H.C. Quality:Module 1: What does quality mean to you?

I think the best way to start a reflection on this topic is to begin with what I learned from the reading this week. In my notes I complied a few points under my definition of quality,"Balance of health benefits and harm, the degree to which health services for individuals and populations increases the likelihood of desired health outcomes and are consistent with current professional knowledge, how care is provided should reflect appropriate use of the most current knowledge about scientific, clinical, technological, interpersonal, manual, cognitive and organizational management." This is the definition of quality health care, not just quality in general. Since this is a health care class I feel it is appropriate to center my decision on quality of care. I would like to think that this is a decent definition of quality of care, given from a health care professionals view, but from a patient view I don't know if this would be the best way to define quality. From a patients point of view, quality care will be tailored around their knowledge of their health status before and after treatment, the actual condition being treated, and how the service they have received compares with other patients and/or other personal past experience. This definition is similar in nature that that given in the text but i think that quality is a perception and should be defined on a personal level. One can not assess whether they believe the care they were given was quality unless they have a way to measure that care in relation to something that was not quality.
I am a waitress in a restaurant and I do enjoy my job most of the time. I try and give quality service because it is important to the reputation of the establishment in which I work. I work in a family owned restaurant which was been in operation for 30 years. I have worked their for 7 years, and have always made good money. I would not be able to keep my job if i did not give quality service. Now when i go other places to eat sometimes i am amazed at the lack of quality service I receive and I think about about would happen to me in my job if i were to give the customer poor quality service in the restaurant which I work. The conclusion that I am trying to make here is that I measure the quality of service in which I receive based off a perception of a standard in which I have created. I have a desired outcome.

The problem here lies in the fact that not everyone in the service industry values the level of services or the quality of service they provide. Not everyone aims to reach that desired outcome. For example last semester during a debate in class, I was in debate with a technician who worked in a hospital. We were debating the issue of how the health reform will affect quality of care. I presented more or less the example i have provided early on how I try and give the greatest quality of service because it is my job for one and for two because that is what i would like in return. Then i asked the technician whether she also felt this way. Whether she thought that nurses, technicians, etc. valued their jobs and would aim to provide the highest quality service possible. She didn't agree with me and basically called me naive.

So the next part of the reading talks about the six dimensional aims for improvement and the one that most service provides are lacking in terms of quality is being patient centered. So what makes me so naive to think that this is a achievable? The definition states that the system of care should revolve around the patient, respect the patients preference and put the patient in control. Being patient centered will create that perception of quality, along with the other 5 aims you can achieve actual quality.