception of quality of nursing care in tertiary care settings. Copyright © 2011 Korean Society of Nursing Science. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Are data from national quality registries used in quality improvement at Swedish hospital clinics?

Science.gov (United States)

Fredriksson, Mio; Halford, Christina; Eldh, Ann Catrine; Dahlström, Tobias; Vengberg, Sofie; Wallin, Lars; Winblad, Ulrika

2017-11-01

To investigate the use of data from national quality registries (NQRs) in local quality improvement as well as purported key factors for effective clinical use in Sweden. Comparative descriptive: a web survey of all Swedish hospitals participating in three NQRs with different levels of development (certification level). Heads of the clinics and physician(s) at clinics participating in the Swedish Stroke Register (Riksstroke), the Swedish National Registry of Gallstone Surgery and Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (GallRiks) and the Swedish Lung Cancer Registry (NLCR). Individual and unit level use of NQRs in local quality improvement, and perceptions on data quality, organizational conditions and user motivation. Riksstroke data were reported as most extensively used at individual and unit levels (x̅ 17.97 of 24 and x̅ 27.06 of 35). Data quality and usefulness was considered high for the two most developed NQRs (x̅ 19.86 for Riksstroke and x̅ 19.89 for GallRiks of 25). Organizational conditions were estimated at the same level for Riksstroke and GallRiks (x̅ 12.90 and x̅ 13.28 of 20) while the least developed registry, the NLCR, had lower estimates (x̅ 10.32). In Riksstroke, the managers requested registry data more often (x̅ 15.17 of 20). While there were significant differences between registries in key factors such as management interest, use of NQR data in local quality improvement seems rather prevalent, at least for Riksstroke. The link between the registry's level of development and factors important for routinization of innovations such as NQRs needs investigation. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Sandia National Laboratories Advanced Simulation and Computing (ASC) software quality plan : ASC software quality engineering practices Version 3.0.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Turgeon, Jennifer L.; Minana, Molly A.; Hackney, Patricia; Pilch, Martin M.

2009-01-01

The purpose of the Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) Advanced Simulation and Computing (ASC) Software Quality Plan is to clearly identify the practices that are the basis for continually improving the quality of ASC software products. Quality is defined in the US Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Agency (DOE/NNSA) Quality Criteria, Revision 10 (QC-1) as 'conformance to customer requirements and expectations'. This quality plan defines the SNL ASC Program software quality engineering (SQE) practices and provides a mapping of these practices to the SNL Corporate Process Requirement (CPR) 001.3.6; 'Corporate Software Engineering Excellence'. This plan also identifies ASC management's and the software project teams responsibilities in implementing the software quality practices and in assessing progress towards achieving their software quality goals. This SNL ASC Software Quality Plan establishes the signatories commitments to improving software products by applying cost-effective SQE practices. This plan enumerates the SQE practices that comprise the development of SNL ASC's software products and explains the project teams opportunities for tailoring and implementing the practices.

Field Methods and Quality-Assurance Plan for Quality-of-Water Activities, U.S. Geological Survey, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho

Science.gov (United States)

Knobel, LeRoy L.; Tucker, Betty J.; Rousseau, Joseph P.

2008-01-01

Water-quality activities conducted by the staff of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Project Office coincide with the USGS mission of appraising the quantity and quality of the Nation's water resources. The activities are conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Idaho Operations Office. Results of the water-quality investigations are presented in various USGS publications or in refereed scientific journals. The results of the studies are highly regarded, and they are used with confidence by researchers, regulatory and managerial agencies, and interested civic groups. In its broadest sense, quality assurance refers to doing the job right the first time. It includes the functions of planning for products, review and acceptance of the products, and an audit designed to evaluate the system that produces the products. Quality control and quality assurance differ in that quality control ensures that things are done correctly given the 'state-of-the-art' technology, and quality assurance ensures that quality control is maintained within specified limits.

A review of national policies and strategies to improve quality of health care and patient safety: a case study from Lebanon and Jordan.

Science.gov (United States)

El-Jardali, Fadi; Fadlallah, Racha

2017-08-16

Improving quality of care and patient safety practices can strengthen health care delivery systems, improve health sector performance, and accelerate attainment of health-related Sustainability Development Goals. Although quality improvement is now prominent on the health policy agendas of governments in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), progress to date has not been optimal. The objective of this study is to comprehensively review existing quality improvement and patient safety policies and strategies in two selected countries of the EMR (Lebanon and Jordan) to determine the extent to which these have been institutionalized within existing health systems. We used a mixed methods approach that combined documentation review, stakeholder surveys and key informant interviews. Existing quality improvement and patient safety initiatives were assessed across five components of an analytical framework for assessing health care quality and patient safety: health systems context; national policies and legislation; organizations and institutions; methods, techniques and tools; and health care infrastructure and resources. Both Lebanon and Jordan have made important progress in terms of increased attention to quality and accreditation in national health plans and strategies, licensing requirements for health care professionals and organizations (albeit to varying extents), and investments in health information systems. A key deficiency in both countries is the absence of an explicit national policy for quality improvement and patient safety across the health system. Instead, there is a spread of several (disjointed) pieces of legal measures and national plans leading to fragmentation and lack of clear articulation of responsibilities across the entire continuum of care. Moreover, both countries lack national sets of standardized and applicable quality indicators for performance measurement and benchmarking

Quality assurance measures in interventional radiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heuser, L.

1999-01-01

The quality assurance of treatment measures is legally required but as yet not generally established in practice. For interventional radiology, the introduction of quality assurance for PTA of arteries of the lower limbs is planned for January 1999. It is reasonable to subject at least the most important and/or most frequently performed interventions to quality management. In the present article, the term quality in the management of diseases is defined and the system of total quality management discussed at the levels structure, process, and results. For its application, parameters of quality measurement in the form of standards, criteria, and characteristic values are necessary and must be laid down by a team of experts on the basis of subjective experience and/or results in the literature. Practical quality assurance takes place not only within a clinic but also externally by comparison with other centers. Data collection and evaluation requires high-performance software that will be continuously improved, expanded, and adapted to current needs during regular meetings between the various users. (orig.) [de

Approach the National Quality Audit System for Radiotherapy in Latvia

OpenAIRE

Dehtjars, J; Popovs, S; Plaude, S

2008-01-01

It is very important to make National Quality Audit to ensure accurate conformal RT delivery. It is necessary to develop an Audit system to inspect all Conformal RT and IMRT delivery chain including the Quality checks of linear accelerator, Multileaf Collimator (MLC), Computer Tomography (CT) scanner or simulator, target and tissue delineation, plan evaluation, and delivery.

User’s manual to update the National Wildlife Refuge System Water Quality Information System (WQIS)

Science.gov (United States)

Chojnacki, Kimberly A.; Vishy, Chad J.; Hinck, Jo Ellen; Finger, Susan E.; Higgins, Michael J.; Kilbride, Kevin

2013-01-01

National Wildlife Refuges may have impaired water quality resulting from historic and current land uses, upstream sources, and aerial pollutant deposition. National Wildlife Refuge staff have limited time available to identify and evaluate potential water quality issues. As a result, water quality–related issues may not be resolved until a problem has already arisen. The National Wildlife Refuge System Water Quality Information System (WQIS) is a relational database developed for use by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff to identify existing water quality issues on refuges in the United States. The WQIS database relies on a geospatial overlay analysis of data layers for ownership, streams and water quality. The WQIS provides summary statistics of 303(d) impaired waters and total maximum daily loads for the National Wildlife Refuge System at the national, regional, and refuge level. The WQIS allows U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff to be proactive in addressing water quality issues by identifying and understanding the current extent and nature of 303(d) impaired waters and subsequent total maximum daily loads. Water quality data are updated bi-annually, making it necessary to refresh the WQIS to maintain up-to-date information. This manual outlines the steps necessary to update the data and reports in the WQIS.

77 FR 25685 - Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Panel of Judges

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-01

... members prominent in the fields of quality, innovation, and performance management and appointed by the..., Maryland 20899. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Harry Hertz, Director, Baldrige Performance Excellence... Quality Award Panel of Judges AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of...

76 FR 44577 - Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Panel of Judges

Science.gov (United States)

2011-07-26

... prominent in the fields of quality, innovation, and performance management and appointed by the Secretary of.... FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Harry Hertz, Director, Baldrige Performance Excellence Program... Quality Award Panel of Judges AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of...

Using National Coastal Assessment Data to Model Estuarine Water Quality at Large Spatial Scales.

Science.gov (United States)

The water quality of the Nation’s estuaries is attracting scrutiny in light of population growth and enhanced nutrient delivery. The USEPA has evaluated water quality in the National Coastal Assessment (NCA) and National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS) programs. Here we rep...

Groundwater-quality data from the National Water-Quality Assessment Project, January through December 2014 and select quality-control data from May 2012 through December 2014

Science.gov (United States)

Arnold, Terri L.; Bexfield, Laura M.; Musgrove, MaryLynn; Lindsey, Bruce D.; Stackelberg, Paul E.; Barlow, Jeannie R.; Desimone, Leslie A.; Kulongoski, Justin T.; Kingsbury, James A.; Ayotte, Joseph D.; Fleming, Brandon J.; Belitz, Kenneth

2017-10-05

Groundwater-quality data were collected from 559 wells as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Project of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Program from January through December 2014. The data were collected from four types of well networks: principal aquifer study networks, which are used to assess the quality of groundwater used for public water supply; land-use study networks, which are used to assess land-use effects on shallow groundwater quality; major aquifer study networks, which are used to assess the quality of groundwater used for domestic supply; and enhanced trends networks, which are used to evaluate the time scales during which groundwater quality changes. Groundwater samples were analyzed for a large number of water-quality indicators and constituents, including major ions, nutrients, trace elements, volatile organic compounds, pesticides, radionuclides, and some constituents of special interest (arsenic speciation, chromium [VI] and perchlorate). These groundwater-quality data, along with data from quality-control samples, are tabulated in this report and in an associated data release.

Importance of Performance Measurement and MCH Epidemiology Leadership to Quality Improvement Initiatives at the National, State and Local Levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Rankin, Kristin M; Gavin, Loretta; Moran, John W; Kroelinger, Charlan D; Vladutiu, Catherine J; Goodman, David A; Sappenfield, William M

2016-11-01

Purpose In recognition of the importance of performance measurement and MCH epidemiology leadership to quality improvement (QI) efforts, a plenary session dedicated to this topic was presented at the 2014 CityMatCH Leadership and MCH Epidemiology Conference. This paper summarizes the session and provides two applications of performance measurement to QI in MCH. Description Performance measures addressing processes of care are ubiquitous in the current health system landscape and the MCH community is increasingly applying QI processes, such as Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles, to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of systems impacting MCH populations. QI is maximally effective when well-defined performance measures are used to monitor change. Assessment MCH epidemiologists provide leadership to QI initiatives by identifying population-based outcomes that would benefit from QI, defining and implementing performance measures, assessing and improving data quality and timeliness, reporting variability in measures throughout PDSA cycles, evaluating QI initiative impact, and translating findings to stakeholders. MCH epidemiologists can also ensure that QI initiatives are aligned with MCH priorities at the local, state and federal levels. Two examples of this work, one highlighting use of a contraceptive service performance measure and another describing QI for peripartum hemorrhage prevention, demonstrate MCH epidemiologists' contributions throughout. Challenges remain in applying QI to complex community and systems-level interventions, including those aimed at improving access to quality care. Conclusion MCH epidemiologists provide leadership to QI initiatives by ensuring they are data-informed and supportive of a common MCH agenda, thereby optimizing the potential to improve MCH outcomes.

Process and outcome measures of quality of care at the diabetes ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2016-05-16

May 16, 2016 ... Nigeria using quality indicators approved by the National Diabetes Quality Improvement Alliance (NDQIA). Materials ... Key words: Diabetes, outpatient, quality. Date of ... benchmark the performance of health care systems.[3].

Advances in outcomes measurement in rehabilitation medicine: current initiatives from the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research.

Science.gov (United States)

Tulsky, David S; Carlozzi, Noelle E; Cella, David

2011-10-01

The articles in this supplement present recent advances in the measurement of patient-reported health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) outcomes. Specifically, these articles highlight the combined efforts of the National Institutes of Health, National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Center on Medical Rehabilitation Research, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, and Department of Veterans Affairs Rehabilitation Research and Development Service to improve HRQOL measurement. In addition, this supplement is intended to provide rehabilitation professionals with information about these efforts and the implications that these advances in outcomes measurement have for rehabilitation medicine and clinical practice. These new measurement scales use state-of-the-art method techniques, including item response theory and computerized adaptive testing. In addition, scale development involves both qualitative and quantitative methods, as well as the administration of items to hundreds or even thousands of research participants. The scales deliberately have been built with overlap of items between scales so that linkages and equivalency scores can be computed. Ultimately, these scales should facilitate direct comparison of outcomes instruments across studies and will serve as standard data elements across research trials without compromising the specificity of disease- or condition-targeted measures. This supplement includes the initial publications for many of these new measurement initiatives, each of which provides researchers and clinicians with better tools for evaluation of the efficacy of their interventions. Copyright © 2011 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

National comparison on volume sample activity measurement methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sahagia, M.; Grigorescu, E.L.; Popescu, C.; Razdolescu, C.

1992-01-01

A national comparison on volume sample activity measurements methods may be regarded as a step toward accomplishing the traceability of the environmental and food chain activity measurements to national standards. For this purpose, the Radionuclide Metrology Laboratory has distributed 137 Cs and 134 Cs water-equivalent solid standard sources to 24 laboratories having responsibilities in this matter. Every laboratory has to measure the activity of the received source(s) by using its own standards, equipment and methods and report the obtained results to the organizer. The 'measured activities' will be compared with the 'true activities'. A final report will be issued, which plans to evaluate the national level of precision of such measurements and give some suggestions for improvement. (Author)

76 FR 71514 - Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Board of Overseers

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-18

... will include: Report from the Judges' Panel, Baldrige Performance Excellence Program (BPEP) Update... Quality Award Board of Overseers AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of... Quality Award (Board of Overseers) will meet in open session on December 13, 2011. The purpose of this...

Towards automating measurements and predictions of Escherichia coli concentrations in the Cuyahoga River, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio, 2012–14

Science.gov (United States)

Brady, Amie M. G.; Meg B. Plona,

2015-07-30

Nowcasts are systems that can provide estimates of the current bacterial water-quality conditions based on predictive models using easily-measured, explanatory variables; nowcasts can provide the public with the information to make informed decisions on the risk associated with recreational activities in natural water bodies. Previous studies on the Cuyahoga River within Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) have found that predictive models can be used to provide accurate assessments of the recreational water quality. However, in order to run the previously developed nowcasts for CVNP, manual collection and processing of samples is required on a daily basis to acquire the required explanatory variable data (laboratory-measured turbidity). The U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service collaborated to develop a more automated approach to provide more timely results to park visitors regarding the recreational water quality of the river.

Measuring and improving the quality of postoperative epidural analgesia for major abdominal surgery using statistical process control charts.

Science.gov (United States)

Duncan, Fiona; Haigh, Carol

2013-10-01

To explore and improve the quality of continuous epidural analgesia for pain relief using Statistical Process Control tools. Measuring the quality of pain management interventions is complex. Intermittent audits do not accurately capture the results of quality improvement initiatives. The failure rate for one intervention, epidural analgesia, is approximately 30% in everyday practice, so it is an important area for improvement. Continuous measurement and analysis are required to understand the multiple factors involved in providing effective pain relief. Process control and quality improvement Routine prospectively acquired data collection started in 2006. Patients were asked about their pain and side effects of treatment. Statistical Process Control methods were applied for continuous data analysis. A multidisciplinary group worked together to identify reasons for variation in the data and instigated ideas for improvement. The key measure for improvement was a reduction in the percentage of patients with an epidural in severe pain. The baseline control charts illustrated the recorded variation in the rate of several processes and outcomes for 293 surgical patients. The mean visual analogue pain score (VNRS) was four. There was no special cause variation when data were stratified by surgeons, clinical area or patients who had experienced pain before surgery. Fifty-seven per cent of patients were hypotensive on the first day after surgery. We were able to demonstrate a significant improvement in the failure rate of epidurals as the project continued with quality improvement interventions. Statistical Process Control is a useful tool for measuring and improving the quality of pain management. The applications of Statistical Process Control methods offer the potential to learn more about the process of change and outcomes in an Acute Pain Service both locally and nationally. We have been able to develop measures for improvement and benchmarking in routine care that

National Water Quality Inventory, 1976 Report to Congress.

Science.gov (United States)

Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC. Office of Water Programs.

This report summarizes the state submissions and provides a national overview of water quality as required in Section 305(b) of the 1972 Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments (P.L. 92-500). Topics receiving the greatest coverage include toxic substances, quantitative assessments of the percentage of waters currently meeting the goals of…

Assessment of national dosimetry quality audits results for teletherapy machines from 1989 to 2015.

Science.gov (United States)

Muhammad, Wazir; Ullah, Asad; Mahmood, Khalid; Matiullah

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to ensure accuracy in radiation dose delivery, external dosimetry quality audit has an equal importance with routine dosimetry performed at clinics. To do so, dosimetry quality audit was organized by the Secondary Standard Dosimetry Laboratory (SSDL) of Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (PINSTECH) at the national level to investigate and minimize uncertainties involved in the measurement of absorbed dose, and to improve the accuracy of dose measurement at different radiotherapy hospitals. A total of 181 dosimetry quality audits (i.e., 102 of Co-60 and 79 of linear accelerators) for teletherapy units installed at 22 different sites were performed from 1989 to 2015. The percent deviation between users’ calculated/stated dose and evaluated dose (in the result of on-site dosimetry visits) were calculated and the results were analyzed with respect to the limits of ± 2.5% (ICRU "optimal model") ± 3.0% (IAEA on-site dosimetry visits limit) and ± 5.0% (ICRU minimal or "lowest acceptable" model). The results showed that out of 181 total on-site dosimetry visits, 20.44%, 16.02%, and 4.42% were out of acceptable limits of ± 2.5% ± 3.0%, and ± 5.0%, respectively. The importance of a proper ongoing quality assurance program, recommendations of the followed protocols, and properly calibrated thermometers, pressure gauges, and humidity meters at radiotherapy hospitals are essential in maintaining consistency and uniformity of absorbed dose measurements for precision in dose delivery.

Measuring patient-perceived hospital service quality: a conceptual framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Pai, Yogesh P; Chary, Satyanarayana T

2016-04-18

Purpose - Although measuring healthcare service quality is not a new phenomenon, the instruments used to measure are timeworn. With the shift in focus to patient centric processes in hospitals and recognizing healthcare to be different compared to other services, service quality measurement needs to be tuned specifically to healthcare. The purpose of this paper is to design a conceptual framework for measuring patient perceived hospital service quality (HSQ), based on existing service quality literature. Design/methodology/approach - Using HSQ theories, expanding existing healthcare service models and literature, a conceptual framework is proposed to measure HSQ. The paper outlines patient perceived service quality dimensions. Findings - An instrument for measuring HSQ dimensions is developed and compared with other service quality measuring instruments. The latest dimensions are in line with previous studies, but a relationship dimension is added. Practical implications - The framework empowers managers to assess healthcare quality in corporate, public and teaching hospitals. Originality/value - The paper helps academics and practitioners to assess HSQ from a patient perspective.

Quality Measures for the Care of Patients with Insomnia

Science.gov (United States)

Edinger, Jack D.; Buysse, Daniel J.; Deriy, Ludmila; Germain, Anne; Lewin, Daniel S.; Ong, Jason C.; Morgenthaler, Timothy I.

2015-01-01

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) commissioned five Workgroups to develop quality measures to optimize management and care for patients with common sleep disorders including insomnia. Following the AASM process for quality measure development, this document describes measurement methods for two desirable outcomes of therapy, improving sleep quality or satisfaction, and improving daytime function, and for four processes important to achieving these goals. To achieve the outcome of improving sleep quality or satisfaction, pre- and post-treatment assessment of sleep quality or satisfaction and providing an evidence-based treatment are recommended. To realize the outcome of improving daytime functioning, pre- and post-treatment assessment of daytime functioning, provision of an evidence-based treatment, and assessment of treatment-related side effects are recommended. All insomnia measures described in this report were developed by the Insomnia Quality Measures Workgroup and approved by the AASM Quality Measures Task Force and the AASM Board of Directors. The AASM recommends the use of these measures as part of quality improvement programs that will enhance the ability to improve care for patients with insomnia. Citation: Edinger JD, Buysse DJ, Deriy L, Germain A, Lewin DS, Ong JC, Morgenthaler TI. Quality measures for the care of patients with insomnia. J Clin Sleep Med 2015;11(3):311–334. PMID:25700881

Quantitative comparison of measurements of urgent care service quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Hong; Prybutok, Victor; Prybutok, Gayle

2016-01-01

Service quality and patient satisfaction are essential to health care organization success. Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry introduced SERVQUAL, a prominent service quality measure not yet applied to urgent care. We develop an instrument to measure perceived service quality and identify the determinants of patient satisfaction/ behavioral intentions. We examine the relationships among perceived service quality, patient satisfaction and behavioral intentions, and demonstrate that urgent care service quality is not equivalent using measures of perceptions only, differences of expectations minus perceptions, ratio of perceptions to expectations, and the log of the ratio. Perceptions provide the best measure of urgent care service quality.

Variation in marital quality in a national sample of divorced women.

Science.gov (United States)

James, Spencer L

2015-06-01

Previous work has compared marital quality between stably married and divorced individuals. Less work has examined the possibility of variation among divorcés in trajectories of marital quality as divorce approaches. This study addressed that hole by first examining whether distinct trajectories of marital quality can be discerned among women whose marriages ended in divorce and, second, the profile of women who experienced each trajectory. Latent class growth analyses with longitudinal data from a nationally representative sample were used to "look backward" from the time of divorce. Although demographic and socioeconomic variables from this national sample did not predict the trajectories well, nearly 66% of divorced women reported relatively high levels of both happiness and communication and either low or moderate levels of conflict. Future research including personality or interactional patterns may lead to theoretical insights about patterns of marital quality in the years leading to divorce. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Education for All in South Africa: Developing a National System for Quality Assurance.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, William J.; Ngoma-Maema, Wendy Yolisa

2003-01-01

Draws on international research, policy, and practice relevant to quality assurance systems to analyze the development of a national framework for educational quality assurance in South Africa. Describes an emerging framework for quality assurance that encompasses evaluation of student achievement, quality audits and reviews, program and service…

Adopting software quality measures for healthcare processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Yildiz, Ozkan; Demirörs, Onur

2009-01-01

In this study, we investigated the adoptability of software quality measures for healthcare process measurement. Quality measures of ISO/IEC 9126 are redefined from a process perspective to build a generic healthcare process quality measurement model. Case study research method is used, and the model is applied to a public hospital's Entry to Care process. After the application, weak and strong aspects of the process can be easily observed. Access audibility, fault removal, completeness of documentation, and machine utilization are weak aspects and these aspects are the candidates for process improvement. On the other hand, functional completeness, fault ratio, input validity checking, response time, and throughput time are the strong aspects of the process.

Resolving the double tension: Toward a new approach to measurement modeling in cross-national research

Science.gov (United States)

Medina, Tait Runnfeldt

The increasing global reach of survey research provides sociologists with new opportunities to pursue theory building and refinement through comparative analysis. However, comparison across a broad array of diverse contexts introduces methodological complexities related to the development of constructs (i.e., measurement modeling) that if not adequately recognized and properly addressed undermine the quality of research findings and cast doubt on the validity of substantive conclusions. The motivation for this dissertation arises from a concern that the availability of cross-national survey data has outpaced sociologists' ability to appropriately analyze and draw meaningful conclusions from such data. I examine the implicit assumptions and detail the limitations of three commonly used measurement models in cross-national analysis---summative scale, pooled factor model, and multiple-group factor model with measurement invariance. Using the orienting lens of the double tension I argue that a new approach to measurement modeling that incorporates important cross-national differences into the measurement process is needed. Two such measurement models---multiple-group factor model with partial measurement invariance (Byrne, Shavelson and Muthen 1989) and the alignment method (Asparouhov and Muthen 2014; Muthen and Asparouhov 2014)---are discussed in detail and illustrated using a sociologically relevant substantive example. I demonstrate that the former approach is vulnerable to an identification problem that arbitrarily impacts substantive conclusions. I conclude that the alignment method is built on model assumptions that are consistent with theoretical understandings of cross-national comparability and provides an approach to measurement modeling and construct development that is uniquely suited for cross-national research. The dissertation makes three major contributions: First, it provides theoretical justification for a new cross-national measurement model and

Water quality and quantity of selected springs and seeps along the Colorado River corridor, Utah and Arizona: Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, and Grand Canyon National Park, 1997-98

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Howard E.; Spence, John R.; Antweiler, Ronald C.; Berghoff, Kevin; Plowman, Terry I.; Peart, Dale B.; Roth, David A.

2004-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National Park Service conducted an intensive assessment of selected springs along the Colorado River Corridor in Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, and Grand Canyon National Park in 1997 and 1998, for the purpose of measuring and evaluating the water quality and quantity of the resource. This study was conducted to establish baseline data for the future evaluation of possible effects from recreational use and climate change. Selected springs and seeps were visited over a study period from 1997 to 1998, during which, discharge and on-site chemical measurements were made at selected springs and seeps, and samples were collected for subsequent chemical laboratory analysis. This interdisciplinary study also includes simultaneous studies of flora and fauna, measured and sampled coincidently at the same sites. Samples collected during this study were transported to U.S. Geological Survey laboratories in Boulder, Colorado, where analyses were performed using state-of-the-art laboratory technology. The location of the selected springs and seeps, elevation, geology, aspect, and onsite measurements including temperature, discharge, dissolved oxygen, pH, and specific conductance, were recorded. Laboratory analyses include determinations for alkalinity, aluminum, ammonium (nitrogen), antimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, bismuth, boron, bromide, cadmium, calcium, cerium, cesium, chloride, chromium, cobalt, copper, dissolved inorganic carbon, dissolved organic carbon, dysprosium, erbium, europium, fluoride, gadolinium, holmium, iodine, iron, lanthanum, lead, lithium, lutetium, magnesium, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, neodymium, nickel, nitrate (nitrogen), nitrite (nitrogen), phosphate, phosphorus, potassium, praseodymium, rhenium, rubidium, samarium, selenium, silica, silver, sodium, strontium, sulfate, tellurium, terbium, thallium, thorium, thulium, tin, titanium, tungsten

Quality control in the histopathology laboratory: An overview with stress on the need for a structured national external quality assessment scheme

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iyengar Jayaram

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The concept of quality control in histopathology is relatively young and less well understood. Like in other disciplines of laboratory medicine, the concept of quality and its control is applicable to pre analytical, analytical and post analytical activities. Assessment of both precision and accuracy performances is possible by appropriate internal and external quality control and assessment schemes. This article is a review of all processes that achieve quality reporting in histopathology. There is a special focus on external quality assessment - a scheme that lacks organization on a national level in our country. Statistical data derived from a small scale external quality assurance program is also analyzed along with recommendations to organize an effective national scheme with the participation of authorized zonal centers.

Comparison of Prescribed and Measured Dialysate Sodium: A Quality Improvement Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Gul, Ambreen; Miskulin, Dana C; Paine, Susan S; Narsipur, Sriram S; Arbeit, Leonard A; Harford, Antonia M; Weiner, Daniel E; Schrader, Ronald; Horowitz, Bruce L; Zager, Philip G

2016-03-01

relationships of dialysate sodium concentrations to outcomes. Additional studies are needed to identify factors that contribute to differences between prescribed and measured dialysate sodium concentrations. Quality assurance and performance improvement (QAPI) programs should include measurements of dialysate sodium. Copyright © 2016 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Measurement quality assurance for beta particle calibrations at NIST

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Soares, C.G.; Pruitt, J.S. [National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD (United States)

1993-12-31

Standardized beta-particle fields have been established in an international standard and have been adopted for use in several U.S. dosimeter and instrument testing standards. Calibration methods and measurement quality assurance procedures employed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for beta-particle calibrations in these reference fields are discussed. The calibration facility including the NIST-automated extrapolation ionization chamber is described, and some sample results of calibrations are shown. Methods for establishing and maintaining traceability to NIST of secondary laboratories are discussed. Currently, there are problems in finding a good method for routine testing of traceability to NIST. Some examples of past testing methods are given and solutions to this problem are proposed.

Measurement quality assurance for beta particle calibrations at NIST

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soares, C.G.; Pruitt, J.S.

1993-01-01

Standardized beta-particle fields have been established in an international standard and have been adopted for use in several U.S. dosimeter and instrument testing standards. Calibration methods and measurement quality assurance procedures employed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for beta-particle calibrations in these reference fields are discussed. The calibration facility including the NIST-automated extrapolation ionization chamber is described, and some sample results of calibrations are shown. Methods for establishing and maintaining traceability to NIST of secondary laboratories are discussed. Currently, there are problems in finding a good method for routine testing of traceability to NIST. Some examples of past testing methods are given and solutions to this problem are proposed

Data Delivery and Mapping Over the Web: National Water-Quality Assessment Data Warehouse

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, Richard W.; Williamson, Alex K.

2006-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey began its National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program in 1991, systematically collecting chemical, biological, and physical water-quality data from study units (basins) across the Nation. In 1999, the NAWQA Program developed a data warehouse to better facilitate national and regional analysis of data from 36 study units started in 1991 and 1994. Data from 15 study units started in 1997 were added to the warehouse in 2001. The warehouse currently contains and links the following data: -- Chemical concentrations in water, sediment, and aquatic-organism tissues and related quality-control data from the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS), -- Biological data for stream-habitat and ecological-community data on fish, algae, and benthic invertebrates, -- Site, well, and basin information associated with thousands of descriptive variables derived from spatial analysis, like land use, soil, and population density, and -- Daily streamflow and temperature information from NWIS for selected sampling sites.

The National Network of State Perinatal Quality Collaboratives: A Growing Movement to Improve Maternal and Infant Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Henderson, Zsakeba T; Ernst, Kelly; Simpson, Kathleen Rice; Berns, Scott; Suchdev, Danielle B; Main, Elliott; McCaffrey, Martin; Lee, Karyn; Rouse, Tara Bristol; Olson, Christine K

2018-03-01

State Perinatal Quality Collaboratives (PQCs) are networks of multidisciplinary teams working to improve maternal and infant health outcomes. To address the shared needs across state PQCs and enable collaboration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in partnership with March of Dimes and perinatal quality improvement experts from across the country, supported the development and launch of the National Network of Perinatal Quality Collaboratives (NNPQC). This process included assessing the status of PQCs in this country and identifying the needs and resources that would be most useful to support PQC development. National representatives from 48 states gathered for the first meeting of the NNPQC to share best practices for making measurable improvements in maternal and infant health. The number of state PQCs has grown considerably over the past decade, with an active PQC or a PQC in development in almost every state. However, PQCs have some common challenges that need to be addressed. After its successful launch, the NNPQC is positioned to ensure that every state PQC has access to key tools and resources that build capacity to actively improve maternal and infant health outcomes and healthcare quality.

Development and status of data quality assurance program at NASA Langley research center: Toward national standards

Science.gov (United States)

Hemsch, Michael J.

1996-01-01

As part of a continuing effort to re-engineer the wind tunnel testing process, a comprehensive data quality assurance program is being established at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC). The ultimate goal of the program is routing provision of tunnel-to-tunnel reproducibility with total uncertainty levels acceptable for test and evaluation of civilian transports. The operational elements for reaching such levels of reproducibility are: (1) statistical control, which provides long term measurement uncertainty predictability and a base for continuous improvement, (2) measurement uncertainty prediction, which provides test designs that can meet data quality expectations with the system's predictable variation, and (3) national standards, which provide a means for resolving tunnel-to-tunnel differences. The paper presents the LaRC design for the program and discusses the process of implementation.

Measuring up: Implementing a dental quality measure in the electronic health record context.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhardwaj, Aarti; Ramoni, Rachel; Kalenderian, Elsbeth; Neumann, Ana; Hebballi, Nutan B; White, Joel M; McClellan, Lyle; Walji, Muhammad F

2016-01-01

Quality improvement requires using quality measures that can be implemented in a valid manner. Using guidelines set forth by the Meaningful Use portion of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, the authors assessed the feasibility and performance of an automated electronic Meaningful Use dental clinical quality measure to determine the percentage of children who received fluoride varnish. The authors defined how to implement the automated measure queries in a dental electronic health record. Within records identified through automated query, the authors manually reviewed a subsample to assess the performance of the query. The automated query results revealed that 71.0% of patients had fluoride varnish compared with the manual chart review results that indicated 77.6% of patients had fluoride varnish. The automated quality measure performance results indicated 90.5% sensitivity, 90.8% specificity, 96.9% positive predictive value, and 75.2% negative predictive value. The authors' findings support the feasibility of using automated dental quality measure queries in the context of sufficient structured data. Information noted only in free text rather than in structured data would require using natural language processing approaches to effectively query electronic health records. To participate in self-directed quality improvement, dental clinicians must embrace the accountability era. Commitment to quality will require enhanced documentation to support near-term automated calculation of quality measures. Copyright © 2016 American Dental Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Psychometric Evaluation of an Instrument for Measuring Organizational Climate for Quality: Evidence From a National Sample of Infection Preventionists.

Science.gov (United States)

Pogorzelska-Maziarz, Monika; Nembhard, Ingrid M; Schnall, Rebecca; Nelson, Shanelle; Stone, Patricia W

2016-09-01

In recent years, there has been increased interest in measuring the climate for infection prevention; however, reliable and valid instruments are lacking. This study tested the psychometric properties of the Leading a Culture of Quality for Infection Prevention (LCQ-IP) instrument measuring the infection prevention climate in a sample of 972 infection preventionists from acute care hospitals. An exploratory principal component analysis showed that the instrument had structural validity and captured 4 factors related to the climate for infection prevention: Psychological Safety, Prioritization of Quality, Supportive Work Environment, and Improvement Orientation. LCQ-IP exhibited excellent internal consistency, with a Cronbach α of .926. Criterion validity was supported with overall LCQ-IP scores, increasing with the number of evidence-based prevention policies in place (P = .047). This psychometrically sound instrument may be helpful to researchers and providers in assessing climate for quality related to infection prevention. © The Author(s) 2015.

Assessing Quality Outcome Measures in Children with Coeliac Disease—Experience from Two UK Centres

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, Alexander; Shelley, Helen; Novell, Kim; Ingham, Elizabeth; Callan, Julia; Heuschkel, Robert; Morris, Mary-Anne; Zilbauer, Matthias

2013-01-01

Improved diagnosis of coeliac disease has increased incidence and therefore burden on the health care system. There are no quality outcome measures (QOM) in use nationally to assess hospital management of this condition. This study applied QOM devised by the East of England paediatric gastroenterology network to 99 patients reviewed at two tertiary hospitals in the Network, to assess the quality of care provided by nurse led and doctor led care models. The average performance across all QOM was 96.2% at Addenbrooke’s Hospital (AH), and 98.7% at Norfolk and Norwich Hospital (NNUH), whilst 95% (n = 18) of QOM were met. Patient satisfaction was high at both sites (uptake of questionnaire 53 of 99 patients in the study). The study showed a comparably high level of care delivered by both a nurse and doctor led service. Our quality assessment tools could be applied in the future by other centres to measure standards of care. PMID:24284612

Assessing Quality Outcome Measures in Children with Coeliac Disease—Experience from Two UK Centres

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander Ross

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Improved diagnosis of coeliac disease has increased incidence and therefore burden on the health care system. There are no quality outcome measures (QOM in use nationally to assess hospital management of this condition. This study applied QOM devised by the East of England paediatric gastroenterology network to 99 patients reviewed at two tertiary hospitals in the Network, to assess the quality of care provided by nurse led and doctor led care models. The average performance across all QOM was 96.2% at Addenbrooke’s Hospital (AH, and 98.7% at Norfolk and Norwich Hospital (NNUH, whilst 95% (n = 18 of QOM were met. Patient satisfaction was high at both sites (uptake of questionnaire 53 of 99 patients in the study. The study showed a comparably high level of care delivered by both a nurse and doctor led service. Our quality assessment tools could be applied in the future by other centres to measure standards of care.

Canadian National Dairy Study: Herd-level milk quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Bauman, C A; Barkema, H W; Dubuc, J; Keefe, G P; Kelton, D F

2018-03-01

The objective of this study was to estimate Canadian national milk quality parameters and estimate the bulk tank milk (BTM) prevalence of 4 mastitis pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, Mycoplasma bovis, and Prototheca spp., on Canadian dairy farms. A questionnaire was sent to all Canadian dairy producers. Of the 1,062 producers who completed the questionnaire, 374 producers from across the country were visited and milking hygiene was assessed. Farm-level milk quality data for all Canadian dairy producers was collected from the provincial marketing boards and combined with the questionnaire and farm visit data. In addition, a BTM sample was collected either during the farm visit or by the marketing board in November of 2015 and was tested for 4 major mastitis pathogens using the PathoProof Mastitis Major 4 PCR Assay (Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Waltham, MA). Apparent herd-level prevalence was 46% for S. aureus, 6% for Prototheca spp., 0% for M. bovis, and 0% for Strep. agalactiae. Due to the low prevalence of M. bovis and Strep. agalactiae and a lack of significant factors associated with farms testing positive for Prototheca spp., an association analysis could only be carried out for Staph. aureus-positive farms. Factors associated with Staph. aureus-positive farms were not fore-stripping cows before milking (odds ratio = 1.87), milking with a pipeline system (odds ratio = 2.21), and stall bases made of a rubberized surface (mats and mattresses), whereas protective factors were using blanket dry cow therapy (odds ratio = 0.49) and applying a tag or visible mark on cows known to have chronic mastitis infections (odds ratio = 0.45). The Canadian national production-weighted geometric mean somatic cell count was determined to be 208,000 cells/mL. This is the first national dairy study conducted in Canada. Participating farms had higher milk yield; were more likely to have a loose housing system, parlor, or automated milking system; and had

Quality management status of national radiation environmental monitoring network and strategy for development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Renjie; Zhang Rongsuo; Ni Shiying; Shen Gang

2009-01-01

During the period of 10th five-year plan, MEP has constructed a national radiation environmental monitoring network. In the running of the network, quality management on monitoring data is of vital importance. So all the members of the radiation environmental monitoring network are required to ensure the quality of monitoring method, equipment, reagent,quality of personnel, data processing and information management and so on. Thus the monitoring result would be typical and accuracy in science. The article introduced in detail the quality management status of the National Radiation Environmental Monitoring Network and put forward the strategy for development from the institutionalized and large-scale point of view of radioactive environmental monitoring work. (authors)

Accreditation of Medical Education Programs: Moving From Student Outcomes to Continuous Quality Improvement Measures.

Science.gov (United States)

Blouin, Danielle; Tekian, Ara

2018-03-01

Accreditation of undergraduate medical education programs aims to ensure the quality of medical education and promote quality improvement, with the ultimate goal of providing optimal patient care. Direct linkages between accreditation and education quality are, however, difficult to establish. The literature examining the impact of accreditation predominantly focuses on student outcomes, such as performances on national examinations. However, student outcomes present challenges with regard to data availability, comparability, and contamination.The true impact of accreditation may well rest in its ability to promote continuous quality improvement (CQI) within medical education programs. The conceptual model grounding this paper suggests accreditation leads medical schools to commit resources to and engage in self-assessment activities that represent best practices of CQI, leading to the development within schools of a culture of CQI. In line with this model, measures of the impact of accreditation on medical schools need to include CQI-related markers. The CQI orientation of organizations can be measured using validated instruments from the business and management fields. Repeated determinations of medical schools' CQI orientation at various points throughout their accreditation cycles could provide additional evidence of the impact of accreditation on medical education. Strong CQI orientation should lead to high-quality medical education and would serve as a proxy marker for the quality of graduates and possibly for the quality of care they provide.It is time to move away from a focus on student outcomes as measures of the impact of accreditation and embrace additional markers, such as indicators of organizational CQI orientation.

Quality assurance for environmental radon measurements by LR115 nuclear track detectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gomaa, M A [National Network of Radiation Physics, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo (Egypt); Hafez, A F [Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria Univercity, Alexandria (Egypt); Hussein, A S [Radiation Protection Department, Nuclear Power Plants Authority, Cairo (Egypt)

2007-06-15

Passive radon dosimeters based on LR115 nuclear track detectors are very attractive for assessment of radon exposure. For developing countries wishing to undertake national radon survey the most appropriate techniques are those making use of LR115 detectors. These detectors are small, cheap, simple, and non-hazardous and provide an entirely adequate tool for large scale use in assessing levels of radon over several months because of the short - term fluctuations in radon concentrations. In this paper, the principles and philosophy in order to improve the quality and reliability of radon exposure under a quality assurance (QA) program are presented . Also examples of how a QA program of radon measurements by LR115 detectors using the can-techniques are well defined and applied.

Quality assurance for environmental radon measurements by LR115 nuclear track detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomaa, M.A.; Hafez, A.F.; Hussein, A.S.

2007-01-01

Passive radon dosimeters based on LR115 nuclear track detectors are very attractive for assessment of radon exposure. For developing countries wishing to undertake national radon survey the most appropriate techniques are those making use of LR115 detectors. These detectors are small, cheap, simple, and non-hazardous and provide an entirely adequate tool for large scale use in assessing levels of radon over several months because of the short - term fluctuations in radon concentrations. In this paper, the principles and philosophy in order to improve the quality and reliability of radon exposure under a quality assurance (QA) program are presented . Also examples of how a QA program of radon measurements by LR115 detectors using the can-techniques are well defined and applied

Los Alamos National Laboratory transuranic waste quality assurance project plan. Revision 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

This Transuranic (TRU) Waste Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPjP) serves as the quality management plan for the characterization of transuranic waste in preparation for certification and transportation. The Transuranic Waste Characterization/Certification Program (TWCP) consists of personnel who sample and analyze waste, validate and report data; and provide project management, quality assurance, audit and assessment, and records management support, all in accordance with established requirements for disposal of TRU waste at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) facility. This QAPjP addresses how the TWCP meets the quality requirements of the Carlsbad Area Office (CAO) Quality Assurance Program Description (QAPD) and the technical requirements of the Transuranic Waste Characterization Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP). The TWCP characterizes and certifies retrievably stored and newly generated TRU waste using the waste selection, testing, sampling, and analytical techniques and data quality objectives (DQOs) described in the QAPP, the Los Alamos National Laboratory Transuranic Waste Certification Plan (Certification Plan), and the CST Waste Management Facilities Waste Acceptance Criteria and Certification [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC)]. At the present, the TWCP does not address remote-handled (RH) waste

Availability of high quality weather data measurements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Elsa; Johansen, Jakob Berg; Furbo, Simon

In the period 2016-2017 the project “Availability of high quality weather data measurements” is carried out at Department of Civil Engineering at the Technical University of Denmark. The aim of the project is to establish measured high quality weather data which will be easily available...... for the building energy branch and the solar energy branch in their efforts to achieve energy savings and for researchers and students carrying out projects where measured high quality weather data are needed....

National waste terminal storage program. Supplementary quality-assurance requirements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garland, D.L.

1980-01-01

The basic Quality Assurance Program Requirements standard for the National Waste Terminal Storage Program has been developed primarily for nuclear reactors and other fairly well established nuclear facilities. In the case of waste isolation, however, there are many ongoing investigations for which quality assurance practices and requirements have not been well defined. This paper points out these problems which require supplementary requirements. Briefly these are: (1) the language barrier, that is geologists and scientists are not familiar with quality assurance (QA) terminology; (2) earth sciences deal with materials that cannot be characterized as easily as metals or other materials that are reasonably homogeneous; (3) development and control of mathematical models and associated computer programs; (4) research and development

Environmental Management Department Quality Assurance Project Plan for Radionuclide Emission Measurements Project for compliance with National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Poole, D A

1992-06-01

This Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) satisfies the quality assurance (QA) requirements in 40 CFR Part 61, Method 114, for ensuring that the radionuclide air emission measurements from the Y-12 Plant are representative; of a known precision and accuracy; and include administrative controls to ensure prompt response when emission measurements indicate an increase over normal radionuclide emissions. The QAPP ensures the quality of the Y-12 Plant radionuclide emission measurements data from the continuous samplers, breakthrough monitors, and minor radionuclide release points. The plan specifies the procedures for the management of the activities affecting the quality of the data for the Y-12 Plant Environmental Management Department (EMD) within the Health, Safety, Environment, and Accountability Division (HSEA).

Environmental Management Department Quality Assurance Project Plan for Radionuclide Emission Measurements Project for compliance with National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poole, D.A.

1992-06-01

This Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) satisfies the quality assurance (QA) requirements in 40 CFR Part 61, Method 114, for ensuring that the radionuclide air emission measurements from the Y-12 Plant are representative; of a known precision and accuracy; and include administrative controls to ensure prompt response when emission measurements indicate an increase over normal radionuclide emissions. The QAPP ensures the quality of the Y-12 Plant radionuclide emission measurements data from the continuous samplers, breakthrough monitors, and minor radionuclide release points. The plan specifies the procedures for the management of the activities affecting the quality of the data for the Y-12 Plant Environmental Management Department (EMD) within the Health, Safety, Environment, and Accountability Division (HSEA)

Impact of National Ambient Air Quality Standards Nonattainment Designations on Particulate Pollution and Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Zigler, Corwin M; Choirat, Christine; Dominici, Francesca

2018-03-01

Despite dramatic air quality improvement in the United States over the past decades, recent years have brought renewed scrutiny and uncertainty surrounding the effectiveness of specific regulatory programs for continuing to improve air quality and public health outcomes. We employ causal inference methods and a spatial hierarchical regression model to characterize the extent to which a designation of "nonattainment" with the 1997 National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in 2005 causally affected ambient PM2.5 and health outcomes among over 10 million Medicare beneficiaries in the Eastern United States in 2009-2012. We found that, on average across all retained study locations, reductions in ambient PM2.5 and Medicare health outcomes could not be conclusively attributed to the nonattainment designations against the backdrop of other regional strategies that impacted the entire Eastern United States. A more targeted principal stratification analysis indicates substantial health impacts of the nonattainment designations among the subset of areas where the designations are estimated to have actually reduced ambient PM2.5 beyond levels achieved by regional measures, with noteworthy reductions in all-cause mortality, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, heart failure, ischemic heart disease, and respiratory tract infections. These findings provide targeted evidence of the effectiveness of local control measures after nonattainment designations for the 1997 PM2.5 air quality standard.

Successful integration efforts in water quality from the integrated Ocean Observing System Regional Associations and the National Water Quality Monitoring Network

Science.gov (United States)

Ragsdale, R.; Vowinkel, E.; Porter, D.; Hamilton, P.; Morrison, R.; Kohut, J.; Connell, B.; Kelsey, H.; Trowbridge, P.

2011-01-01

The Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS??) Regional Associations and Interagency Partners hosted a water quality workshop in January 2010 to discuss issues of nutrient enrichment and dissolved oxygen depletion (hypoxia), harmful algal blooms (HABs), and beach water quality. In 2007, the National Water Quality Monitoring Council piloted demonstration projects as part of the National Water Quality Monitoring Network (Network) for U.S. Coastal Waters and their Tributaries in three IOOS Regional Associations, and these projects are ongoing. Examples of integrated science-based solutions to water quality issues of major concern from the IOOS regions and Network demonstration projects are explored in this article. These examples illustrate instances where management decisions have benefited from decision-support tools that make use of interoperable data. Gaps, challenges, and outcomes are identified, and a proposal is made for future work toward a multiregional water quality project for beach water quality.

Revised Methods for Characterizing Stream Habitat in the National Water-Quality Assessment Program

Science.gov (United States)

Fitzpatrick, Faith A.; Waite, Ian R.; D'Arconte, Patricia J.; Meador, Michael R.; Maupin, Molly A.; Gurtz, Martin E.

1998-01-01

Stream habitat is characterized in the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program as part of an integrated physical, chemical, and biological assessment of the Nation's water quality. The goal of stream habitat characterization is to relate habitat to other physical, chemical, and biological factors that describe water-quality conditions. To accomplish this goal, environmental settings are described at sites selected for water-quality assessment. In addition, spatial and temporal patterns in habitat are examined at local, regional, and national scales. This habitat protocol contains updated methods for evaluating habitat in NAWQA Study Units. Revisions are based on lessons learned after 6 years of applying the original NAWQA habitat protocol to NAWQA Study Unit ecological surveys. Similar to the original protocol, these revised methods for evaluating stream habitat are based on a spatially hierarchical framework that incorporates habitat data at basin, segment, reach, and microhabitat scales. This framework provides a basis for national consistency in collection techniques while allowing flexibility in habitat assessment within individual Study Units. Procedures are described for collecting habitat data at basin and segment scales; these procedures include use of geographic information system data bases, topographic maps, and aerial photographs. Data collected at the reach scale include channel, bank, and riparian characteristics.

Preliminary results of a national quality audit programme in radiotherapy services in Cuba

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dominguez Hung, L.; Larrinaga Cortina, E.F.; Campa Menendez, R.; Morales Lopez, J.L.; Garcia Yip, A.F.

2001-01-01

The current state of radiotherapy in Cuba has allowed to pass to a superior stage in the process of quality assurance, the establishment of a National Quality Audit Program (PNAC). The National Control Center for Medical Devices, as national regulator entity for the control and supervision of the medical devices of the National Health System, is responsible for the implementation of this program. This paper presents the preliminary results of the execution of the PNAC in teletherapy services with isotopic units of 60 Co. The audits were carried out according to the methodology settled down in the normalized procedure of operation of the PNAC. The physical aspects related with the treatment were audited, such as: the installation and unit's safety, mechanical and dosimetric aspects of the treatment unit and organizational aspects of the institution quality assurance program. Also carried out, in the clinical aspect, verifications of cases type planned by the qualified personnel of the service. The results corresponding to the determination of the reference dose for each institution were compared with those obtained in a postal audit with the International Atomic Energy Agency. These first audits allowed to evaluate the performance of the institutions' program of quality assurance and a feedback for the setting about to the PNAC. (author)

Preliminary results of a national quality audit programme in radiotherapy services in Cuba

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dominguez Hung, L; Larrinaga Cortina, E F [Centro de Control Estatal de Equipos Medicos, Havana (Cuba); Campa Menendez, R [Centro de Proteccion e Higiene de las Radiaciones, Havana (Cuba); Morales Lopez, J L; Garcia Yip, A F [Instituto Nacional de Oncologia y Radiobiologia, Havana (Cuba)

2001-03-01

The current state of radiotherapy in Cuba has allowed to pass to a superior stage in the process of quality assurance, the establishment of a National Quality Audit Program (PNAC). The National Control Center for Medical Devices, as national regulator entity for the control and supervision of the medical devices of the National Health System, is responsible for the implementation of this program. This paper presents the preliminary results of the execution of the PNAC in teletherapy services with isotopic units of {sup 60}Co. The audits were carried out according to the methodology settled down in the normalized procedure of operation of the PNAC. The physical aspects related with the treatment were audited, such as: the installation and unit's safety, mechanical and dosimetric aspects of the treatment unit and organizational aspects of the institution quality assurance program. Also carried out, in the clinical aspect, verifications of cases type planned by the qualified personnel of the service. The results corresponding to the determination of the reference dose for each institution were compared with those obtained in a postal audit with the International Atomic Energy Agency. These first audits allowed to evaluate the performance of the institutions' program of quality assurance and a feedback for the setting about to the PNAC. (author)

Measures of Quality in Business Process Modelling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Radek Hronza

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Business process modelling and analysing is undoubtedly one of the most important parts of Applied (Business Informatics. Quality of business process models (diagrams is crucial for any purpose in this area. The goal of a process analyst’s work is to create generally understandable, explicit and error free models. If a process is properly described, created models can be used as an input into deep analysis and optimization. It can be assumed that properly designed business process models (similarly as in the case of correctly written algorithms contain characteristics that can be mathematically described. Besides it will be possible to create a tool that will help process analysts to design proper models. As part of this review will be conducted systematic literature review in order to find and analyse business process model’s design and business process model’s quality measures. It was found that mentioned area had already been the subject of research investigation in the past. Thirty-three suitable scietific publications and twenty-two quality measures were found. Analysed scientific publications and existing quality measures do not reflect all important attributes of business process model’s clarity, simplicity and completeness. Therefore it would be appropriate to add new measures of quality.

Measurement properties of asthma-specific quality-of-life measures: protocol for a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Apfelbacher, Christian; Paudyal, Priya; Bülbül, Alpaslan; Smith, Helen

2014-07-24

Asthma is a frequent chronic inflammatory disease of the airways, and the assessment of health-related quality of life (HrQoL) is important in both research and routine care. Various asthma-specific measures of HrQoL exist but there is uncertainty which measures are best suited for use in research and routine care. Therefore, the aim of the proposed research is a comprehensive systematic assessment of the measurement properties of the existing measures that were developed to measure asthma-specific quality of life. This study is a systematic review of the measurement properties of asthma-specific measures of health-related quality of life. PubMed and Embase will be searched using a selection of relevant search terms. Eligible studies will be primary empirical studies evaluating, describing or comparing measurement properties of asthma-specific HRQL tools. Eligibility assessment and data abstraction will be performed independently by two reviewers. Evidence tables will be generated for study characteristics, instrument characteristics, measurement properties and interpretability. The quality of the measurement properties will be assessed using predefined criteria. Methodological quality of studies will be assessed using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist. A best evidence synthesis will be undertaken if more than one study have investigated a particular measurement property. The proposed systematic review will produce a comprehensive assessment of measurement properties of existing measures of asthma-specific health-related quality of life. We also aim to derive recommendations in order to help researchers and practitioners alike in the choice of instrument. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42014010491.

[Comparative quality measurements part 3: funnel plots].

Science.gov (United States)

Kottner, Jan; Lahmann, Nils

2014-02-01

Comparative quality measurements between organisations or institutions are common. Quality measures need to be standardised and risk adjusted. Random error must also be taken adequately into account. Rankings without consideration of the precision lead to flawed interpretations and enhances "gaming". Application of confidence intervals is one possibility to take chance variation into account. Funnel plots are modified control charts based on Statistical Process Control (SPC) theory. The quality measures are plotted against their sample size. Warning and control limits that are 2 or 3 standard deviations from the center line are added. With increasing group size the precision increases and so the control limits are forming a funnel. Data points within the control limits are considered to show common cause variation; data points outside special cause variation without the focus of spurious rankings. Funnel plots offer data based information about how to evaluate institutional performance within quality management contexts.

Measuring effectiveness of food quality management

OpenAIRE

Spiegel, van der, M.

2004-01-01

Keywords: effectiveness, food quality management, instrument, quality performance, contextual factors, agri-food production, conceptual model, performance measurement indicators, identification, validation, assessment, quality assurance systems, QA systems, HACCP, Hygiene code, ISO, BRC, GMP, bakery sector.In the last decade several incidents have occurred in the agri-food sector, such as the affairs of dioxin and BSE, whereas also the incidence of food-borne diseases and the production of hi...

Air quality measurements for site characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carter, M.W.; Conklin, W.C.

1982-01-01

Effective and timely site characterization is an important part of selecting a site for low-level waste disposal. Parameters measured can be compared with pertinent regulatory requirements, used for a reference base, helpful in evaluating environmental impacts, utilized in documenting changes in control programs, of value in modeling studies and other data uses, and beneficial in providing relevant sampling and methodology training. This paper will focus on specific air quality measurements which should be an inherent part of the site characterization program. The program is designed to measure, quantify, and identify contributions from site uses (operational procedures), atmospheric fallout, natural radioactivity, and vicinity and regional applications of radionuclides. The recommended air quality measurements program will be described in association with a reference site developd by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Particular attention will be devoted to the type and quality of information which is needed, the scope of sampling and measurements, the frequency of measurements, locations and numbers of sampling stations, the period of time needed for site characterization, and the proper uses of the information once it has been obtained. Adequate characterization of the site will be most important in final site selection and in the operation of the site as to periodically assessing environmental impacts and helping guide any remedial control efforts designed to meet regulatory requirements

Measurement of sexual health in the U.S.: an inventory of nationally representative surveys and surveillance systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Ivankovich, Megan B; Leichliter, Jami S; Douglas, John M

2013-01-01

To identify opportunities within nationally representative surveys and surveillance systems to measure indicators of sexual health, we reviewed and inventoried existing data systems that include variables relevant to sexual health. We searched for U.S. nationally representative surveys and surveillance systems that provided individual-level sexual health data. We assessed the methods of each data system and catalogued them by their measurement of the following domains of sexual health: knowledge, communication, attitudes, service access and utilization, sexual behaviors, relationships, and adverse health outcomes. We identified 18 U.S.-focused, nationally representative data systems: six assessing the general population, seven focused on special populations, and five addressing health outcomes. While these data systems provide a rich repository of information from which to assess national measures of sexual health, they present several limitations. Most importantly, apart from data on service utilization, routinely gathered, national data are currently focused primarily on negative aspects of sexual health (e.g., risk behaviors and adverse health outcomes) rather than more positive attributes (e.g., healthy communication and attitudes, and relationship quality). Nationally representative data systems provide opportunities to measure a broad array of domains of sexual health. However, current measurement gaps indicate the need to modify existing surveys, where feasible and appropriate, and develop new tools to include additional indicators that address positive domains of sexual health of the U.S. population across the life span. Such data can inform the development of effective policy actions, services, prevention programs, and resource allocation to advance sexual health.

Alternative Measure of Wellbeing: Bhutan's Gross National ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

There is growing demand for innovative yet rigorous measures of national wellbeing beyond gross domestic product. In 2008, the Centre for Bhutan Studies - Bhutan's main policy research centre - posted data from a preliminary survey of the country's Gross National Happiness (GNH). The Centre for Bhutan Studies ...

An index to measure depreciation in air quality in some coal mining areas of Korba industrial belt of Chhattisgarh, India.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Gurdeep

2006-11-01

The comparison with National Ambient Air Quality Standards does not always depict a true picture of the Air Quality Status of a study area. As an alternative an index that measures depreciation in Air Quality on more realistic terms has been proposed and applied to the ambient air monitoring data collected from some areas of Korba Coalfields in India. Results have been discussed in detail to illustrate the application of the proposed index and utility in bringing out more realistic air quality assessment.

Change in Adverse Events After Enrollment in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joshua Montroy

Full Text Available The American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP is the first nationally validated, risk-adjusted, outcomes-based program to measure and compare the quality of surgical care across North America. Participation in this program may provide an opportunity to reduce the incidence of adverse events related to surgery.A systematic review of the literature was performed. MedLine, EMBASE and PubMed were searched for studies relevant to NSQIP. Patient characteristics, intervention, and primary outcome measures were abstracted. The intervention was participation in NSQIP and monitoring of Individual Site Summary Reports with or without implementation of a quality improvement program. The outcomes of interest were change in peri-operative adverse events and mortality represented by pooled risk ratios (pRR and 95% confidence intervals (CI.Eleven articles reporting on 35 health care institutions were included. Nine (82% of the eleven studies implemented a quality improvement program. Minimal improvements in superficial (pRR 0.81; 95% CI 0.72-0.91, deep (pRR 0.82; 95% CI0.64-1.05 and organ space (pRR 1.15; 95% CI 0.96-1.37 infections were observed at centers that did not institute a quality improvement program. However, centers that reported formal interventions for the prevention and treatment of infections observed substantial improvements (superficial pRR 0.55, 95% CI 0.39-0.77; deep pRR 0.61, 95% CI 0.50-0.75, and organ space pRR 0.60, 95% CI 0.50-0.71. Studies evaluating other adverse events noted decreased incidence following NSQIP participation and implementation of a formal quality improvement program.These data suggest that NSQIP is effective in reducing surgical morbidity. Improvement in surgical quality appears to be more marked at centers that implemented a formal quality improvement program directed at the reduction of specific morbidities.

DUQuE quality management measures: associations between quality management at hospital and pathway levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Wagner, Cordula; Groene, Oliver; Thompson, Caroline A; Dersarkissian, Maral; Klazinga, Niek S; Arah, Onyebuchi A; Suñol, Rosa

2014-04-01

The assessment of integral quality management (QM) in a hospital requires measurement and monitoring from different perspectives and at various levels of care delivery. Within the DUQuE project (Deepening our Understanding of Quality improvement in Europe), seven measures for QM were developed. This study investigates the relationships between the various quality measures. It is a multi-level, cross-sectional, mixed-method study. As part of the DUQuE project, we invited a random sample of 74 hospitals in 7 countries. The quality managers of these hospitals were the main respondents. Furthermore, data of site visits of external surveyors assessing the participating hospitals were used. Three measures of QM at hospitals level focusing on integral systems (QMSI), compliance with the Plan-Do-Study-Act quality improvement cycle (QMCI) and implementation of clinical quality (CQII). Four measures of QM activities at care pathway level focusing on Specialized expertise and responsibility (SER), Evidence-based organization of pathways (EBOP), Patient safety strategies (PSS) and Clinical review (CR). Positive significant associations were found between the three hospitals level QM measures. Results of the relationships between levels were mixed and showed most associations between QMCI and department-level QM measures for all four types of departments. QMSI was associated with PSS in all types of departments. By using the seven measures of QM, it is possible to get a more comprehensive picture of the maturity of QM in hospitals, with regard to the different levels and across various types of hospital departments.

External quality measurements reveal internal processes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schouten, R.E.; Costa, J.M.; Kooten, van O.

2003-01-01

With the present developments in CA technology it becomes possible to fine tune the storage conditions to the specific needs of the product. This generates the need to know the exact quality conditions of the product before storage starts. By measuring the initial quality we can determine these

The national stream quality accounting network: A flux-basedapproach to monitoring the water quality of large rivers

Science.gov (United States)

Hooper, R.P.; Aulenbach, Brent T.; Kelly, V.J.

2001-01-01

Estimating the annual mass flux at a network of fixed stations is one approach to characterizing water quality of large rivers. The interpretive context provided by annual flux includes identifying source and sink areas for constituents and estimating the loadings to receiving waters, such as reservoirs or the ocean. Since 1995, the US Geological Survey's National Stream Quality Accounting Network (NASQAN) has employed this approach at a network of 39 stations in four of the largest river basins of the USA: The Mississippi, the Columbia, the Colorado and the Rio Grande. In this paper, the design of NASQAN is described and its effectiveness at characterizing the water quality of these rivers is evaluated using data from the first 3 years of operation. A broad range of constituents was measured by NASQAN, including trace organic and inorganic chemicals, major ions, sediment and nutrients. Where possible, a regression model relating concentration to discharge and season was used to interpolate between chemical observations for flux estimation. For water-quality network design, the most important finding from NASQAN was the importance of having a specific objective (that is, estimating annual mass flux) and, from that, an explicitly stated data analysis strategy, namely the use of regression models to interpolate between observations. The use of such models aided in the design of sampling strategy and provided a context for data review. The regression models essentially form null hypotheses for concentration variation that can be evaluated by the observed data. The feedback between network operation and data collection established by the hypothesis tests places the water-quality network on a firm scientific footing.

Measurement-based management of mental health quality and access in VHA: SAIL mental health domain.

Science.gov (United States)

Lemke, Sonne; Boden, Matthew Tyler; Kearney, Lisa K; Krahn, Dean D; Neuman, Matthew J; Schmidt, Eric M; Trafton, Jodie A

2017-02-01

We outline the development of a Mental Health Domain to track accessibility and quality of mental health care in the United States Veterans Health Administration (VHA) as part of a broad-based performance measurement system. This domain adds an important element to national performance improvement efforts by targeting regional and facility leadership and providing them a concise yet comprehensive measure to identify facilities facing challenges in their mental health programs. We present the conceptual framework and rationale behind measure selection and development. The Mental Health Domain covers three important aspects of mental health treatment: Population Coverage, Continuity of Care, and Experience of Care. Each component is a composite of existing and newly adapted measures with moderate to high internal consistency; components are statistically independent or moderately related. Development and dissemination of the Mental Health Domain involved a variety of approaches and benefited from close collaboration between local, regional, and national leadership and from coordination with existing quality-improvement initiatives. During the first year of use, facilities varied in the direction and extent of change. These patterns of change were generally consistent with qualitative information, providing support for the validity of the domain and its component measures. Measure maintenance remains an iterative process as the VHA mental health system and potential data resources continue to evolve. Lessons learned may be helpful to the broader mental health-provider community as mental health care consolidates and becomes increasingly integrated within healthcare systems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Quality Metrics in Neonatal and Pediatric Critical Care Transport: A National Delphi Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwartz, Hamilton P; Bigham, Michael T; Schoettker, Pamela J; Meyer, Keith; Trautman, Michael S; Insoft, Robert M

2015-10-01

The transport of neonatal and pediatric patients to tertiary care facilities for specialized care demands monitoring the quality of care delivered during transport and its impact on patient outcomes. In 2011, pediatric transport teams in Ohio met to identify quality indicators permitting comparisons among programs. However, no set of national consensus quality metrics exists for benchmarking transport teams. The aim of this project was to achieve national consensus on appropriate neonatal and pediatric transport quality metrics. Modified Delphi technique. The first round of consensus determination was via electronic mail survey, followed by rounds of consensus determination in-person at the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Transport Medicine's 2012 Quality Metrics Summit. All attendees of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Transport Medicine Quality Metrics Summit, conducted on October 21-23, 2012, in New Orleans, LA, were eligible to participate. Candidate quality metrics were identified through literature review and those metrics currently tracked by participating programs. Participants were asked in a series of rounds to identify "very important" quality metrics for transport. It was determined a priori that consensus on a metric's importance was achieved when at least 70% of respondents were in agreement. This is consistent with other Delphi studies. Eighty-two candidate metrics were considered initially. Ultimately, 12 metrics achieved consensus as "very important" to transport. These include metrics related to airway management, team mobilization time, patient and crew injuries, and adverse patient care events. Definitions were assigned to the 12 metrics to facilitate uniform data tracking among programs. The authors succeeded in achieving consensus among a diverse group of national transport experts on 12 core neonatal and pediatric transport quality metrics. We propose that transport teams across the country use these metrics to

National network of radioactivity measurement in environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-01-01

This document constitutes the report of management for the year 2006 of the national network of measurement of radioactivity in environment, instituted by the article R.1333-11 of the Public Health code. According to the 5. of the decree of 27. june 2005, the Institute of radiation protection and nuclear safety (I.R.S.N.) has for mission to write every year a report of management of the national network of radioactivity measurement in environment. This report has for principal objectives: to do an evaluation on organisation and functioning of the piloting committee; to realize a synthesis on the different tasks lead by the working groups; as well as on the human and financial resources devoted to this project; to debrief on the development project of the national network information system. This report must allow to the network actors, as to the professional people and the public, to understand the functioning of the national network and the process implemented for the development of centralization, management and public diffusion tools, of the radioactivity data in environment. The year 2006 was marked by the opening of an Internet gate of the national network. (N.C.)

Direct measurement of electron beam quality conversion factors using water calorimetry.

Science.gov (United States)

Renaud, James; Sarfehnia, Arman; Marchant, Kristin; McEwen, Malcolm; Ross, Carl; Seuntjens, Jan

2015-11-01

In this work, the authors describe an electron sealed water calorimeter (ESWcal) designed to directly measure absorbed dose to water in clinical electron beams and its use to derive electron beam quality conversion factors for two ionization chamber types. A functioning calorimeter prototype was constructed in-house and used to obtain reproducible measurements in clinical accelerator-based 6, 9, 12, 16, and 20 MeV electron beams. Corrections for the radiation field perturbation due to the presence of the glass calorimeter vessel were calculated using Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. The conductive heat transfer due to dose gradients and nonwater materials was also accounted for using a commercial finite element method software package. The relative combined standard uncertainty on the ESWcal dose was estimated to be 0.50% for the 9-20 MeV beams and 1.00% for the 6 MeV beam, demonstrating that the development of a water calorimeter-based standard for electron beams over such a wide range of clinically relevant energies is feasible. The largest contributor to the uncertainty was the positioning (Type A, 0.10%-0.40%) and its influence on the perturbation correction (Type B, 0.10%-0.60%). As a preliminary validation, measurements performed with the ESWcal in a 6 MV photon beam were directly compared to results derived from the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) photon beam standard water calorimeter. These two independent devices were shown to agree well within the 0.43% combined relative uncertainty of the ESWcal for this beam type and quality. Absorbed dose electron beam quality conversion factors were measured using the ESWcal for the Exradin A12 and PTW Roos ionization chambers. The photon-electron conversion factor, kecal, for the A12 was also experimentally determined. Nonstatistically significant differences of up to 0.7% were found when compared to the calculation-based factors listed in the AAPM's TG-51 protocol. General agreement between the relative

Process and outcome measures of quality of care at the diabetes ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: The study aims to assess the quality of care provided at a diabetes outpatient clinic of a tertiary hospital in Nigeria using quality indicators approved by the National Diabetes Quality Improvement Alliance (NDQIA). Materials and Methods: The medical records of patients who had visited the clinic at least two times ...

Achieving software quality by GQM measurement

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Solingen, van D.M.; Veenendaal, van E.P.W.M.; Veenendaal, van E.P.W.M.; McMullan, J.

1997-01-01

Software development is a discipline with specific management difficulties. Collecting relevant data during development is a way to overcome these difficulties. Such data collection for sqftware development is termed "Software Measurement". Software measurement is a powerful aid to quality

Partnership for the Revitalization of National Wind Tunnel Force Measurement Capability

Science.gov (United States)

Rhew, Ray D.; Skelley, Marcus L.; Woike, Mark R.; Bader, Jon B.; Marshall, Timothy J.

2009-01-01

Lack of funding and lack of focus on research over the past several years, coupled with force measurement capabilities being decentralized and distributed across the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) research centers, has resulted in a significant erosion of (1) capability and infrastructure to produce and calibrate force measurement systems; (2) NASA s working knowledge of those systems; and (3) the quantity of high-quality, full-capability force measurement systems available for use in aeronautics testing. Simultaneously, and at proportional rates, the capability of industry to design, manufacture, and calibrate these test instruments has been eroding primarily because of a lack of investment by the aeronautics community. Technical expertise in this technology area is a core competency in aeronautics testing; it is highly specialized and experience-based, and it represents a niche market for only a few small precision instrument shops in the United States. With this backdrop, NASA s Aeronautics Test Program (ATP) chartered a team to examine the issues and risks associated with the problem, focusing specifically on strain- gage balances. The team partnered with the U.S. Air Force s Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) to exploit their combined capabilities and take a national level government view of the problem. This paper describes the team s approach, its findings, and its recommendations, and the current status for revitalizing the government s balance capability with respect to designing, fabricating, calibrating, and using the instruments.

Photometric Assessment of Night Sky Quality over Chaco Culture National Historical Park

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, Li-Wei; Duriscoe, Dan M.; White, Jeremy M.; Meadows, Bob; Anderson, Sharolyn J.

2018-06-01

The US National Park Service (NPS) characterizes night sky conditions over Chaco Culture National Historical Park using measurements in the park and satellite data. The park is located near the geographic center of the San Juan Basin of northwestern New Mexico and the adjacent Four Corners state. In the park, we capture a series of night sky images in V-band using our mobile camera system on nine nights from 2001 to 2016 at four sites. We perform absolute photometric calibration and determine the image placement to obtain multiple 45-million-pixel mosaic images of the entire night sky. We also model the regional night sky conditions in and around the park based on 2016 VIIRS satellite data. The average zenith brightness is 21.5 mag/arcsec2, and the whole sky is only ~16% brighter than the natural conditions. The faintest stars visible to naked eyes have magnitude of approximately 7.0, reaching the sensitivity limit of human eyes. The main impacts to Chaco’s night sky quality are the light domes from Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Farmington, Bloomfield, Gallup, Santa Fe, Grants, and Crown Point. A few of these light domes exceed the natural brightness of the Milky Way. Additionally, glare sources from oil and gas development sites are visible along the north and east horizons. Overall, the night sky quality at Chaco Culture National Historical Park is very good. The park preserves to a large extent the natural illumination cycles, providing a refuge for crepuscular and nocturnal species. During clear and dark nights, visitors have an opportunity to see the Milky Way from nearly horizon to horizon, complete constellations, and faint astronomical objects and natural sources of light such as the Andromeda Galaxy, zodiacal light, and airglow.

DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF THE KEY TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE QUALITY CONTROL AND INSPECTION OF NATIONAL GEOGRAPHICAL CONDITIONS SURVEY PRODUCTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. Zhao

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The First National Geographical Condition Survey is a predecessor task to dynamically master basic situations of the nature, ecology and human activities on the earth’s surface and it is the brand-new mapping geographic information engineering. In order to ensure comprehensive, real and accurate survey results and achieve the quality management target which the qualified rate is 100 % and the yield is more than 80 %, it is necessary to carry out the quality control and result inspection for national geographical conditions survey on a national scale. To ensure that achievement quality meets quality target requirements, this paper develops the key technology method of “five-in-one” quality control that is constituted by “quality control system of national geographical condition survey, quality inspection technology system, quality evaluation system, quality inspection information management system and national linked quality control institutions” by aiming at large scale, wide coverage range, more undertaking units, more management levels, technical updating, more production process and obvious regional differences in the national geographical condition survey and combining with novel achievement manifestation, complicated dependency, more special reference data, and large data size. This project fully considering the domestic and foreign related research results and production practice experience, combined with the technology development and the needs of the production, it stipulates the inspection methods and technical requirements of each stage in the quality inspection of the geographical condition survey results, and extends the traditional inspection and acceptance technology, and solves the key technologies that are badly needed in the first national geographic survey.

Development and Application of the Key Technologies for the Quality Control and Inspection of National Geographical Conditions Survey Products

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Y.; Zhang, L.; Ma, W.; Zhang, P.; Zhao, T.

2018-04-01

The First National Geographical Condition Survey is a predecessor task to dynamically master basic situations of the nature, ecology and human activities on the earth's surface and it is the brand-new mapping geographic information engineering. In order to ensure comprehensive, real and accurate survey results and achieve the quality management target which the qualified rate is 100 % and the yield is more than 80 %, it is necessary to carry out the quality control and result inspection for national geographical conditions survey on a national scale. To ensure that achievement quality meets quality target requirements, this paper develops the key technology method of "five-in-one" quality control that is constituted by "quality control system of national geographical condition survey, quality inspection technology system, quality evaluation system, quality inspection information management system and national linked quality control institutions" by aiming at large scale, wide coverage range, more undertaking units, more management levels, technical updating, more production process and obvious regional differences in the national geographical condition survey and combining with novel achievement manifestation, complicated dependency, more special reference data, and large data size. This project fully considering the domestic and foreign related research results and production practice experience, combined with the technology development and the needs of the production, it stipulates the inspection methods and technical requirements of each stage in the quality inspection of the geographical condition survey results, and extends the traditional inspection and acceptance technology, and solves the key technologies that are badly needed in the first national geographic survey.

Measuring Quality of Care Under Medicare and Medicaid

OpenAIRE

Jencks, Stephen F.

1995-01-01

The Health Care Financing Administration's (HCFA) approach to measuring quality of care uses an accepted definition of quality, explicit domains of measurement, and a formal validation procedure that includes face validity, construct validity, reliability, clinical validation, and tests for usefulness. The indicators of quality for Medicare and Medicaid patients span the range of service types, medical conditions, and payment systems and rest on a variety of data systems. Some have already be...

Quality-assurance plan and field methods for quality-of-water activities, U.S. Geological Survey, Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mann, L.J.

1996-10-01

Water-quality activities at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) Project Office are part of the US Geological Survey's (USGS) Water Resources Division (WRD) mission of appraising the quantity and quality of the Nation's water resources. The purpose of the Quality Assurance Plan (QAP) for water-quality activities performed by the INEL Project Office is to maintain and improve the quality of technical products, and to provide a formal standardization, documentation, and review of the activities that lead to these products. The principles of this plan are as follows: (1) water-quality programs will be planned in a competent manner and activities will be monitored for compliance with stated objectives and approaches; (2) field, laboratory, and office activities will be performed in a conscientious and professional manner in accordance with specified WRD practices and procedures by qualified and experienced employees who are well trained and supervised, if or when, WRD practices and procedures are inadequate, data will be collected in a manner that its quality will be documented; (3) all water-quality activities will be reviewed for completeness, reliability, credibility, and conformance to specified standards and guidelines; (4) a record of actions will be kept to document the activity and the assigned responsibility; (5) remedial action will be taken to correct activities that are deficient

What Counts as Quality in Education? Australian College of Educators (ACE) National Conference Proceedings (Adelaide, Australia, September 11-12, 2014)

Science.gov (United States)

Ghirelli, Paola S., Ed.

2014-01-01

The 2014 Australian College of Educators (ACE) National Conference was held September 11-12 in Adelaide, Australia, with the theme, "What counts as quality in education?" There has been concern with a general downward trend in Australia's performance on international measures of student achievement, but there is equal concern over the…

Measuring the quality of eligible collateral

OpenAIRE

Lehmbecker, Philipp; Missong, Martin

2008-01-01

Recently, the U. S. subprime crisis has shown that a weak collateralization of credits may have massive economic implications, entailing severe perturbations of the international financial system. We focus on central bank lending and try to pin down the quantitative impact of the collateralization of central banks' credits. A questionnaire on national monetary frameworks was used to collect data from central banks. Drawing on these data we derive an index of the quality of eligible assets mea...

Quality measures and assurance for AI (Artificial Intelligence) software

Science.gov (United States)

Rushby, John

1988-01-01

This report is concerned with the application of software quality and evaluation measures to AI software and, more broadly, with the question of quality assurance for AI software. Considered are not only the metrics that attempt to measure some aspect of software quality, but also the methodologies and techniques (such as systematic testing) that attempt to improve some dimension of quality, without necessarily quantifying the extent of the improvement. The report is divided into three parts Part 1 reviews existing software quality measures, i.e., those that have been developed for, and applied to, conventional software. Part 2 considers the characteristics of AI software, the applicability and potential utility of measures and techniques identified in the first part, and reviews those few methods developed specifically for AI software. Part 3 presents an assessment and recommendations for the further exploration of this important area.

Water quality data for national-scale aquatic research: The Water Quality Portal

Science.gov (United States)

Read, Emily K.; Carr, Lindsay; DeCicco, Laura; Dugan, Hilary; Hanson, Paul C.; Hart, Julia A.; Kreft, James; Read, Jordan S.; Winslow, Luke

2017-01-01

Aquatic systems are critical to food, security, and society. But, water data are collected by hundreds of research groups and organizations, many of which use nonstandard or inconsistent data descriptions and dissemination, and disparities across different types of water observation systems represent a major challenge for freshwater research. To address this issue, the Water Quality Portal (WQP) was developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the National Water Quality Monitoring Council to be a single point of access for water quality data dating back more than a century. The WQP is the largest standardized water quality data set available at the time of this writing, with more than 290 million records from more than 2.7 million sites in groundwater, inland, and coastal waters. The number of data contributors, data consumers, and third-party application developers making use of the WQP is growing rapidly. Here we introduce the WQP, including an overview of data, the standardized data model, and data access and services; and we describe challenges and opportunities associated with using WQP data. We also demonstrate through an example the value of the WQP data by characterizing seasonal variation in lake water clarity for regions of the continental U.S. The code used to access, download, analyze, and display these WQP data as shown in the figures is included as supporting information.

Measuring quality of life in first-episode psychosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Melle, I; Friis, Svein; Haahr, U

2005-01-01

Quality of life (QoL) measures are increasingly recognized as necessary parts of outcome assessments in psychosis. The present paper is a comprehensive study of patients with first-episode psychosis where QoL is measured by the commonly used Lehman Quality of Life Interview (L-QoLI). The aim...

Competency-Based Education: A Framework for Measuring Quality Courses

Science.gov (United States)

Krause, Jackie; Dias, Laura Portolese; Schedler, Chris

2015-01-01

The growth of competency-based education in an online environment requires the development and measurement of quality competency-based courses. While quality measures for online courses have been developed and standardized, they do not directly align with emerging best practices and principles in the design of quality competency-based online…

Laboratory quality stepwise implementation tool: National reference TB laboratory of Iran

OpenAIRE

Ali Naghi Kebriaee; Donya Malekshahian; Mojtaba Ahmadi; Parissa Farnia

2015-01-01

Background and objective: During recent years, the World Health Organization (WHO) proposed new software for improving the tuberculosis (TB) laboratory services. The protocol is known as “quality stepwise implementation tool” and is based on enforcement of quality assurance services through accreditation by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 15189. As a national reference TB laboratory (NRL) of Iran, the benefit and challenges of implementing this standard were analyzed....

Low-Level Plutonium Bioassay Measurements at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hamilton, T; Brown, T; Hickman, D; Marchetti, A; Williams, R; Kehl, S

2007-06-18

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has independently verified the accuracy and precision of the AMS detection system for low-level bioassay measurements of plutonium isotopes through participation in an intercomparison exercise whereby performance evaluation samples were prepared in a synthetic urine matrix and submitted to participating laboratories for blind analysis. The results of the analyses were then sent to the NIST to independently evaluate the performance of laboratory participants. At LLNL, the AMS measurements of {sup 239}Pu and {sup 240}Pu met ANSI 13.30 criteria for both precision and accuracy at all sample test levels. Livermore scientists continue to test the performance of the Marshall Islands Plutonium Urinalysis Program by routine blind analysis of externally prepared quality control test samples, and through the rigorous implementation of standardized methods and procedures. Although not addressed directly in the report, AMS measurements show that the urinary excretion of plutonium by selected Marshallese populations fall into a low and reproducible range. Moreover, there appears to be no evidence of small incremental intakes of plutonium associated with resettlement activities - past or present. The improved quality, reliability and detection sensitivity of AMS for low-level plutonium isotope measurements will enable DOE to develop high-quality, baseline urinary excretion data for Marshallese populations, and accurately assess and track potential uptakes of plutonium. associated with resettlement activities and/or from long-term changes in plutonium exposure conditions in the Marshall Islands.

Radiation measurements and quality control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McLaughlin, W.L.

1977-01-01

Accurate measurements are essential to research leading to a successful radiation process and to the commissioning of the process and the facility. On the other hand, once the process is in production, the importance to quality control of measuring radiation quantities (i.e., absorbed dose, dose rate, dose distribution) rather than various other parameters of the process (i.e. conveyor speed, dwell time, radiation field characteristics, product dimensions) is not clearly established. When the safety of the product is determined by the magnitude of the administered dose, as in radiation sterilization, waste control, or food preservation, accuracy and precision of the measurement of the effective dose are vital. Since physical dose measurements are usually simpler, more reliable and reproducible than biological testing of the product, there is a trend toward using standardized dosimetry for quality control of some processes. In many industrial products, however, such as vulcanized rubber, textiles, plastics, coatings, films, wire and cable, the effective dose can be controlled satisfactorily by controlling process variables or by product testing itself. In the measurement of radiation dose profiles by dosimetry, it is necessary to have suitable dose meter calibrations, to account for sources of error and imprecision, and to use correct statistical procedures in specifying dwell times or conveyor speeds and source and product parameters to achieve minimum and maximum doses within specifications. (author)

Quality Measurement Recommendations Relevant to Clinical Guidelines in Germany and the United Kingdom: (What) Can We Learn From Each Other?

Science.gov (United States)

Petzold, Thomas; Deckert, Stefanie; Williamson, Paula R.; Schmitt, Jochen

2018-01-01

We conducted a systematic review of clinical guidelines (CGs) to examine the methodological approaches of quality indicator derivation in CGs, the frequency of quality indicators to check CG recommendations in routine care, and clinimetric properties of quality indicators. We analyzed the publicly available CG databases of the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in Germany (AWMF) and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Data on the methodology of subsequent quality indicator derivation, the content and definition of recommended quality indicators, and clinimetric properties of measurement instruments were extracted. In Germany, no explicit methodological guidance exists, but 3 different approaches are used. For NICE, a general approach is used for the derivation of quality indicators out of quality standards. Quality indicators were defined in 34 out of 87 CGs (39%) in Germany and for 58 out of 133 (43%) NICE CGs. Statements regarding measurement properties of instruments for quality indicator assessment were missing in German and NICE documents. Thirteen pairs of CGs (32%) have associated quality indicators. Thirty-four quality indicators refer to the same aspect of the quality of care, which corresponds to 27% of the German and 7% of NICE quality indicators. The development of a standardized and internationally accepted methodology for the derivation of quality indicators relevant to CGs is needed to measure and compare quality of care in health care systems. PMID:29591538

DUQuE quality management measures: associations between quality management at hospital and pathway levels

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wagner, C.; Groene, O.; Thompson, C.A.; DerSarkissian, M.; Klazinga, N.S.; Arah, O.A.; Sunol, R.

2014-01-01

Objective. The assessment of integral quality management (QM) in a hospital requires measurement and monitoring from different perspectives and at various levels of care delivery. Within the DUQuE project (Deepening our Understanding of Quality improvement in Europe), seven measures for QM were

DUQuE quality management measures: associations between quality management at hospital and pathway levels.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wagner, C.; Groene, O.; Thompson, C.A.; DerSarkissian, M.; Klazinga, N.S.; Arah, O.A.; Suñol, R.

2014-01-01

Objective: The assessment of integral quality management (QM) in a hospital requires measurement and monitoring from different perspectives and at various levels of care delivery. Within the DUQuE project (Deepening our Understanding of Quality improvement in Europe), seven measures for QM were

Improving quality of breast cancer surgery through development of a national breast cancer surgical outcomes (BRCASO research database

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aiello Bowles Erin J

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Common measures of surgical quality are 30-day morbidity and mortality, which poorly describe breast cancer surgical quality with extremely low morbidity and mortality rates. Several national quality programs have collected additional surgical quality measures; however, program participation is voluntary and results may not be generalizable to all surgeons. We developed the Breast Cancer Surgical Outcomes (BRCASO database to capture meaningful breast cancer surgical quality measures among a non-voluntary sample, and study variation in these measures across providers, facilities, and health plans. This paper describes our study protocol, data collection methods, and summarizes the strengths and limitations of these data. Methods We included 4524 women ≥18 years diagnosed with breast cancer between 2003-2008. All women with initial breast cancer surgery performed by a surgeon employed at the University of Vermont or three Cancer Research Network (CRN health plans were eligible for inclusion. From the CRN institutions, we collected electronic administrative data including tumor registry information, Current Procedure Terminology codes for breast cancer surgeries, surgeons, surgical facilities, and patient demographics. We supplemented electronic data with medical record abstraction to collect additional pathology and surgery detail. All data were manually abstracted at the University of Vermont. Results The CRN institutions pre-filled 30% (22 out of 72 of elements using electronic data. The remaining elements, including detailed pathology margin status and breast and lymph node surgeries, required chart abstraction. The mean age was 61 years (range 20-98 years; 70% of women were diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma, 20% with ductal carcinoma in situ, and 10% with invasive lobular carcinoma. Conclusions The BRCASO database is one of the largest, multi-site research resources of meaningful breast cancer surgical quality data

Quality assurance consideration for cement-based grout technology programs at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDaniel, E.W.; Tallent, O.K.; Sams, T.L.; Delzer, D.B.

1987-01-01

Oak Ridge National Laboratory has developed and is continuing to refine a method of immobilizing low-level radioactive liquid wastes by mixing them with cementitious dry-solid blends. A quality assurance program is vital to the project because Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state environmental regulations must be demonstrably met (the work must be defensible in a court of law). The end result of quality assurance (QA) is, by definition, a product of demonstrable quality. In the laboratory, this entails traceability, repeatability, and credibility. This paper describes the application of QA in grout technology development at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

DUQuE quality management measures: associations between quality management at hospital and pathway levels

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wagner, Cordula; Groene, Oliver; Thompson, Caroline A.; Dersarkissian, Maral; Klazinga, Niek S.; Arah, Onyebuchi A.; Suñol, Rosa; Kringos, D. S.; Lombarts, K.; Plochg, T.; Lopez, M. A.; Secanell, M.; Sunol, R.; Vallejo, P.; Bartels, P.; Kristensen, S.; Michel, P.; Saillour-Glenisson, F.; Vlcek, F.; Car, M.; Jones, S.; Klaus, E.; Garel, P.; Hanslik, K.; Saluvan, M.; Bruneau, C.; Depaigne-Loth, A.; Shaw, C.; Hammer, A.; Ommen, O.; Pfaff, H.; Groene, O.; Botje, D.; Wagner, C.; Kutaj-Wasikowska, H.; Kutryba, B.; Escoval, A.; Franca, M.; Almeman, F.; Kus, H.; Ozturk, K.; Mannion, R.; Chow, A.; Dersarkissian, M.; Thompson, C.; Wang, A.; Thompson, A.

2014-01-01

The assessment of integral quality management (QM) in a hospital requires measurement and monitoring from different perspectives and at various levels of care delivery. Within the DUQuE project (Deepening our Understanding of Quality improvement in Europe), seven measures for QM were developed. This

Standard guide for making quality nondestructive assay measurements

CERN Document Server

American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

2009-01-01

1.1 This guide is a compendium of Quality Measurement Practices for performing measurements of radioactive material using nondestructive assay (NDA) instruments. The primary purpose of the guide is to assist users in arriving at quality NDA results, that is, results that satisfy the end user’s needs. This is accomplished by providing an acceptable and uniform basis for the collection, analysis, comparison, and application of data. The recommendations are not compulsory or prerequisites to achieving quality NDA measurements, but are considered contributory in most areas. 1.2 This guide applies to the use of NDA instrumentation for the measurement of nuclear materials by the observation of spontaneous or stimulated nuclear radiations, including photons, neutrons, or the flow of heat. Recommended calibration, operating, and assurance methods represent guiding principles based on current NDA technology. The diversity of industry-wide nuclear materials measurement applications and instrumentation precludes disc...

Conceptualizing and Measuring the Quality of Democracy: The Citizens’ Perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dieter Fuchs

2018-03-01

Full Text Available In recent years, several measurements of the quality of democracy have been developed (e.g. Democracy Barometer, Varieties of Democracy Project. These objective measurements focus on institutional and procedural characteristics of democracy. This article starts from the premise that in order to fully understand the quality of democracy such objective measurements have to be complemented by subjective measurements based on the perspective of citizens. The aim of the article is to conceptualize and measure the subjective quality of democracy. First, a conceptualization of the subjective quality of democracy is developed consisting of citizens’ support for three normative models of democracy (electoral, liberal, and direct democracy. Second, based on the World Values Survey 2005–2007, an instrument measuring these different dimensions of the subjective quality of democracy is suggested. Third, distributions for different models of democracy are presented for some European and non-European liberal democracies. They reveal significant differences regarding the subjective quality of democracies. Fourth, the subjective quality of democracy of these countries is compared with the objective quality of democracy based on three indices (electoral democracy, liberal democracy and direct popular vote developed by the Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem Project. Finally, further research questions are discussed.

Implementation of the quality assurance programmes for radiotherapy at the national level

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaervinen, H.

1997-01-01

In Finland, the general principles and objectives of the QA are being more and more incorporated in the basic curricula of radiotherapy professionals: radiotherapists, radiation technologists (nurses), and the physicists, in particular. The medical physicists are identified as an independent specialty which, after the general studies in physics requires a special examination and five years practicing in various aspects of radiotherapy clinical work. Specific meetings organized both occasionally and regularly by national societies, hospitals and the authorities collect together different specialists in the field, thus providing opportunities for continuous up-keeping of knowledge and the exchange of experiences in QA. The Finnish Centre for Radiation and nuclear Safety (STUK), operating under the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, is the national authority for radiation protection covering all fields of the application of radiation. Besides its supervisory role, i.e. to control that the safety of various applications meets the requirements et by legislation, considerable amount of the resources are devoted to research in support of the supervisory activities. For radiotherapy, the leading principle is to ensure the safety of patients, personnel and the public, the good accuracy of the dose to the patient being one of the main objectives. In essence, this leading principle manifests itself through the maintenance of standards, measurement techniques and calibration services traceable to the international measurement system, and through the legal inspections as well as independent reviews and measurements to assess the QA systems of hospitals (i.e. through Dosimetry Audits or Quality Audits)

Measuring Service Quality in a Tertiary Institution.

Science.gov (United States)

Soutar, Geoffrey; McNeil, Margaret

1996-01-01

Measures service quality from the viewpoint of customers (students at an Australian university), using the SERVQUAL model. Obtains evaluations of academic and administrative aspects of the educational service. Makes significant negative evaluations of administrative service quality (resulting from communication problems). Satisfaction with the…

Measurement of Quality to Improve Care in Sleep Medicine

OpenAIRE

Morgenthaler, Timothy I.; Aronsky, Amy J.; Carden, Kelly A.; Chervin, Ronald D.; Thomas, Sherene M.; Watson, Nathaniel F.

2015-01-01

The Board of Directors of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) commissioned a Task Force to develop quality measures as part of its strategic plan to promote high quality patient-centered care. Among many potential dimensions of quality, the AASM requested Workgroups to develop outcome and process measures to aid in evaluating the quality of care of five common sleep disorders: restless legs syndrome, insomnia, narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea in adults, and obstructive sleep apne...

Direct measurement of electron beam quality conversion factors using water calorimetry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Renaud, James, E-mail: james.renaud@mail.mcgill.ca; Seuntjens, Jan [Medical Physics Unit, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H3G 1A4 (Canada); Sarfehnia, Arman [Medical Physics Unit, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H3G 1A4, Canada and Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E2 (Canada); Marchant, Kristin [Allan Blair Cancer Centre, Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, Regina, Saskatchewan S4T 7T1, Canada and Department of Oncology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5A1 (Canada); McEwen, Malcolm; Ross, Carl [Ionizing Radiation Standards, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6 (Canada)

2015-11-15

Purpose: In this work, the authors describe an electron sealed water calorimeter (ESWcal) designed to directly measure absorbed dose to water in clinical electron beams and its use to derive electron beam quality conversion factors for two ionization chamber types. Methods: A functioning calorimeter prototype was constructed in-house and used to obtain reproducible measurements in clinical accelerator-based 6, 9, 12, 16, and 20 MeV electron beams. Corrections for the radiation field perturbation due to the presence of the glass calorimeter vessel were calculated using Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. The conductive heat transfer due to dose gradients and nonwater materials was also accounted for using a commercial finite element method software package. Results: The relative combined standard uncertainty on the ESWcal dose was estimated to be 0.50% for the 9–20 MeV beams and 1.00% for the 6 MeV beam, demonstrating that the development of a water calorimeter-based standard for electron beams over such a wide range of clinically relevant energies is feasible. The largest contributor to the uncertainty was the positioning (Type A, 0.10%–0.40%) and its influence on the perturbation correction (Type B, 0.10%–0.60%). As a preliminary validation, measurements performed with the ESWcal in a 6 MV photon beam were directly compared to results derived from the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) photon beam standard water calorimeter. These two independent devices were shown to agree well within the 0.43% combined relative uncertainty of the ESWcal for this beam type and quality. Absorbed dose electron beam quality conversion factors were measured using the ESWcal for the Exradin A12 and PTW Roos ionization chambers. The photon-electron conversion factor, k{sub ecal}, for the A12 was also experimentally determined. Nonstatistically significant differences of up to 0.7% were found when compared to the calculation-based factors listed in the AAPM’s TG-51 protocol

A national study of nurse leadership and supports for quality improvement in rural hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Paez, Kathryn; Schur, Claudia; Zhao, Lan; Lucado, Jennifer

2013-01-01

This study assessed the perceptions and actions of rural hospital nurse executives with regard to patient safety and quality improvement (QI). A national sample of rural hospital nurse executives (n = 300) completed a survey measuring 4 domains related to patient safety and QI: (a) patient "Safety Culture," (b) adequacy of QI "Resources," (c) "Barriers" related to QI, and (d) "Nurse Leader Engagement" in activities supporting QI. Perceptions of Safety Culture were strong but 47% of the Resources needed to carry out QI were inadequate, 29% of Barriers were moderate to major, and 25% of Nurse Leader Engagement activities were performed infrequently. Nurse Leader Engagement in quality-related activities was less frequent among nurses in isolated and small rural town hospitals compared with large rural city hospitals. To further QI, rural nurse executives may need to use their communications and actions to raise the visibility of QI.

Measuring Quality in Online Education: A Meta-Synthesis

Science.gov (United States)

Esfijani, Azam

2018-01-01

This article presents a meta-synthesis review of quality of online education (QOE) measurement approaches. In order to survey the existing body of knowledge, a qualitative method was employed to investigate what quality of online education is comprised of and how the concept has been measured through the literature. To achieve this, a total of 112…

Quality of Artemisinin-Containing Antimalarials in Tanzania's Private Sector--Results from a Nationally Representative Outlet Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Act Consortium Drug Quality Project Team And The Impact Study Team

2015-06-01

Ensuring that artemisinin-containing antimalarials (ACAs) are of good quality is a key component of effective malaria treatment. There are concerns that a high proportion of ACAs are falsified or substandard, though estimates are rarely based on representative data. During a nationally representative survey in Tanzania, ACAs were purchased from private retail drug outlets, and the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) was measured. All 1,737 ACAs contained the labeled artemisinin derivative, with 4.1% being outside the 85-115% artemisinin API range defined as acceptable quality. World Health Organization (WHO) prequalified drugs had 0.1 times the odds of being poor quality compared with non-prequalified ACAs for the artemisinin component. When partner components of combination therapies were also considered, 12.1% were outside the acceptable API range, and WHO prequalified ACAs had 0.04 times the odds of being poor quality. Although the prevalence of poor quality ACAs was lower than reported elsewhere, the minority of samples found to be substandard is a cause for concern. Improvements in quality could be achieved by increasing the predominance of WHO prequalified products in the market. Continued monitoring of quality standards is essential. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

The National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program planned monitoring and modeling activities for Texas, 2013–23

Science.gov (United States)

Ging, Patricia

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program was established by Congress in 1992 to answer the following question: What is the status of the Nation’s water quality and is it getting better or worse? Since 1992, NAWQA has been a primary source of nationally consistent data and information on the quality of the Nation’s streams and groundwater. Data and information obtained from objective and nationally consistent water-quality monitoring and modeling activities provide answers to where, when, and why the Nation’s water quality is degraded and what can be done to improve and protect it for human and ecosystem needs. For NAWQA’s third decade (2013–23), a new strategic Science Plan has been developed that describes a strategy for building upon and enhancing the USGS’s ongoing assessment of the Nation’s freshwater quality and aquatic ecosystems.

Measuring tourists' satisfaction with quality of life issues at an arts festival

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Kruger

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to measure tourists' satisfaction with quality of life issues at an arts festival - the Aardklop National Arts Festival in Potchefstroom. Problem investigated: Understanding satisfaction with quality of life issues could assist Festival organizers and other businesses to improve services for tourists by tailoring these to meet their needs. Satisfied tourists spread positive word-of-mouth communication and are more likely to return in the future. Methodology: A self-administered survey developed and validated by Neal, Sirgy and Uysal (1999:156 & 2004:245 was fielded at the 2007 Aardklop National Arts Festival in Potchefstroom. The target population included all visitors to the Festival who were staying for two or more days, and who had travelled to Potchefstroom from elsewhere. Findings and implications: Respondents were satisfied with travel / tourism services and experiences at the Festival, and with their leisure time and life in general. However, certain things at the Festival led to lowered levels of satisfaction. Demographically, respondents did not differ significantly in their levels of satisfaction with travel / tourism services, travel / tourism experiences, leisure life, and life in general at the Festival except in terms of population group and region from which they came. Organizers of the Festival and other businesses should take cognizance of the fact that all parties involved in providing services to tourists attending an arts festival impact on their satisfaction levels with travel / tourism services and experiences - and ultimately also on their quality of life. Tourists attending the arts festival are not homogenous and differ substantially in terms of their demographic profile. Tourist service providers should tailor their offerings in order to satisfy the varied needs of the different types of tourist attending the Festival. Originality and value of the research: This research focused on

Water Quality Conditions Associated with Cattle Grazing and Recreation on National Forest Lands.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leslie M Roche

Full Text Available There is substantial concern that microbial and nutrient pollution by cattle on public lands degrades water quality, threatening human and ecological health. Given the importance of clean water on multiple-use landscapes, additional research is required to document and examine potential water quality issues across common resource use activities. During the 2011 grazing-recreation season, we conducted a cross sectional survey of water quality conditions associated with cattle grazing and/or recreation on 12 public lands grazing allotments in California. Our specific study objectives were to 1 quantify fecal indicator bacteria (FIB; fecal coliform and E. coli, total nitrogen, nitrate, ammonium, total phosphorus, and soluble-reactive phosphorus concentrations in surface waters; 2 compare results to a water quality regulatory benchmarks, b recommended maximum nutrient concentrations, and c estimates of nutrient background concentrations; and 3 examine relationships between water quality, environmental conditions, cattle grazing, and recreation. Nutrient concentrations observed throughout the grazing-recreation season were at least one order of magnitude below levels of ecological concern, and were similar to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA estimates for background water quality conditions in the region. The relative percentage of FIB regulatory benchmark exceedances widely varied under individual regional and national water quality standards. Relative to USEPA's national E. coli FIB benchmarks-the most contemporary and relevant standards for this study-over 90% of the 743 samples collected were below recommended criteria values. FIB concentrations were significantly greater when stream flow was low or stagnant, water was turbid, and when cattle were actively observed at sampling. Recreation sites had the lowest mean FIB, total nitrogen, and soluble-reactive phosphorus concentrations, and there were no significant differences in FIB and

Water quality data for national-scale aquatic research: The Water Quality Portal

Science.gov (United States)

Read, Emily K.; Carr, Lindsay; De Cicco, Laura; Dugan, Hilary A.; Hanson, Paul C.; Hart, Julia A.; Kreft, James; Read, Jordan S.; Winslow, Luke A.

2017-02-01

xml:id="wrcr22485-sec-1001" numbered="no">Aquatic systems are critical to food, security, and society. But, water data are collected by hundreds of research groups and organizations, many of which use nonstandard or inconsistent data descriptions and dissemination, and disparities across different types of water observation systems represent a major challenge for freshwater research. To address this issue, the Water Quality Portal (WQP) was developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the National Water Quality Monitoring Council to be a single point of access for water quality data dating back more than a century. The WQP is the largest standardized water quality data set available at the time of this writing, with more than 290 million records from more than 2.7 million sites in groundwater, inland, and coastal waters. The number of data contributors, data consumers, and third-party application developers making use of the WQP is growing rapidly. Here we introduce the WQP, including an overview of data, the standardized data model, and data access and services; and we describe challenges and opportunities associated with using WQP data. We also demonstrate through an example the value of the WQP data by characterizing seasonal variation in lake water clarity for regions of the continental U.S. The code used to access, download, analyze, and display these WQP data as shown in the figures is included as supporting information.

Measurements of air contaminants during the Cerro Grande fire at Los Alamos National Laboratory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eberhart, Craig

2010-08-01

Ambient air sampling for radioactive air contaminants was continued throughout the Cerro Grande fire that burned part of Los Alamos National Laboratory. During the fire, samples were collected more frequently than normal because buildup of smoke particles on the filters was decreasing the air flow. Overall, actual sampling time was 96% of the total possible sampling time for the May 2000 samples. To evaluate potential human exposure to air contaminants, the samples were analyzed as soon as possible and for additional specific radionuclides. Analyses showed that the smoke from the fire included resuspended radon decay products that had been accumulating for many years on the vegetation and the forest floor that burned. Concentrations of plutonium, americium, and depleted uranium were also measurable, but at locations and concentrations comparable to non-fire periods. A continuous particulate matter sampler measured concentrations that exceeded the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for PM-10 (particles less than 10 micrometers in diameter). These high concentrations were caused by smoke from the fire when it was close to the sampler.

Methods to characterize environmental settings of stream and groundwater sampling sites for National Water-Quality Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Nakagaki, Naomi; Hitt, Kerie J.; Price, Curtis V.; Falcone, James A.

2012-01-01

Characterization of natural and anthropogenic features that define the environmental settings of sampling sites for streams and groundwater, including drainage basins and groundwater study areas, is an essential component of water-quality and ecological investigations being conducted as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment program. Quantitative characterization of environmental settings, combined with physical, chemical, and biological data collected at sampling sites, contributes to understanding the status of, and influences on, water-quality and ecological conditions. To support studies for the National Water-Quality Assessment program, a geographic information system (GIS) was used to develop a standard set of methods to consistently characterize the sites, drainage basins, and groundwater study areas across the nation. This report describes three methods used for characterization-simple overlay, area-weighted areal interpolation, and land-cover-weighted areal interpolation-and their appropriate applications to geographic analyses that have different objectives and data constraints. In addition, this document records the GIS thematic datasets that are used for the Program's national design and data analyses.

Quality assurance on the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory Buried Waste Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rasmussen, T.L.

1989-01-01

This paper discusses the clean-up of an Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) site utilized for disposal of transuranic contaminated waste from 1954 until 1970. The author presents requirements of the environmental protection statutes that have generated quality assurance requirements in addition to those historically implemented as a part of facility design, construction and operation. A hierarchy of program guidance quality documentation and procedures is discussed. Data qualification and computer database management are identified as requirements

Impact of Quality Improvement Educational Interventions on Documented Adherence to Quality Measures for Adults with Crohn's Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Greene, Laurence; Sapir, Tamar; Moreo, Kathleen; Carter, Jeffrey D; Patel, Barry; Higgins, Peter D R

2015-09-01

In recent years, leading organizations in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have developed quality measures for the care of adults with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. We used chart audits to assess the impact of quality improvement educational activities on documented adherence to Physician Quality Reporting System measures for IBD. Twenty community-based gastroenterologists were recruited to participate in baseline chart audits (n = 200), a series of 4 accredited educational activities with feedback, and follow-up chart audits (n = 200). Trained abstractors reviewed randomly selected charts of adults with moderate or severe Crohn's disease. The charts were retrospectively abstracted for physicians' documented performance of the 2013 Physician Quality Reporting System IBD quality measures. We compared the physicians' baseline and posteducation rates of documented adherence with 10 of these measures. In a secondary analysis, we compared preeducation with posteducation difference scores of low-performing physicians, those whose baseline documentation rates were in the lowest quartile, and the rest of the cohort. At baseline, documentation of mean provider-level adherence to the 10 quality measures ranged from 3% to 98% (grand mean = 35.8%). In the overall analysis, baseline and posteducation rates of documented adherence did not differ significantly for any of the measures. However, for 4 measures, preeducation to posteducation difference scores were significantly greater among low performers than physicians in the highest 3 quartiles. The results of this preliminary pragmatic study indicate that quality improvement education affords the potential to improve adherence to Physician Quality Reporting System quality measures for IBD among low-performing gastroenterologists.

Data quality objectives for moisture measurement in stabilized special nuclear material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weier, D.R.; Pulsipher, B.A.; Silvers, K.L.

2000-01-01

Data Quality Objectives methodology is applied to Loss-on-Ignition (LOI) moisture content testing for stabilized nuclear materials. This work was performed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in support of the Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP)/Fluor Hanford, Inc. Historical results on LOI test results for two material types, oxide and sludge, are used to estimate within container variability. This variability estimate is then used in formulating the two recommended acceptance criteria for containers of material. The criteria which follow are proposed to replace the current criterion, which requires recycle if either of two container LOI measurements exceed 0.5 wt%, the DOE Standard 3013-99 threshold value. (1) The 95% upper confidence limit (UCL) for the true mean underlying moisture content in the container material should be less than 0.5 wt%. (2) The difference between the two LOI measurements per container should not exceed their expected 95th percentile relative to the estimated variability. Containers not meeting the first criterion, or those that generate in any negative LOI result, require material recycle. Containers not meeting the second criteria require review of the measurement results, potentially leading to resampling and retesting. Data from Los Alamos National Laboratory studies on moisture testing are obtained and analyzed. The performance of Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE), which will soon be implemented at the PFP, is described for several material types. This information will be used to establish initial acceptance criteria when SFE comes on line

The Role of Radiological Protection in Sweden's National Environmental quality Objectives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hubbard, L.; Mjones, L.; Holm, E.

2004-01-01

In 1999, the Swedish Parliament adopted fifteen environmental quality objectives, defining the quality of Sweden's environment and of its natural and cultural resources that will insure sustainable growth. In 2001, the government proposed interim targets for each objective, specifying the direction and time scale of the proposed actions. These objectives give Sweden a unique opportunity to define, quantify and achieve an ecologically sustainable environment. One of the national objectives, A Safe Radiation Environment, targets both ionising and non-ionising radiation and states, human health and biological diversity must be protected against the harmful effects of radiation in the environment. The Swedish Radiation Protection Authority (SSI) has the responsibility for formulating and achieving the interim targets for this objective. The targets presently focus on controlling radioactive emissions, limiting exposures to ultraviolet radiation and defining the risks from exposure to electromagnetic fields. Part of SSI's responsibility for the environmental quality objective is to develop a system for monitoring and quantifying progress towards each interim target. Sweden's National Board of Housing, Building and Planning (NBHBP) is responsible for another of the national objectives, A Good Built- Environment. As part of this objective, a special interim target for the indoor environment was approved by Parliament in 2002, which includes a specification for human exposure to radon in indoor air. It states: radon concentrations should be lower than 200 Bq/m3 in schools and pre-schools by the year 2010, and below 200 Bq/m3 in homes by 2020. This substantially raises the level of ambition regarding reducing exposure to indoor radon. The aim of this paper is to briefly summarize the role of radiological protection in Sweden's environmental quality objectives. (Author) 3 refs

Summary and evaluation of pesticides in field blanks collected for the National Water-Quality Assessment Program, 1992-95

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Jeffrey D.; Gilliom, Robert J.; Schertz, Terry L.

1999-01-01

Field blanks are quality-control samples used to assess contamination in environmental water samples. Contamination is the unintentional introduction of a chemical (pesticides in this instance) into an environmental water sample from sources such as inadequately cleaned equipment, dirty hands, dust, rain, or fumes. Contamination causes a positive bias in analytical measurements that may need to be considered in the analysis and interpretation of the environmental data. Estimates of pesticide contamination in environmental water samples collected for the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program are used to qualify, where needed, interpretations of the occurrence and distribution of pesticides in the surface and ground waters of the United States.

77 FR 77035 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-31

... to Dawn Bailey, Baldrige Performance Excellence Program, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 1020, National... Commerce is responsible for the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program (BPEP) and the Malcolm Baldrige... Collection; Comment Request; Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and Examiner Applications AGENCY...

Adaptive measurements of urban runoff quality

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Brandon P.; Kerkez, Branko

2016-11-01

An approach to adaptively measure runoff water quality dynamics is introduced, focusing specifically on characterizing the timing and magnitude of urban pollutographs. Rather than relying on a static schedule or flow-weighted sampling, which can miss important water quality dynamics if parameterized inadequately, novel Internet-enabled sensor nodes are used to autonomously adapt their measurement frequency to real-time weather forecasts and hydrologic conditions. This dynamic approach has the potential to significantly improve the use of constrained experimental resources, such as automated grab samplers, which continue to provide a strong alternative to sampling water quality dynamics when in situ sensors are not available. Compared to conventional flow-weighted or time-weighted sampling schemes, which rely on preset thresholds, a major benefit of the approach is the ability to dynamically adapt to features of an underlying hydrologic signal. A 28 km2 urban watershed was studied to characterize concentrations of total suspended solids (TSS) and total phosphorus. Water quality samples were autonomously triggered in response to features in the underlying hydrograph and real-time weather forecasts. The study watershed did not exhibit a strong first flush and intraevent concentration variability was driven by flow acceleration, wherein the largest loadings of TSS and total phosphorus corresponded with the steepest rising limbs of the storm hydrograph. The scalability of the proposed method is discussed in the context of larger sensor network deployments, as well the potential to improving control of urban water quality.

Measuring the Quality of Ecotourism Services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nor’Aini Yusof

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Ecotourism forms the pillar of the country’s tourism industry. Ecotourists make up more than 10% of international tourists in Malaysia. When service quality is thought of as an important factor to the success of tourism service providers, the importance of estimating service quality provided to tourists becomes apparent. Estimating service quality provides tourism service providers with the necessary information needed to manage their marketing operations appropriately. Therefore, this estimation should be performed with the right measurement scales. Despite the high volume of research on service quality (SERVQUAL models in recent years, limited effort has been directed toward improving the tool for measuring service quality, particularly to apply to the ecotourism sector in developing countries. This article aims to improve a SERVQUAL model that is suitable for ecotourism areas in developing countries using five dimensions of the original model and one additional sustainability dimension. Based on a survey of 127 tourists in Tasik Kenyir, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA was conducted to discover the underlying dimension of ecotourism services and test for reliability and validity. Using EFA resulted in seven factors totaling 27 items. These factors are labeled as follows: tangible sustainability, sustainable practices, tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. The results reveal that when SERVQUAL is applied within the ecotourism context, new dimensions of tangible sustainability and sustainable practices may emerge. The result implies the need to refine the SERVQUAL model when used in different contexts.

Quality assurance in biomarker measurement.

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Aitio, A; Apostoli, P

1995-05-01

Quality assurance (QA) concerns the validity of all the analytical processes (from collection of the samples to interpretation of the results). It is not an abstract concept but must be adapted to the different situations such as the different exposure levels, the different analytical methods, and the context of use (risk assessment procedures, research, routine determinations). The main requirements in QA programmes regard the control of all the known sources of preanalytical and analytical variations, while the instruments with which adequate QA can be implemented are the certified materials and the quality control programmes (quality manual, internal and external quality controls). Another important concept in QA is that measurements must be placed a different metrological levels: at the highest there are the methods (definitive, reference) to be used for assessing accuracy of routine methods. QA programmes should enable a grading of biomarkers (from experimental only to full evaluated) and of the laboratories in order to identify the significance of the test and to assess the level at which a laboratory could operate.

Present status of quality assurance system for radiation therapy in the national hospital and sanatorium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uno, Takashi; Itami, Jun; Kotaka, Kikuo; Terui, Takashi

1994-01-01

In order to improve the precision of radiation therapy and structure of radiation oncology, the state of quality assurance (QA) system for external radiation therapy in Japanese national hospitals and sanatoriums were investigated, by a questionnaire method. The questionnaire included the equipments, the personnel, and a frequency in quality assurance check of each radiation therapy facilities. The results clarified that real photon energy of megavoltage equipment was measured in only 57% of 58% institutions; frequency of the dose monitor calibration was suboptimal; personnel scale was markedly insufficient; some treatment-related apparatus was inappropriately arranged between institutions. Based on these results, it was considered that the precision of radiation therapy and its QA state could not be improved without personnel sufficiency. In the present situation, we should consider the arrangement of treatment facilities in each area and specialization of radiation therapy between institutions. (author)

Evaluation of Human Prehension Using Grasp Quality Measures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beatriz León

2012-10-01

Full Text Available One of the main features of the human hand is its grasping ability. Robot grasping has been studied for years and different quality measures have been proposed to evaluate the stability and manipulability of grasps. Although the human hand is obviously more complex than robot hands, the methods used in robotics might be adopted to study the human grasp. The purpose of this work is to propose a set of measures that allow the evaluation of different aspects of the human grasp. The most common robotic grasp quality measures have been adapted to the evaluation of the human hand and a new quality measure – the fatigue index – is proposed in order to incorporate the biomechanical aspect into the evaluation. The minimum set of indices that allows the evaluation of the different aspects of the grasp is obtained from the analysis of a human prehension experiment.

Air Quality Measurements And Characterization - A Resource For Sustainable Development In Nigeria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ugwuanyi, J. U

2002-01-01

My assignment in this paper is to present an overview of a proposed research work on air quality measurements and characterization in Nigeria, using Niger Delta region and Benue State as a case study. A preliminary study indicates that ambient air quality in the country far exceeds the international Ambient Air Quality Standards (AAQS). And, there is a strong indication that concentration levels of particle mass, elements, and organic compounds, et alia. are being elevated and that daily respiratory-related emergency visits could be correlated with the ambient and aerosol concentrations. Indeed, the environmental impact matrices of tile patients versus airborne diseases in Benue State indicate that the inferno is already affecting the quality of life and productivity of the people. Observations also show that the Niger Delta's main environmental challenges result from gas flaring, oil spills and deforestation. Although the monetary losses due to air pollution in Nigeria is yet to be quantified, Nigeria loses about $ 2.5 billion per annum due to gas flaring alone. The paper presents background to the problem, program of work/methodology, Physics of air pollutants, energy conservation (material balances), air pollutants and associated diseases, anticipated benefits of the proposed research and its relevance to the nation building

A New Measurement and Ranking System for the UK National Student Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Canning, John

2015-01-01

Despite numerous criticisms of the UK National Student Survey (NSS) institutional managers still strongly support its use in informing student choice, quality and assurance and quality enhancement activities. This article outlines a granular and nuanced benchmarking system for the NSS which provides both a "raw" score (weighted student…

Quality of physician communication about human papillomavirus vaccine: findings from a national survey.

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Gilkey, Melissa B; Malo, Teri L; Shah, Parth D; Hall, Megan E; Brewer, Noel T

2015-11-01

Improving the quality of physicians' recommendations for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is critical to addressing low coverage. Thus, we sought to describe HPV vaccine communication practices among primary care physicians. Pediatricians and family physicians (n = 776) completed our national online survey in 2014. We assessed the quality of their HPV vaccine recommendations on strength of endorsement (i.e., saying the vaccine is important), timeliness (recommending it by ages 11-12), consistency (recommending it routinely vs. using a risk-based approach), and urgency (recommending same-day vaccination). A sizeable minority of physicians reported that they do not strongly endorse HPV vaccine (27%) or deliver timely recommendations for girls (26%) or boys (39%). Many physicians (59%) used a risk-based approach to recommending HPV vaccine, and only half (51%) usually recommended same-day vaccination. Overall recommendation quality was lower among physicians who were uncomfortable talking about HPV vaccine or who believed parents did not value it. Quality was higher among physicians who began discussions by saying the child was due for HPV vaccine versus giving information or eliciting questions. Many physicians in our national sample reported recommending HPV vaccine inconsistently, behind schedule, or without urgency. These practices likely contribute to under-immunization among adolescents, and may convey ambivalence to parents. As one of the first studies to assess multiple aspects of recommendation quality, these findings can inform the many state and national initiatives that aim to improve communication about HPV vaccine so as to address the persistent underuse of a powerful tool for cancer prevention. ©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.

Measuring the quality of health care: state of the art.

Science.gov (United States)

Donaldson, M S; Nolan, K

1997-05-01

September 12-13, 1996, in Washington, DC, the Institute of Medicine, as part of its Special Initiative on Health Care Quality, held an invitational conference to illustrate exemplary quality measurement and to discuss the results. Patient reports, innovative uses of outcome measures for quality improvement, risk adjustment, assessment in integrated health plans and health care settings, clinical guidelines, and projects on disseminating information on quality measurement techniques and tools were among the topics represented. Brent James described studies undertaken to reduce adverse drug events (ADEs). When implementing any measurement system where error is a possible factor, it is important to emphasize identifying problems for the purpose of learning, not judgment. Lucian Leape agreed that staff involved must feel that the purpose of the study is to examine system problems, not individuals' mistakes. David Classen described a nonproprietary computerized disease-management program designed to reduce ADEs in infectious diseases. "A QUALITY VISION": Robert Brook said that the relationship between cost or resources devoted to care and quality is not well understood and is certainly not simple. He also said that although investments in measurement strategies are needed to make them better, that doesn't mean we shouldn't attempt to use the measurements we have now. Mark Chassin said that the presentations at the conference provided evidence that should allow us to conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that quality can be measured-with a degree of scientific precision equal to that of most of the measures used to take care of patients every day.

Aquatic macroinvertebrates and water quality of Sandia Canyon, Los Alamos National Laboratory, November 1993--October 1994

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cross, S.

1995-08-01

The Ecological Studies Team (EST) of ESH-20 at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) has collected samples from the stream within Sandia Canyon since the summer of 1990. These field studies gather water quality measurements and collect aquatic macroinvertebrates from permanent sampling sites. Reports by Bennett (1994) and Cross (1994) discuss previous EST aquatic studies in Sandia Canyon. This report updates and expands those findings. EST collected water quality data and aquatic macroinvertebrates at five permanent stations within the canyon from November 1993 through October 1994. The two upstream stations are located below outfalls that discharge industrial and sanitary waste effluent into the stream, thereby maintaining year-round flow. Some water quality parameters are different at the first three stations from those expected of natural streams in the area, indicating degraded water quality due to effluent discharges. The aquatic habitat at the upper stations has also been degraded by sedimentation and channelization. The macroinvertebrate communities at these stations are characterized by low diversities and unstable communities. In contrast, the two downstream stations appear to be in a zone of recovery, where water quality parameters more closely resemble those found in natural streams of the area. The two lower stations have increased macroinvertebrate diversity and stable communities, further indications of downstream water quality improvement.

National Beef Quality Audit-2011: Harvest-floor assessments of targeted characteristics that affect quality and value of cattle, carcasses, and byproducts

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The National Beef Quality Audit-2011(NBQA-2011) was conducted to assess targeted characteristics on the harvest floor that affect the quality and value of cattle, carcasses, and byproducts. Survey teams evaluated approximately 18,000 cattle/carcasses between May and November 2011 in 8 beef processin...

Sandia National Laboratories Advanced Simulation and Computing (ASC) software quality plan. Part 1: ASC software quality engineering practices, Version 2.0.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sturtevant, Judith E.; Heaphy, Robert; Hodges, Ann Louise; Boucheron, Edward A.; Drake, Richard Roy; Minana, Molly A.; Hackney, Patricia; Forsythe, Christi A.; Schofield, Joseph Richard, Jr. (,; .); Pavlakos, Constantine James; Williamson, Charles Michael; Edwards, Harold Carter

2006-09-01

The purpose of the Sandia National Laboratories Advanced Simulation and Computing (ASC) Software Quality Plan is to clearly identify the practices that are the basis for continually improving the quality of ASC software products. The plan defines the ASC program software quality practices and provides mappings of these practices to Sandia Corporate Requirements CPR 1.3.2 and 1.3.6 and to a Department of Energy document, ASCI Software Quality Engineering: Goals, Principles, and Guidelines. This document also identifies ASC management and software project teams responsibilities in implementing the software quality practices and in assessing progress towards achieving their software quality goals.

Evaluation of Low-Cost Mitigation Measures Implemented to Improve Air Quality in Nursery and Primary Schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Sá, Juliana P; Branco, Pedro T B S; Alvim-Ferraz, Maria C M; Martins, Fernando G; Sousa, Sofia I V

2017-05-31

Indoor air pollution mitigation measures are highly important due to the associated health impacts, especially on children, a risk group that spends significant time indoors. Thus, the main goal of the work here reported was the evaluation of mitigation measures implemented in nursery and primary schools to improve air quality. Continuous measurements of CO₂, CO, NO₂, O₃, CH₂O, total volatile organic compounds (VOC), PM₁, PM 2.5 , PM 10 , Total Suspended Particles (TSP) and radon, as well as temperature and relative humidity were performed in two campaigns, before and after the implementation of low-cost mitigation measures. Evaluation of those mitigation measures was performed through the comparison of the concentrations measured in both campaigns. Exceedances to the values set by the national legislation and World Health Organization (WHO) were found for PM 2.5 , PM 10 , CO₂ and CH₂O during both indoor air quality campaigns. Temperature and relative humidity values were also above the ranges recommended by American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). In general, pollutant concentrations measured after the implementation of low-cost mitigation measures were significantly lower, mainly for CO₂. However, mitigation measures were not always sufficient to decrease the pollutants' concentrations till values considered safe to protect human health.

A Linear Algebra Measure of Cluster Quality.

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Mather, Laura A.

2000-01-01

Discussion of models for information retrieval focuses on an application of linear algebra to text clustering, namely, a metric for measuring cluster quality based on the theory that cluster quality is proportional to the number of terms that are disjoint across the clusters. Explains term-document matrices and clustering algorithms. (Author/LRW)

Measuring quality in services for children with an intellectual disability.

Science.gov (United States)

Koornneef, Erik

2006-01-01

To evaluate the application of one particular quality measurement tool, the SERVQUAL instrument, as a potential mechanism to measure quality in services for children with disabilities Staff and family of children with an intellectual disability in two organisations providing specialist therapy and day completed an adapted SERVQUAL questionnaire. A total of 81 SERVQUAL questionnaires were distributed and 59 questionnaires were returned (response rate of 73 per cent). The SERVQUAL instrument can be considered as a useful diagnostic tool to identify particular strengths and areas for improvement in services for people with disabilities as the instrument lends itself for the monitoring of the effectiveness of quality improvement initiatives over time. The findings also showed relatively high customer expectations and the organisations involved in this research are currently not meeting all of these high expectations as significant quality gaps were found in the areas of reliability and responsiveness. The sample size was relatively small and the measurement of quality using the SERVQUAL instrument remains a challenge, due to the conceptual and empirical difficulties. The SERVQUAL instrument is probably most be attractive to service managers and funding organisations because of its ability to identify gaps in the quality of the service. The tool had been used to measure quality in services for people with disabilities and the research has shown that this tool might be an important additional quality measurement tool for services.

Methods for computing water-quality loads at sites in the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Network

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Casey J.; Murphy, Jennifer C.; Crawford, Charles G.; Deacon, Jeffrey R.

2017-10-24

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes information on concentrations and loads of water-quality constituents at 111 sites across the United States as part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Network (NWQN). This report details historical and updated methods for computing water-quality loads at NWQN sites. The primary updates to historical load estimation methods include (1) an adaptation to methods for computing loads to the Gulf of Mexico; (2) the inclusion of loads computed using the Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge, and Season (WRTDS) method; and (3) the inclusion of loads computed using continuous water-quality data. Loads computed using WRTDS and continuous water-quality data are provided along with those computed using historical methods. Various aspects of method updates are evaluated in this report to help users of water-quality loading data determine which estimation methods best suit their particular application.

76 FR 22665 - Release of Final Document Related to the Review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-22

... criteria. The revised air quality criteria reflect advances in scientific knowledge on the effects of the... National Ambient Air Quality Standards, contains staff analyses of the scientific bases for alternative... Document Related to the Review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter AGENCY...

In situ measurement of laser beam quality

Science.gov (United States)

Hashemi, Somayeh Sadat; Ghavami Sabouri, Saeed; Khorsandi, Alireza

2017-09-01

An innovative optical method is introduced for the beam quality measurement of any arbitrary transverse mode based on the reconstruction of the mode from a few-frame image of the beam cross-section. This is performed by the decomposition of a mode to its basic Hermite-Gaussian modal coefficients. The performance of the proposed method is examined through M 2-factor measurement of the beam of a Nd:YAG laser which was forced to oscillate in a certain mode using a crossed rectangular intracavity aperture. Obtained results have shown that this method can be alternatively replaced for the hologram- and ISO-based techniques recently exploiting for beam quality measurement regardless of the mode type and the position of utilized CCD camera along the beam direction.

40 CFR Appendix R to Part 50 - Interpretation of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Lead

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Interpretation of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Lead R Appendix R to Part 50 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL.... 50, App. R Appendix R to Part 50—Interpretation of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for...

The Aeroflex: A Bicycle for Mobile Air Quality Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Elen, Bart; Peters, Jan; Van Poppel, Martine; Bleux, Nico; Theunis, Jan; Reggente, Matteo; Standaert, Arnout

2013-01-01

Fixed air quality stations have limitations when used to assess people's real life exposure to air pollutants. Their spatial coverage is too limited to capture the spatial variability in, e.g., an urban or industrial environment. Complementary mobile air quality measurements can be used as an additional tool to fill this void. In this publication we present the Aeroflex, a bicycle for mobile air quality monitoring. The Aeroflex is equipped with compact air quality measurement devices to monitor ultrafine particle number counts, particulate mass and black carbon concentrations at a high resolution (up to 1 second). Each measurement is automatically linked to its geographical location and time of acquisition using GPS and Internet time. Furthermore, the Aeroflex is equipped with automated data transmission, data pre-processing and data visualization. The Aeroflex is designed with adaptability, reliability and user friendliness in mind. Over the past years, the Aeroflex has been successfully used for high resolution air quality mapping, exposure assessment and hot spot identification. PMID:23262484

Quality measures in applications of image restoration.

Science.gov (United States)

Kriete, A; Naim, M; Schafer, L

2001-01-01

We describe a new method for the estimation of image quality in image restoration applications. We demonstrate this technique on a simulated data set of fluorescent beads, in comparison with restoration by three different deconvolution methods. Both the number of iterations and a regularisation factor are varied to enforce changes in the resulting image quality. First, the data sets are directly compared by an accuracy measure. These values serve to validate the image quality descriptor, which is developed on the basis of optical information theory. This most general measure takes into account the spectral energies and the noise, weighted in a logarithmic fashion. It is demonstrated that this method is particularly helpful as a user-oriented method to control the output of iterative image restorations and to eliminate the guesswork in choosing a suitable number of iterations.

Design of Cycle 3 of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program, 2013-2022: Part 1: Framework of Water-Quality Issues and Potential Approaches

Science.gov (United States)

Rowe, Gary L.; Belitz, Kenneth; Essaid, Hedeff I.; Gilliom, Robert J.; Hamilton, Pixie A.; Hoos, Anne B.; Lynch, Dennis D.; Munn, Mark D.; Wolock, David W.

2010-01-01

In 1991, the U.S. Congress established the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program to develop long-term, nationally consistent information on the quality of the Nation's streams and groundwater. Congress recognized the critical need for this information to support scientifically sound management, regulatory, and policy decisions concerning the increasingly stressed water resources of the Nation. The long-term goals of NAWQA are to: (1) assess the status of water-quality conditions in the United States, (2) evaluate long-term trends in water-quality conditions, and (3) link status and trends with an understanding of the natural and human factors that affect water quality. These goals are national in scale, include both surface water and groundwater, and include consideration of water quality in relation to both human uses and aquatic ecosystems. Since 1991, NAWQA assessments and findings have fostered and supported major improvements in the availability and use of unbiased scientific information for decisionmaking, resource management, and planning at all levels of government. These improvements have enabled agencies and stakeholders to cost-effectively address a wide range of water-quality issues related to natural and human influences on the quality of water and potential effects on aquatic ecosystems and human health (http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/xrel.pdf). NAWQA, like all USGS programs, provides policy relevant information that serves as a scientific basis for decisionmaking related to resource management, protection, and restoration. The information is freely available to all levels of government, nongovernmental organizations, industry, academia, and the public, and is readily accessible on the NAWQA Web site and other diverse formats to serve the needs of the water-resource community at different technical levels. Water-quality conditions in streams and groundwater are described in more than 1,700 publications (available

Software quality assurance plan for the National Ignition Facility integrated computer control system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Woodruff, J.

1996-11-01

Quality achievement is the responsibility of the line organizations of the National Ignition Facility (NIF) Project. This Software Quality Assurance Plan (SQAP) applies to the activities of the Integrated Computer Control System (ICCS) organization and its subcontractors. The Plan describes the activities implemented by the ICCS section to achieve quality in the NIF Project`s controls software and implements the NIF Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP, NIF-95-499, L-15958-2) and the Department of Energy`s (DOE`s) Order 5700.6C. This SQAP governs the quality affecting activities associated with developing and deploying all control system software during the life cycle of the NIF Project.

Software quality assurance plan for the National Ignition Facility integrated computer control system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woodruff, J.

1996-11-01

Quality achievement is the responsibility of the line organizations of the National Ignition Facility (NIF) Project. This Software Quality Assurance Plan (SQAP) applies to the activities of the Integrated Computer Control System (ICCS) organization and its subcontractors. The Plan describes the activities implemented by the ICCS section to achieve quality in the NIF Project's controls software and implements the NIF Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP, NIF-95-499, L-15958-2) and the Department of Energy's (DOE's) Order 5700.6C. This SQAP governs the quality affecting activities associated with developing and deploying all control system software during the life cycle of the NIF Project

A precipitation database of station-based daily and monthly measurements for West Africa: Overview, quality control and harmonization

Science.gov (United States)

Bliefernicht, Jan; Waongo, Moussa; Annor, Thompson; Laux, Patrick; Lorenz, Manuel; Salack, Seyni; Kunstmann, Harald

2017-04-01

West Africa is a data sparse region. High quality and long-term precipitation data are often not readily available for applications in hydrology, agriculture, meteorology and other needs. To close this gap, we use multiple data sources to develop a precipitation database with long-term daily and monthly time series. This database was compiled from 16 archives including global databases e.g. from the Global Historical Climatology Network (GHCN), databases from research projects (e.g. the AMMA database) and databases of the national meteorological services of some West African countries. The collection consists of more than 2000 precipitation gauges with measurements dating from 1850 to 2015. Due to erroneous measurements (e.g. temporal offsets, unit conversion errors), missing values and inconsistent meta-data, the merging of this precipitation dataset is not straightforward and requires a thorough quality control and harmonization. To this end, we developed geostatistical-based algorithms for quality control of individual databases and harmonization to a joint database. The algorithms are based on a pairwise comparison of the correspondence of precipitation time series in dependence to the distance between stations. They were tested for precipitation time series from gages located in a rectangular domain covering Burkina Faso, Ghana, Benin and Togo. This harmonized and quality controlled precipitation database was recently used for several applications such as the validation of a high resolution regional climate model and the bias correction of precipitation projections provided the Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX). In this presentation, we will give an overview of the novel daily and monthly precipitation database and the algorithms used for quality control and harmonization. We will also highlight the quality of global and regional archives (e.g. GHCN, GSOD, AMMA database) in comparison to the precipitation databases provided by the

Measuring Quality of Healthcare Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes from Routine Data: a Seven-nation Survey Conducted by the IMIA Primary Health Care Working Group.

Science.gov (United States)

Hinton, W; Liyanage, H; McGovern, A; Liaw, S-T; Kuziemsky, C; Munro, N; de Lusignan, S

2017-08-01

Background: The Institute of Medicine framework defines six dimensions of quality for healthcare systems: (1) safety, (2) effectiveness, (3) patient centeredness, (4) timeliness of care, (5) efficiency, and (6) equity. Large health datasets provide an opportunity to assess quality in these areas. Objective: To perform an international comparison of the measurability of the delivery of these aims, in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) from large datasets. Method: We conducted a survey to assess healthcare outcomes data quality of existing databases and disseminated this through professional networks. We examined the data sources used to collect the data, frequency of data uploads, and data types used for identifying people with T2DM. We compared data completeness across the six areas of healthcare quality, using selected measures pertinent to T2DM management. Results: We received 14 responses from seven countries (Australia, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Turkey and the UK). Most databases reported frequent data uploads and would be capable of near real time analysis of healthcare quality.The majority of recorded data related to safety (particularly medication adverse events) and treatment efficacy (glycaemic control and microvascular disease). Data potentially measuring equity was less well recorded. Recording levels were lowest for patient-centred care, timeliness of care, and system efficiency, with the majority of databases containing no data in these areas. Databases using primary care sources had higher data quality across all areas measured. Conclusion: Data quality could be improved particularly in the areas of patient-centred care, timeliness, and efficiency. Primary care derived datasets may be most suited to healthcare quality assessment. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart.

Subjective Quality Measurement of Speech Its Evaluation, Estimation and Applications

CERN Document Server

Kondo, Kazuhiro

2012-01-01

It is becoming crucial to accurately estimate and monitor speech quality in various ambient environments to guarantee high quality speech communication. This practical hands-on book shows speech intelligibility measurement methods so that the readers can start measuring or estimating speech intelligibility of their own system. The book also introduces subjective and objective speech quality measures, and describes in detail speech intelligibility measurement methods. It introduces a diagnostic rhyme test which uses rhyming word-pairs, and includes: An investigation into the effect of word familiarity on speech intelligibility. Speech intelligibility measurement of localized speech in virtual 3-D acoustic space using the rhyme test. Estimation of speech intelligibility using objective measures, including the ITU standard PESQ measures, and automatic speech recognizers.

Decision Dissonance: Evaluating an Approach to Measuring the Quality of Surgical Decision Making

Science.gov (United States)

Fowler, Floyd J.; Gallagher, Patricia M.; Drake, Keith M.; Sepucha, Karen R.

2013-01-01

Background Good decision making has been increasingly cited as a core component of good medical care, and shared decision making is one means of achieving high decision quality. If it is to be a standard, good measures and protocols are needed for assessing the quality of decisions. Consistency with patient goals and concerns is one defining characteristic of a good decision. A new method for evaluating decision quality for major surgical decisions was examined, and a methodology for collecting the needed data was developed. Methods For a national probability sample of fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries who had a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), a lumpectomy or a mastectomy for breast cancer, or surgery for prostate cancer during the last half of 2008, a mail survey of selected patients was carried out about one year after the procedures. Patients’ goals and concerns, knowledge, key aspects of interactions with clinicians, and feelings about the decisions were assessed. A Decision Dissonance Score was created that measured the extent to which patient ratings of goals ran counter to the treatment received. The construct and predictive validity of the Decision Dissonance Score was then assessed. Results When data were averaged across all four procedures, patients with more knowledge and those who reported more involvement reported significantly lower Decision Dissonance Scores. Patients with lower Decision Dissonance Scores also reported more confidence in their decisions and feeling more positively about how the treatment turned out, and they were more likely to say that they would make the same decision again. Conclusions Surveying discharged surgery patients is a feasible way to evaluate decision making, and Decision Dissonance appears to be a promising approach to validly measuring decision quality. PMID:23516764

Transport services quality measurment using SERVQUAL model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maksimović Mlađan V.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Quality in the world is considered to be the most important phenomenon of our age, with a permanent and irreversible growing trend of its emphasis. Many companies have come to the conclusion that high quality of services can provide them with a potential competitive advantage, leading to superior sales results and profit making. The aim of this paper is to test the applicability of service SERVQUAL dimensions and measure the quality of services in the public transport of passengers. Based on the data obtained by researching the views of public transport users in Kragujevac using the SERVQUAL methodology and statistical analysis based on defined service quality dimensions, this research will show the level of quality of urban transport services in Kragujevac and based on this, make recommendations for improving the quality of service.

12 Years of the National Quality Award of the Slovak Republic

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Monika Jurkovičová

2012-10-01

Full Text Available The objective of the article is to present twelve years of the National Quality Award of the Slovak Republic, survey results of the awarded organisations and their benefits for the success of the organisation. The basis is previous knowledge of recognition based on the EFQM Excellence Model and CAF Model in the Slovak Republic. The questionnaire survey has been used completed with respondent’s allegation. The aim of the survey was to gain proposals for improvements for the following annual sets of the National Quality Awards of the Slovak Republic to raise quality awareness and competitiveness of Slovak private and public organisations. The following findings were main conclusions. The most effective way of how to approach potential competition participants it to approach them with a direct email information. Expectations of most organisations entering the competition have been met. The quality model implementation and site visit based recommendations were main benefits of participating in the competition that resulted in success and added value in different areas of the organisation and its performance. Organisations that have an experience of at least one year participation in the competition claim its importance. It is also confirmed by the fact that organisations that became winners of its category in the past, backtrack to the competition after three and more years to benchmark their improvements and advancement. The competition is a strong tool that is able to assist an organisation on its journey to success and excellence.

Statistical method for quality control in presence of measurement errors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lauer-Peccoud, M.R.

1998-01-01

In a quality inspection of a set of items where the measurements of values of a quality characteristic of the item are contaminated by random errors, one can take wrong decisions which are damageable to the quality. So of is important to control the risks in such a way that a final quality level is insured. We consider that an item is defective or not if the value G of its quality characteristic is larger or smaller than a given level g. We assume that, due to the lack of precision of the measurement instrument, the measurement M of this characteristic is expressed by ∫ (G) + ξ where f is an increasing function such that the value ∫ (g 0 ) is known and ξ is a random error with mean zero and given variance. First we study the problem of the determination of a critical measure m such that a specified quality target is reached after the classification of a lot of items where each item is accepted or rejected depending on whether its measurement is smaller or greater than m. Then we analyse the problem of testing the global quality of a lot from the measurements for a example of items taken from the lot. For these two kinds of problems and for different quality targets, we propose solutions emphasizing on the case where the function ∫ is linear and the error ξ and the variable G are Gaussian. Simulation results allow to appreciate the efficiency of the different considered control procedures and their robustness with respect to deviations from the assumptions used in the theoretical derivations. (author)

Air Quality Scoping Study for Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada (EMSI April 2007)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Engelbrecht, Johann; Kavouras, Ilias; Campbell, Dave; Campbell, Scott; Kohl, Steven; Shafer, David

2007-04-01

The Desert Research Institute (DRI) is performing a scoping study as part of the U.S.Department of Energy’s Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative (EMSI). The main objective is to obtain baseline air quality information for Yucca Mountain and an area surrounding the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Air quality and meteorological monitoring and sampling equipment housed in a mobile trailer (shelter) is collecting data at seven sites outside the NTS, including Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Sarcobatus Flat, Beatty, Rachel, Caliente, Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge, and Crater Flat, and at four sites on the NTS. The trailer is stationed at any one site for approximately eight weeks at a time. Letter reports provide summaries of air quality and meteorological data, on completion of each site’s sampling program.

Standards, calibration and quality assurance of 222Rn measurements in Sweden

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Falk, R.; Hagberg, N.; Mjoenes, L.; Moere, H.; Nyblom, L.; Swedjemark, G.A.

1994-01-01

Inhaled decay products of 222 Rn are the dominant components of the natural radiation exposure to the general population. Limits have been introduced in Sweden, and recommendations were made in 1980 for decreasing indoor 222 Rn concentration. The need for the coordinated calibration of measuring instruments as well as for quality assurance was obvious for both health and economic reasons. 222 Rn measurements in Sweden are based on standards traceable to the National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST) through the use of standard reference material 226 Ra. Standards for both 222 Rn and short-lived 222 Rn progeny are described together with the reference instrument adopted for these studies. The calibration of field instruments was performed in a ''radon room'', a climate chamber in which it is possible to vary and monitor the concentration of 222 Rn as well as other characteristics of the indoor air such as temperature, humidity, ventilation rate and aerosol concentration. The rules and regulations for field measurements imply a calibration of the instruments yearly, as well as accreditation and training for the companies that carry out the measurements. Examples are given of the official measurement protocols used for the different types of instruments. (orig.)

The development of national quality performance standards for disposable absorbent products for adult incontinence.

Science.gov (United States)

Muller, Nancy; McInnis, Elaine

2013-09-01

Disposable absorbent products are widely used in inpatient care settings and in the community to manage adult urinary and fecal incontinence, but few product standards exist to help guide their production or optimal use. Increasing costs and reduced revenues have caused a number of states to evaluate absorbent product use among persons who receive care at home with the assistance of the Medicaid Waiver Program, further increasing concerns about the lack of product performance standards. To address these issues, the National Association For Continence (NAFC) formed a council of experts and key stakeholders with the objective of establishing national, independent quality performance standards for disposable absorbent products provided by states to Waiver Program recipients. The Council consisted of representatives from five purposefully selected states, technical directors from six nonwoven product manufacturers, an officer of the nonwoven manufactures trade association, a delegate from an academic nursing program and professional societies, a family caregiver, and a patient representative. Following a consensus method and guidelines for use, nine specific recommendations were developed, posted for public comment, and further refined. Final recommendations for product performance assessment include: rewet rate (a measure of a product's ability to withstand multiple incontinent episodes between changes), rate of acquisition (a measure of the speed at which urine is drawn away from the skin by a product, product retention capacity (a measure of a product's capacity to hold fluid without rewetting the skin), sizing options, absorbency levels, product safety, closure technology, breathable zones (a measure of the air permeability across a textile-like fabric at a controlled differential pressure), and elasticity. The Council also set values for and recommended four quantifiable parameters, and the testing methodology associated with each, to help consumers and states

Quality assurance measures applicable to IAEA anomaly and discrepancy resolution (ISPO Task D.52). Program for technical assistance to IAEA safeguards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harms, N.L.; Smith, B.W.

1984-11-01

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards program provides assurance to the international community that nations comply with their commitments for the peaceful use of nuclear energy. This assurance is based on the capabilities of the IAEA safeguards program to detect diversion of nuclear material. Anomalies and discrepancies, which occur in the event of a diversion or concealment, are detected as part of the IAEA safeguards program. Anomalies and discrepancies normally result from innocent causes and it is the purpose of the resolution process to determine the significance of them. The IAEA is instituting quality assurance measures for the IAEA inspection process. This paper reviews the anomaly and discrepancy resolution process and describes quality control measures which are the basis for quality assurance. 13 references, 6 tables

Standards for measurements and testing of wind turbine power quality

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Soerensen, P [Risoe National Lab., Roskilde (Denmark); Gerdes, G; Klosse, R; Santjer, F [DEWI, Wilhelmshaven (Germany); Robertson, N; Davy, W [NEL, Glasgow (United Kingdom); Koulouvari, M; Morfiadakis, E [CRES, Pikermi (Greece); Larsson, Aa [Chalmers Univ. of Technology, Goeteborg (Sweden)

1999-03-01

The present paper describes the work done in power quality sub-task of the project `European Wind Turbine Testing Procedure Developments` funded by the EU SMT program. The objective of the power quality sub-task has been to make analyses and new recommendation(s) for the standardisation of measurement and verification of wind turbine power quality. The work has been organised in three major activities. The first activity has been to propose measurement procedures and to verify existing and new measurement procedures. This activity has also involved a comparison of the measurements and data processing of the participating partners. The second activity has been to investigate the influence of terrain, grid properties and wind farm summation on the power quality of wind turbines with constant rotor speed. The third activity has been to investigate the influence of terrain, grid properties and wind farm summation on the power quality of wind turbines with variable rotor speed. (au)

A fourier transform quality measure for iris images

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Makinana, S

2014-08-01

Full Text Available to ensure that good quality images are selected for feature extraction, in order to improve iris recognition system. In addition, this research proposes a measure of iris image quality using a Fourier Transform. The experimental results demonstrate...

78 FR 50401 - National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI)

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-19

... of Regents, State Education Department, Office of the Professions (Nursing Education) (NYBRN) State..., Office of the Professions (Public Postsecondary Vocational Education, Practical Nursing) 2. Oklahoma... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI...

Business Process Modelling for Measuring Quality

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heidari, F.; Loucopoulos, P.; Brazier, F.M.

2013-01-01

Business process modelling languages facilitate presentation, communication and analysis of business processes with different stakeholders. This paper proposes an approach that drives specification and measurement of quality requirements and in doing so relies on business process models as

Practice Innovation for Care Integration, Opioid Management, and Quality Measurement in Family Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Neale, Anne Victoria; Bowman, Marjorie A; Seehusen, Dean A

Ringing in the new year 2017! This may finally be the year of real practice improvement after many false starts. Research into practice transformation has informed both local work and national policy. Human factors and payment structures are key. And payment structures depend on how quality is measured. Large gaps between practicing physician recommendations for the most important quality measures and those currently imposed externally are exposed in this issue. Also see information on in-practice social work consultations and their outcomes and recommendations from innovators in integrated care, and for chronic opioid therapy management based on visits to many family medicine offices. Visit entropy is negative for hospital readmissions. Another article reaffirms the importance of family physicians in rural obstetrics, including Cesarean deliveries. Two articles address changing Latino health care access. New Mexico's innovative health extension agent implementation now includes research in ways that benefit all. And a glass half-full: the growth in the diversity of family medicine faculty is above average, but is not occurring as quickly as in the general population. © Copyright 2017 by the American Board of Family Medicine.

Patients’ perceived value of pharmacy quality measures: a mixed-methods study

Science.gov (United States)

Shiyanbola, Olayinka O; Mort, Jane R

2015-01-01

Objective To describe patients’ perceived value and use of quality measures in evaluating and choosing community pharmacies. Design Focus group methodology was combined with a survey tool. During the focus groups, participants assessed the value of the Pharmacy Quality Alliance's quality measures in evaluating and choosing a pharmacy. Also, participants completed questionnaires rating their perceived value of quality measures in evaluating a pharmacy (1 being low value and 5 being high) or choosing a pharmacy (yes/no). Thematic analysis and descriptive statistics were used to analyse the focus groups and surveys, respectively. Setting Semistructured focus groups were conducted in a private meeting space of an urban and a rural area of a Mid-western State in the USA. Participants Thirty-four adults who filled prescription medications in community pharmacies for a chronic illness were recruited in community pharmacies, senior centres and public libraries. Results While comments indicated that all measures were important, medication safety measures (eg, drug-drug interactions) were valued more highly than others. Rating of quality measure utility in evaluating a pharmacy ranged from a mean of 4.88 (‘drug-drug interactions’) to a mean of 4.0 (‘absence of controller therapy for patients with asthma’). Patients were hesitant to use quality information in choosing a pharmacy (depending on the participant's location) but might consider if moving to a new area or having had a negative pharmacy experience. Use of select quality measures to choose a pharmacy ranged from 97.1% of participants using ‘drug-drug interactions’ (medication safety measure) to 55.9% using ‘absence of controller therapy for patients with asthma’. Conclusions The study participants valued quality measures in evaluating and selecting a community pharmacy, with medication safety measures valued highest. The participants reported that the quality measures would not typically cause a

Dietary intake patterns and diet quality in a nationally representative sample of women with and without severe headache or migraine.

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, E Whitney; Lipton, Richard B; Peterlin, B Lee; Raynor, Hollie A; Thomas, J Graham; O'Leary, Kevin C; Pavlovic, Jelena; Wing, Rena R; Bond, Dale S

2015-04-01

The role of diet in migraine is not well understood. We sought to characterize usual dietary intake patterns and diet quality in a nationally representative sample of women with and without severe headache or migraine. We also examined whether the relationship between migraine and diet differs by weight status. In this analysis, women with migraine or severe headache status was determined by questionnaire for 3069 women, ages 20-50 years, who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study, 1999-2004. Women who experienced severe headaches or migraines were classified as migraine for the purposes of this analysis. Dietary intake patterns (micro- and macronutrient intake and eating frequency) and diet quality, measured by the Healthy Eating Index, 2005, were determined using one 24-hour dietary recall. Dietary intake patterns did not significantly differ between women with and without migraine. Normal weight women with migraine had significantly lower diet quality (Healthy Eating Index, 2005 total scores) than women without migraine (52.5 ± 0.9 vs. 45.9 ± 1.0; P quality differs by migraine status in normal weight women. Prospective analyses are needed to establish how diet relates to migraine onset, characteristics, and clinical features in individuals of varying weight status. © 2015 American Headache Society.

Recommendations for Cycle II of National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program

Science.gov (United States)

,; Mallard, Gail E.; Armbruster, Jeffrey T.; Broshears, Robert E.; Evenson, Eric J.; Luoma, Samuel N.; Phillips, Patrick J.; Prince, Keith R.

1999-01-01

The Planning Team for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program defines a successful NAWQA Program as one that makes a balanced contribution to study-unit issues, national issues, and to the pursuit of scientific knowledge. Using this criterion, NAWQA has been a success. The program has provided important new knowledge and understanding of scientific processes, and insights into the occurrence and distribution of contaminants that have been key to local and national policy decisions. Most of the basic design characteristics of NAWQA's first decade (1991-2000), hereafter called cycle I) remain appropriate as the program enters its second decade (cycle II) in 2001. In cycle II, the program has the opportunity to build on its successful base and to evolve to take advantage of the knowledge generated in cycle I. In addition to this expected evolution, NAWQA must also make some changes to compensate for the fact that program funding has not kept pace with inflation. An important theme for the second cycle of NAWQA will be the integration of knowledge across scales and across disciplines. The question that drove the NAWQA design in the first cycle was "How is water quality related to land use?" Cycle II will build upon what was learned in cycle I and use land-use and water-quality gradients to identify and understand potential sources of various constituents and the processes affecting transport and fate of those constituents and their effects on receptors. The understanding we gain from applying this approach will be relevant to the interests of policymakers, regulatory agencies, and resource managers.

The exploration of service quality and its measurement for private ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The strategic importance of service excellence for service industries places the focus on service quality leadership, service quality management systems, service quality dimensions and the measurement of service quality. Many businesses such as private higher education institutions (PHEIs) regard service quality ...

Does Input Quality Drive Measured Differences in Firm Productivity?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fox, Jeremy T.; Smeets, Valerie Anne Rolande

is roughly of the same order of magnitude as some competitive effects found in the literature, but input quality measures do not explain most productivity dispersion, despite economically large production function coefficients. We find that the wage bill explains as much dispersion as human capital measures.......Firms in the same industry can differ in measured productivity by multiples of 3. Griliches (1957) suggests one explanation: the quality of inputs differs across firms. We add labor market history variables such as experience and firm and industry tenure, as well as general human capital measures...

Comparison of quality of life measures in a depressed population.

Science.gov (United States)

Wisniewski, Stephen R; Rush, A John; Bryan, Charlene; Shelton, Richard; Trivedi, Madhukar H; Marcus, Sheila; Husain, Mustafa M; Hollon, Steven D; Fava, Maurizio

2007-03-01

Measures of quality of life have been increasingly used in clinical trials. When designing a study, researchers must decide which quality of life measure to use. Some literature provides guidance through general recommendations, though lacks quantitative comparisons. In this report, 2 general quality of life measures, the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) and the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q), are compared in a depressed population. STAR*D data were used to analyze the associations among the SF-12 and the Q-LES-Q. Each measure covers 6 domains, overlapping on 5 (health, self-esteem/well-being, community/productivity, social/love relationships, leisure/creativity), with the SF-12 addressing family and the Q-LES-Q addressing living situations. Strong item-by-item associations exist only between the Q-LES-Q and the SF-12 physical health items. The 2 measures overlap on the domains covered while the lack of correlation between the 2 measures may be attributed to the perspective of each question as the Q-LES-Q measures satisfaction while the SF-12 measures the patient's perception of function.

Evaluation of quality-control data collected by the U.S. Geological Survey for routine water-quality activities at the Idaho National Laboratory and vicinity, southeastern Idaho, 2002-08

Science.gov (United States)

Rattray, Gordon W.

2014-01-01

Quality-control (QC) samples were collected from 2002 through 2008 by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, to ensure data robustness by documenting the variability and bias of water-quality data collected at surface-water and groundwater sites at and near the Idaho National Laboratory. QC samples consisted of 139 replicates and 22 blanks (approximately 11 percent of the number of environmental samples collected). Measurements from replicates were used to estimate variability (from field and laboratory procedures and sample heterogeneity), as reproducibility and reliability, of water-quality measurements of radiochemical, inorganic, and organic constituents. Measurements from blanks were used to estimate the potential contamination bias of selected radiochemical and inorganic constituents in water-quality samples, with an emphasis on identifying any cross contamination of samples collected with portable sampling equipment. The reproducibility of water-quality measurements was estimated with calculations of normalized absolute difference for radiochemical constituents and relative standard deviation (RSD) for inorganic and organic constituents. The reliability of water-quality measurements was estimated with pooled RSDs for all constituents. Reproducibility was acceptable for all constituents except dissolved aluminum and total organic carbon. Pooled RSDs were equal to or less than 14 percent for all constituents except for total organic carbon, which had pooled RSDs of 70 percent for the low concentration range and 4.4 percent for the high concentration range. Source-solution and equipment blanks were measured for concentrations of tritium, strontium-90, cesium-137, sodium, chloride, sulfate, and dissolved chromium. Field blanks were measured for the concentration of iodide. No detectable concentrations were measured from the blanks except for strontium-90 in one source solution and one equipment blank collected in September

Measurement of Water Quality Parameters for Before and After Maintenance Service in Water Filter System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shaharudin Nuraida

2017-01-01

Full Text Available An adequate supply of safe drinking water is one of major ways to obtain healthy life. Water filter system is one way to improve the water quality. However, to maintain the performance of the system, it need to undergo the maintenance service. This study evaluate the requirement of maintenance service in water filter system. Water quality was measured before and after maintenance service. Parameters measured were pH, turbidity, residual chlorine, nitrate and heavy metals and these parameters were compared with National Drinking Water Quality Standards. Collection of data were involved three housing areas in Johor. The quality of drinking water from water filter system were analysed using pH meter, turbidity meter, DR6000 and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometer. pH value was increased from 16.4% for before maintenance services to 30.7% for after maintenance service. Increment of removal percentage for turbidity, residual chlorine and nitrate after maintenance were 21.5, 13.6 and 26.7, respectively. This result shows that maintenance service enhance the performance of the system. However, less significant of maintenance service for enhance the removal of heavy metals which the increment of removal percentage in range 0.3 to 9.8. Only aluminium shows percentage removal for after maintenance with 92.8% lower compared to before maintenance service with 95.5%.

Evaluation of Low-Cost Mitigation Measures Implemented to Improve Air Quality in Nursery and Primary Schools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juliana P. Sá

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Indoor air pollution mitigation measures are highly important due to the associated health impacts, especially on children, a risk group that spends significant time indoors. Thus, the main goal of the work here reported was the evaluation of mitigation measures implemented in nursery and primary schools to improve air quality. Continuous measurements of CO2, CO, NO2, O3, CH2O, total volatile organic compounds (VOC, PM1, PM2.5, PM10, Total Suspended Particles (TSP and radon, as well as temperature and relative humidity were performed in two campaigns, before and after the implementation of low-cost mitigation measures. Evaluation of those mitigation measures was performed through the comparison of the concentrations measured in both campaigns. Exceedances to the values set by the national legislation and World Health Organization (WHO were found for PM2.5, PM10, CO2 and CH2O during both indoor air quality campaigns. Temperature and relative humidity values were also above the ranges recommended by American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE. In general, pollutant concentrations measured after the implementation of low-cost mitigation measures were significantly lower, mainly for CO2. However, mitigation measures were not always sufficient to decrease the pollutants’ concentrations till values considered safe to protect human health.

Role of Age and Acculturation in Diet Quality Among Mexican Americans - Findings From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2012.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshida, Yilin; Scribner, Richard; Chen, Liwei; Broyles, Stephanie; Phillippi, Stephen; Tseng, Tung-Sung

2017-07-20

Age and acculturation may play a role in diet quality among Mexican Americans. This study examined diet quality in Mexican Americans by age and whether acculturation influences diet quality across different age groups, using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Diet quality, measured by the Healthy Eating Index 2010, improved with age except in categories of dairy, sodium, and refined grains. More acculturation was associated with lower scores in overall diet quality and categories of vegetables, fruits, and sodium and empty calories across almost all ages, but higher scores in grain categories, especially in younger groups. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables but low in fat and sodium should be promoted among more acculturated Mexican Americans, and whole-grain foods should be promoted among young but less acculturated Mexican Americans.

A reconnaissance of the effects of a forest fire on water quality in Kings Canyon National Park, California

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffman, Ray J.; Ferreira, Rodger F.

1976-01-01

Following two forest fires in the Roaring River drainage basin, Kings Canyon National Park, Calif., water samples were collected from May to July 1974 to determine water-quality changes resulting from the fires. Field measurements included alkalinity , pH, specific conductance, temperature, and discharge. Samples were analyzed in the laboratory for major dissolved chemical constituents, selected plant nutrients, trace metals, suspended sediment, total organic carbon, and seston. Periphytic algae and benthic invertebrate samples were collected. A noticeable increase in the concentration of nitrogen was found in Roaring River immediately downstream from the Moraine Creek fire. The increase in the concentration of inorganic nitrogen compounds, however, was not great enough to pose a serious threat to the aquatic ecosystem. High total organic nitrogen concentrations may have been due, in part, to factors other than the effect of fire. The results of other water-quality measurements were typical of dilute Sierra Nevada streams and indicate that Roaring River was not adversely affected by the fires. (Woodard-USGS)

Water quality and the composition of fish and macroinvertebrate communities in the Devils and Pecos Rivers within and upstream from the Amistad National Recreation Area, Texas, 2005-7

Science.gov (United States)

Moring, J. Bruce

2012-01-01

To gain a better understanding of the water quality and status of fish and macroinvertebrate communities, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National Park Service and Amistad National Recreation Area, completed a reconnaissance-level survey of the water quality and fish and macroinvertebrate communities in the Devils and Pecos Rivers in and upstream from the Amistad National Recreation Area in southwest Texas during 2005–7. Water-quality conditions during the spring and summer months of 2005 in the Devils and Pecos Rivers were assessed at locations just upstream from the Amistad National Recreation Area, and the composition of fish and macroinvertebrate communities were assessed during 2006 and 2007 in and upstream from the Amistad National Recreation Area and Amistad Reservoir. Water-quality samples were collected at one site on both the Devils and Pecos Rivers. Fish and macroinvertebrates were collected at the water-quality sampling site on each river and at three additional sites on each river. The water-quality constituents of primary concern were total dissolved solids, chloride, sulfate, ammonia plus organic nitrogen, nitrate plus nitrite, orthophosphate, phosphorus, selenium, and selected pesticides. During the spring and summer of 2005, the concentrations of total dissolved solids ranged from 208 to 232 milligrams per liter (mg/L) in samples from the Devils River compared to 1,460 to 2,390 mg/L in samples from the Pecos River. Total dissolved solid concentrations measured in samples collected from the Devils River and Pecos River did not exceed the proposed State of Texas water-quality standard applicable for the segments of each river where samples were collected. During the spring and summer of 2005, chloride concentrations measured in samples collected in 2005 from the Devils River ranged from 11.6 to 12.9 mg/L, compared to chloride concentrations measured in samples collected from the Pecos River, which ranged from 519 to 879 mg

Chemical quality of water and bottom sediment, Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge, Lahontan Valley, Nevada

Science.gov (United States)

Thodal, Carl E.

2017-12-28

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service collected data on water and bottom-sediment chemistry to be used to evaluate a new water rights acquisition program designed to enhance wetland habitat in Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge and in Lahontan Valley, Churchill County, Nevada. The area supports habitat critical to the feeding and resting of migratory birds travelling the Pacific Flyway. Information about how water rights acquisitions may affect the quality of water delivered to the wetlands is needed by stakeholders and Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge managers in order to evaluate the effectiveness of this approach to wetlands management. A network of six sites on waterways that deliver the majority of water to Refuge wetlands was established to monitor the quality of streamflow and bottom sediment. Each site was visited every 4 to 6 weeks and selected water-quality field parameters were measured when flowing water was present. Water samples were collected at varying frequencies and analyzed for major ions, silica, and organic carbon, and for selected species of nitrogen and phosphorus, trace elements, pharmaceuticals, and other trace organic compounds. Bottom-sediment samples were collected for analysis of selected trace elements.Dissolved-solids concentrations exceeded the recommended criterion for protection of aquatic life (500 milligrams per liter) in 33 of 62 filtered water samples. The maximum arsenic criterion (340 micrograms per liter) was exceeded twice and the continuous criterion was exceeded seven times. Criteria protecting aquatic life from continuous exposure to aluminum, cadmium, lead, and mercury (87, 0.72, 2.5, and 0.77 micrograms per liter, respectively) were exceeded only once in filtered samples (27, 40, 32, and 36 samples, respectively). Mercury was the only trace element analyzed in bottom-sediment samples to exceed the published probable effect concentration (1,060 micrograms per kilogram).

Design of Cycle 3 of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program, 2013-23: Part 2: Science plan for improved water-quality information and management

Science.gov (United States)

Rowe, Gary L.; Belitz, Kenneth; Demas, Charlie R.; Essaid, Hedeff I.; Gilliom, Robert J.; Hamilton, Pixie A.; Hoos, Anne B.; Lee, Casey J.; Munn, Mark D.; Wolock, David W.

2013-01-01

This report presents a science strategy for the third decade of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program, which since 1991, has been responsible for providing nationally consistent information on the quality of the Nation's streams and groundwater; how water quality is changing over time; and the major natural and human factors that affect current water quality conditions and trends. The strategy is based on an extensive evaluation of the accomplishments of NAWQA over its first two decades, the current status of water-quality monitoring activities by USGS and its partners, and an updated analysis of stakeholder priorities. The plan is designed to address priority issues and national needs identified by NAWQA stakeholders and the National Research Council (2012) irrespective of budget constraints. This plan describes four major goals for the third decade (Cycle 3), the approaches for monitoring, modeling, and scientific studies, key partnerships required to achieve these goals, and products and outcomes that will result from planned assessment activities. The science plan for 2013–2023 is a comprehensive approach to meet stakeholder priorities for: (1) rebuilding NAWQA monitoring networks for streams, rivers, and groundwater, and (2) upgrading models used to extrapolate and forecast changes in water-quality and stream ecosystem condition in response to changing climate and land use. The Cycle 3 plan continues approaches that have been central to the Program’s long-term success, but adjusts monitoring intensities and study designs to address critical information needs and identified data gaps. Restoration of diminished monitoring networks and new directions in modeling and interpretative studies address growing and evolving public and stakeholder needs for water-quality information and improved management, particularly in the face of increasing challenges related to population growth, increasing demands for water, and changing land use and climate

The UK National Air Quality Strategy: the effects of the proposed changes on Local Air Quality Management

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beattie, C.I.; Ling, K.; Longhurst, J.W.S. [Univ. of the West of England, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Bristol (GB)] [and others

1999-07-01

The UK has implemented a system of Local Air Quality Management (LAQM) to tackle the many contemporary sources of air pollution, notably transport, industry and domestic fuel burning, in a holistic manner. The current legislation stems from the Environment Act 1995, which required a National Air Quality Strategy (NAQS) to be published outlining the Governments policies with respect to the assessment and management of air quality. The NAQS, originally published in March 1997, is on a rolling programme of reviews in order to reflect developments in European legislation, technological and scientific advances, improved air pollution modelling techniques and an increasingly better understanding of the economic and social issues involved. Following the first review (currently at consultation state), this paper will comment on how the proposed changes may affect the LAQM process. The proposed changes will also be summarised and discussed in the context of European Union air quality objectives and the economic analysis of NAQS.

Integration of the effects of air quality measures in the SOLVE mix of measures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hesselmans, T.; Heijnis, F.

2008-01-01

SOLVE is the Dutch abbreviation for fast solutions for air and traffic and is a website by means of which provinces and municipalities in the Netherlands can gain insight into the best measures for traffic to improve the quality of the ambient air. Since halfway June 2008, the effects on air quality of approximately 35 traffic measures were included in the SOLVE mix of measures. The effects of traffic measures on emissions of particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide have been calculated. The effects are expressed in a decrease of the contribution of traffic indicated in a scale from A (very large decrease) to E (no decrease). The outcome depends on the location where the measure is implemented. [mk] [nl

76 FR 22674 - Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Board of Overseers and Panel of Judges

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-22

... Performance Excellence Program, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899... prominent in the fields of quality, innovation, and performance management and appointed by the Secretary of... Judges is composed of twelve members prominent in the fields of quality, innovation, and performance...

Building Quality Foundations: Indicators and Instruments to Measure the Quality of Vocational Education and Training

Science.gov (United States)

Coates, Hamish

2009-01-01

Vocational education and training plays a major and increasing role in developing the knowledge and skills that underpin Australia's economy and society. It is vital, accordingly, that training outcomes are of high quality. This paper reports work undertaken to develop a new evidence-based and outcomes-focused national approach to monitoring and…

Evaluating Education Quality in Terms of ISO9000 Standards

Science.gov (United States)

Fengchun, Cheng; Vogel, Linda R.; Zhaoyu, Zheng

2014-01-01

While nations measure the quality of educational systems by different standards, many nations, such as China, have adopted the ISO9000 quality standards to assess the quality of schools. This article explores the various elements of the the ISO9000 standards and how each element relates to the various groups that are consumers or stakeholders in…

Guidelines for quality assurance and quality control of fish taxonomic data collected as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program

Science.gov (United States)

Walsh, Stephen Joseph; Meador, Michael R.

1998-01-01

Fish community structure is characterized by the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program as part of a perennial, multidisciplinary approach to evaluating the physical, chemical, and biological conditions of the Nation's water resources. The objective of quality assurance and quality control of fish taxonomic data that are collected as part of the NAWQA Program is to establish uniform guidelines and protocols for the identification, processing, and archiving of fish specimens to ensure that accurate and reliable data are collected. Study unit biologists, collaborating with regional biologists and fish taxonomic specialists, prepare a pre-sampling study plan that includes a preliminary faunal list and identification of an ichthyological curation center for receiving preserved fish specimens. Problematic taxonomic issues and protected taxa also are identified in the study plan, and collecting permits are obtained in advance of sampling activities. Taxonomic specialists are selected to identify fish specimens in the field and to assist in determining what fish specimens should be sacrificed, fixed, and preserved for laboratory identification, independent taxonomic verification, and long-term storage in reference or voucher collections. Quantitative and qualitative sampling of fishes follows standard methods previously established for the NAWQA Program. Common ichthyological techniques are used to process samples in the field and prepare fish specimens to be returned to the laboratory or sent to an institutional repository. Taxonomic identifications are reported by using a standardized list of scientific names that provides nomenclatural consistency and uniformity across study units.

Technological measures to improve automotive product quality

OpenAIRE

Gladkov, V.; Kruglov, S.

2010-01-01

The paper examines the basic technological measures aimed at improving product quality in automotive industry. While paying due attention to solving organizational and technological problems, including the development of certification systems for production processes, it is also necessary to improve the technical standards of specific technologies, equipment and materials as they largely determine product quality. Special emphasis is given to the importance of improving the production of auto...

Development and testing of emergency department patient transfer communication measures.

Science.gov (United States)

Klingner, Jill; Moscovice, Ira

2012-01-01

Communication problems are a major contributing factor to adverse events in hospitals.(1) The contextual environment in small rural hospitals increases the importance of emergency department (ED) patient transfer communication quality. This study addresses the communication problems through the development and testing of ED quality measurement of interfacility patient transfer communication. Input from existing measures, measurement and health care delivery experts, as well as hospital frontline staff was used to design and modify ED quality measures. Three field tests were conducted to determine the feasibility of data collection and the effectiveness of different training methods and types of partnerships. Measures were evaluated based on their prevalence, ease of data collection, and usefulness for internal and external improvement. It is feasible to collect ED quality measure data. Different data sources, data collection, and data entry methods, training and partners can be used to examine hospital ED quality. There is significant room for improvement in the communication of patient information between health care facilities. Current health care reform efforts highlight the importance of clear communication between organizations held accountable for patient safety and outcomes. The patient transfer communication measures have been tested in a wide range of rural settings and have been vetted nationally. They have been endorsed by the National Quality Forum, are included in the National Quality Measurement Clearinghouse supported by the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ), and are under consideration by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for future payment determinations beginning in calendar year 2013. © 2011 National Rural Health Association.

Distributor– Retailer Interface in Pharmaceutical Supply Chain: Service Quality Measurement Scale

Science.gov (United States)

Mehralian, Gholamhossein; Babapour, Jafar; peiravian, farzad

2016-01-01

In the current competitive market, service quality management is the key to the survival and success of businesses. SERVQUAL is a popular service quality measurement scale (SQMS) that has served as a basis for subsequent research on service quality; it has been used for testing different aspects of service quality in a market. The purpose of our study is, therefore, to develop a service quality measurement scale (SQMS) for the distributor–retailer interface of Pharm supply chains (PSC) in Iran. A survey was performed to collect data from pharmacies located in Tehran. A valid and reliable questionnaire delivered to pharmacies, and 400 pharmacies were intended to participate in our survey. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to develop an SQMS in this study. Sufficient sampling was undertaken to do CFA. Consistent with other service quality studies, this Res developed an SQMS with five dimensions and 20 items for PSC, and contributes to mangers to regularly measure service quality. This is an initial study to develop a framework for measuring service quality in Iranian PCS. The framework can be used effectively to achieve competitive advantage at the distributor–retailer interface. PMID:28243297

Distributor- Retailer Interface in Pharmaceutical Supply Chain: Service Quality Measurement Scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Mehralian, Gholamhossein; Babapour, Jafar; Peiravian, Farzad

2016-01-01

In the current competitive market, service quality management is the key to the survival and success of businesses. SERVQUAL is a popular service quality measurement scale (SQMS) that has served as a basis for subsequent research on service quality; it has been used for testing different aspects of service quality in a market. The purpose of our study is, therefore, to develop a service quality measurement scale (SQMS) for the distributor-retailer interface of Pharm supply chains (PSC) in Iran. A survey was performed to collect data from pharmacies located in Tehran. A valid and reliable questionnaire delivered to pharmacies, and 400 pharmacies were intended to participate in our survey. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to develop an SQMS in this study. Sufficient sampling was undertaken to do CFA. Consistent with other service quality studies, this Res developed an SQMS with five dimensions and 20 items for PSC, and contributes to mangers to regularly measure service quality. This is an initial study to develop a framework for measuring service quality in Iranian PCS. The framework can be used effectively to achieve competitive advantage at the distributor-retailer interface.

DockQ: A Quality Measure for Protein-Protein Docking Models.

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Sankar Basu

Full Text Available The state-of-the-art to assess the structural quality of docking models is currently based on three related yet independent quality measures: Fnat, LRMS, and iRMS as proposed and standardized by CAPRI. These quality measures quantify different aspects of the quality of a particular docking model and need to be viewed together to reveal the true quality, e.g. a model with relatively poor LRMS (>10Å might still qualify as 'acceptable' with a descent Fnat (>0.50 and iRMS (<3.0Å. This is also the reason why the so called CAPRI criteria for assessing the quality of docking models is defined by applying various ad-hoc cutoffs on these measures to classify a docking model into the four classes: Incorrect, Acceptable, Medium, or High quality. This classification has been useful in CAPRI, but since models are grouped in only four bins it is also rather limiting, making it difficult to rank models, correlate with scoring functions or use it as target function in machine learning algorithms. Here, we present DockQ, a continuous protein-protein docking model quality measure derived by combining Fnat, LRMS, and iRMS to a single score in the range [0, 1] that can be used to assess the quality of protein docking models. By using DockQ on CAPRI models it is possible to almost completely reproduce the original CAPRI classification into Incorrect, Acceptable, Medium and High quality. An average PPV of 94% at 90% Recall demonstrating that there is no need to apply predefined ad-hoc cutoffs to classify docking models. Since DockQ recapitulates the CAPRI classification almost perfectly, it can be viewed as a higher resolution version of the CAPRI classification, making it possible to estimate model quality in a more quantitative way using Z-scores or sum of top ranked models, which has been so valuable for the CASP community. The possibility to directly correlate a quality measure to a scoring function has been crucial for the development of scoring functions for

Measuring ICT usage quality for information society building

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schlichter, Bjarne Rerup; Danylchenko, Lesya

2014-01-01

In 2003 the World Summit on Information Society made a call for measuring the state of Information Society (IS) building between countries. The purpose of the measuring was to assess and compare IS practices around the globe as well as share best practices. A number of measurement tools have sinc...... levels of ICT usage for the purpose of better policy-making, while establishing an information society, is accentuated....... these indicators on the actual levels of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) usage off the country’s stakeholders. This paper analyses the most currently used indices for measuring the state of Information Society building from the perspective of their constituent indicators. Based on the analysis......, an alternative framework for IS measurement, addressing the important aspects of ICT usage quality, is developed based on data from EU member states. By applying the framework on measuring of ICT usage quality at Romania, Cyprus and Estonia, the usefulness is tested positive, and the need to evaluate the actual...

Response Burden in Official Business Surveys: Measurement and Reduction Practices of National Statistical Institutes

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Bavdaž Mojca

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Response burden in business surveys has long been a concern for National Statistical Institutes (NSIs for three types of reasons: political reasons, because response burden is part of the total administrative burden governments impose on businesses; methodological reasons, because an excessive response burden may reduce data quality and increase data-collection costs; and strategic reasons, because it affects relations between the NSIs and the business community. This article investigates NSI practices concerning business response burden measurement and reduction actions based on a survey of 41 NSIs from 39 countries. Most NSIs monitor at least some burden aspects and have implemented some actions to reduce burden, but large differences exist between NSIs’ methodologies for burden measurement and actions taken to reduce burden. Future research should find ways to deal with methodological differences in burden conceptualization, operationalization, and measurement, and provide insights into the effectiveness and efficiency of burden-reduction actions.

Measuring the effect of managerial ability on earning quality

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Jamal Bahri Sales

2015-09-01

Full Text Available This paper presents an empirical investigation to measure the effect of managerial ability on earning quality on selected firms listed on Tehran Stock Exchange over the period 2007-2013. The proposed study uses data envelopment analysis to measure the relative efficiency of selected firms where Sales is considered as output and Cost of goods (COGS, Selling, General and Administrative Expenses (SG&A, Net Property Plant and Equipment (PPE, Net operating Leases (OpsLease, Research & Development (R&D, Purchased Good will (Goodwill and Other intangible assets (OtherIntan are considered as inputs. Earning quality in this survey consists of three parts of quality of accruals, earnings and earnings forecast persistence. The results of our survey have indicated that managerial ability influences positively on earning quality.

Exterior sound level measurements of snowcoaches at Yellowstone National Park

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

Sounds associated with oversnow vehicles, such as snowmobiles and snowcoaches, are an important management concern at Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. The John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Centers Environmental Measurement a...

77 FR 42738 - Request for Information on Quality Measurement Enabled by Health IT

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-20

... Information on Quality Measurement Enabled by Health IT AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality... diversified stakeholders (health information technology (IT) system developers, including vendors; payers... strategies and challenges regarding quality measurement enabled by health IT. Quality measurement--the...

Measurement properties of the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS) family of measures: protocol for a systematic review

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Meredith G; Sparti, Claudia; Scheurer, Roman; Coombs, Tim; Pirkis, Jane; Ruud, Torleif; Kisely, Steve; Hanssen-Bauer, Ketil; Siqveland, Johan; Burgess, Philip M

2018-01-01

Introduction The Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS) for adults, and equivalent measures for children and adolescents and older people, are widely used in clinical practice and research contexts to measure mental health and functional outcomes. Additional HoNOS measures have been developed for special populations and applications. Stakeholders require synthesised information about the measurement properties of these measures to assess whether they are fit for use with intended service settings and populations and to establish performance benchmarks. This planned systematic review will critically appraise evidence on the measurement properties of the HoNOS family of measures. Methods and analysis Journal articles meeting inclusion criteria will be identified via a search of seven electronic databases: MEDLINE via EBSCOhost, PsycINFO via APA PsycNET, Embase via Elsevier, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature via EBSCOhost, Web of Science via Thomson Reuters, Google Scholar and the Cochrane Library. Variants of ‘Health of the Nation Outcome Scales’ or ‘HoNOS’ will be searched as text words. No restrictions will be placed on setting or language of publication. Reference lists of relevant studies and reviews will be scanned for additional eligible studies. Appraisal of reliability, validity, responsiveness and interpretability will be guided by the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments checklist. Feasibility/utility will be appraised using definitions and criteria derived from previous reviews. For reliability studies, we will also apply the Guidelines for Reporting Reliability and Agreement Studies to assess quality of reporting. Results will be synthesised narratively, separately for each measure, and by subgroup (eg, treatment setting, rater profession/experience or training) where possible. Meta-analyses will be undertaken where data are adequate. Ethics and dissemination Ethics approval is

Measurement properties of the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS) family of measures: protocol for a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Meredith G; Sparti, Claudia; Scheurer, Roman; Coombs, Tim; Pirkis, Jane; Ruud, Torleif; Kisely, Steve; Hanssen-Bauer, Ketil; Siqveland, Johan; Burgess, Philip M

2018-04-20

The Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS) for adults, and equivalent measures for children and adolescents and older people, are widely used in clinical practice and research contexts to measure mental health and functional outcomes. Additional HoNOS measures have been developed for special populations and applications. Stakeholders require synthesised information about the measurement properties of these measures to assess whether they are fit for use with intended service settings and populations and to establish performance benchmarks. This planned systematic review will critically appraise evidence on the measurement properties of the HoNOS family of measures. Journal articles meeting inclusion criteria will be identified via a search of seven electronic databases: MEDLINE via EBSCOhost, PsycINFO via APA PsycNET, Embase via Elsevier, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature via EBSCOhost, Web of Science via Thomson Reuters, Google Scholar and the Cochrane Library. Variants of 'Health of the Nation Outcome Scales' or 'HoNOS' will be searched as text words. No restrictions will be placed on setting or language of publication. Reference lists of relevant studies and reviews will be scanned for additional eligible studies. Appraisal of reliability, validity, responsiveness and interpretability will be guided by the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments checklist. Feasibility/utility will be appraised using definitions and criteria derived from previous reviews. For reliability studies, we will also apply the Guidelines for Reporting Reliability and Agreement Studies to assess quality of reporting. Results will be synthesised narratively, separately for each measure, and by subgroup (eg, treatment setting, rater profession/experience or training) where possible. Meta-analyses will be undertaken where data are adequate. Ethics approval is not required as no primary data will be collected. Outcomes will be

Summary of oceanographic and water-quality measurements near the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, Maryland, 2011

Science.gov (United States)

Ganju, Neil K.; Dickhudt, Patrick J.; Montgomery, Ellyn T.; Brennand, Patrick; Derby, R. Kyle; Brooks, Thomas W.; Guntenspergen, Glenn R.; Martini, Marinna A.; Borden, Jonathan; Baldwin, Sandra M.

2012-01-01

Suspended-sediment transport is a critical element governing the geomorphology of tidal marshes. Marshes rely on both organic material and inorganic sediment deposition to maintain their elevation relative to sea level. In wetlands near the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, Maryland, portions of the salt marsh have been subsiding relative to sea level since the early 20th century. Other portions of the marsh have been successful at maintaining elevation. The U.S. Geological Survey performed observational deployments to measure suspended-sediment concentration in the tidal channels in order to understand the magnitude of suspended-sediment concentrations, the sediment-transport mechanisms, and differences between two marsh areas, one that subsided and one that maintained elevation. We deployed optical turbidity sensors and acoustic velocity meters at multiple sites over two periods in 2011. This report presents the time-series of oceanographic data collected during those field studies, including velocity, depth, turbidity, salinity, water temperature, and pH.

Underground Test Area Quality Assurance Project Plan Nevada National Security Site, Nevada, Revision 0

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Irene Farnham

2011-05-01

This Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) provides the overall quality assurance (QA) program requirements and general quality practices to be applied to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO) Underground Test Area (UGTA) Sub-Project (hereafter the Sub-Project) activities. The requirements in this QAPP are consistent with DOE Order 414.1C, Quality Assurance (DOE, 2005); U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Guidance for Quality Assurance Project Plans for Modeling (EPA, 2002); and EPA Guidance on the Development, Evaluation, and Application of Environmental Models (EPA, 2009). The QAPP Revision 0 supersedes DOE--341, Underground Test Area Quality Assurance Project Plan, Nevada Test Site, Nevada, Revision 4.

Underground Test Area Fiscal Year 2013 Annual Quality Assurance Report Nevada National Security Site, Nevada, Revision 0

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krenzien, Susan [Navarro-Intera, LLC (N-I), Las Vegas, NV (United States); Marutzky, Sam [Navarro-Intera, LLC (N-I), Las Vegas, NV (United States)

2014-01-01

This report is required by the Underground Test Area (UGTA) Quality Assurance Plan (QAP) and identifies the UGTA quality assurance (QA) activities for fiscal year (FY) 2013. All UGTA organizations—U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO); Desert Research Institute (DRI); Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL); Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); Navarro-Intera, LLC (N-I); National Security Technologies, LLC (NSTec); and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)—conducted QA activities in FY 2013. The activities included conducting assessments, identifying findings and completing corrective actions, evaluating laboratory performance, and publishing documents. In addition, integrated UGTA required reading and corrective action tracking was instituted.

Suitability of three indicators measuring the quality of coordination within hospitals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Loirat Philippe

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Coordination within hospitals is a major attribute of medical care and influences quality of care. This study tested the validity of 3 indicators covering two key aspects of coordination: the transfer of written information between professionals (medical record content, radiology exam order and the holding of multidisciplinary team meetings during treatment planning. Methods The study was supervised by the French health authorities (COMPAQH project. Data for the three indicators were collected in a panel of 30 to 60 volunteer hospitals by 6 Clinical Research Assistants. The metrological qualities of the indicators were assessed: (i Feasibility was assessed using a grid of 19 potential problems, (ii Inter-observer reliability was given by the kappa coefficient ( and internal consistency by Cronbach's alpha test, (iii Discriminatory power was given by an analysis of inter-hospital variability using the Gini coefficient as a measure of dispersion. Results Overall, 19281 data items were collected and analyzed. All three indicators presented acceptable feasibility and reliability (, 0.59 to 0.97 and showed wide differences among hospitals (Gini, 0.08 to 0.11, indicating that they are suitable for making comparisons among hospitals. Conclusion This set of 3 indicators provides a proxy measurement of coordination. Further research on the indicators is needed to find out how they can generate a learning process. The medical record indicator has been included in the French national accreditation procedure for healthcare organisations. The two other indicators are currently being assessed for inclusion.

Measures to improve the quality of hotel services

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Anca MADAR

2017-07-01

Full Text Available This article aims to exemplify how, starting from the evaluation of customer satisfaction on service quality, the hotel units’ management, can apply different measures and strategies to improve it. To achieve the target, a marketing research survey is conducted based on a sample of 120 customers of Hotel „Kronwell” at the end of 2013. After analysing customer’ responses a series of measures have been taken to improve the quality of services offered by this hotel, then at the end of 2015 a new research was achieved, based on the same questionnaire. The results of this research highlight the increasing of customer satisfaction as a result of improving the quality of hotel services, supported by growth in net profit, turnover and decrease of employees’ number.

Speech Quality Monitoring in Czech National Research Network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miroslav Voznak

2010-01-01

Full Text Available This paper deals with techniques of measuring and assessment of the voice transmitted in IP networks and describes design of quality measurement, which can be used for Cisco Gateways. Cisco gateways send Calculated Planning Impairment Factor in every CDR (Call Detail Record. Our design is based on collection of CDR's, their storing into SQL database and their visualization through web page. This design was implemented and successfully tested in CESNET network.

Measuring quality of life in cleft lip and palate patients: currently available patient-reported outcomes measures.

Science.gov (United States)

Eckstein, Donna A; Wu, Rebecca L; Akinbiyi, Takintope; Silver, Lester; Taub, Peter J

2011-11-01

Patient-reported outcomes in cleft lip and palate treatment are critical for patient care. Traditional surgical outcomes focused on objective measures, such as photographs, anatomic measurements, morbidity, and mortality. Although these remain important, they leave many questions unanswered. Surveys that include aesthetics, speech, functionality, self-image, and quality of life provide more thorough outcomes assessment. It is vital that reliable, valid, and comprehensive questionnaires are available to craniofacial surgeons. The authors performed a literature review to identify questionnaires validated in cleft lip and palate patients. Qualifying instruments were assessed for adherence to guidelines for development and validation by the scientific advisory committee and for content. The authors identified 44 measures used in cleft lip and palate studies. After 15 ad hoc questionnaires, eight generic instruments, 11 psychiatric instruments, and one non-English language questionnaire were excluded, nine measures remained. Of these, four were never validated in the cleft population. Analysis revealed one craniofacial-specific measure (Youth Quality of Life-Facial Differences), two voice-related measures (Patient Voice-Related Quality of Life and Cleft Audit Protocol for Speech-Augmented), and two oral health-related measures (Child Oral Health Impact Profile and Child Oral Health Quality of Life). The Youth Quality of Life-Facial Differences, Child Oral Health Impact Profile, and Child Oral Health Quality of Life questionnaires were sufficiently validated. None was created specifically for clefts, resulting in content limitations. There is a lack of comprehensive, valid, and reliable questionnaires for cleft lip and palate surgery. For thorough assessment of satisfaction, further research to develop and validate cleft lip and palate surgery-specific instruments is needed.