For several years, health care has been shifting from acute, episodic care to care for chronic conditions. Chronic conditions are now the leading causes of illness, disability and death. More than 40% of people with chronic conditions have more than one condition. This trend requires a more complete communication structure and coordination of care. Yet, physicians, hospitals and other health care organizations operate in silos that do not share information about the patient's condition, medical history, services provided in other settings, or medications prescribed.

As medical science and technology have advanced, and patients have become more complete, the health care system has not been able to provide consistently high quality care to all Americans. Research on the quality of care shows that the health care system falls short in translating knowledge into practice, and applying new technology safely. Many types of medical errors require additional health care services to treat patients who have been harmed. The health care system is fragmented and lacks the clinical information systems to prevent unnecessary duplication of services, long waiting times and delays in services. The health care system does not make the best use of its resources.

In response to these challenges, the Institute of Medicine has established six aims for improvement. The health care should be:

Safe – avoiding injuries to patients from the care that is intended to help them.
Effective – providing services based on scientific knowledge to all who could benefit and refraining from providing services to those not likely to benefit (avoiding underuse and overuse)
Patient-centered – providing care that is respectful of and responsive to individual patient preferences, needs and values and ensuring that patients values guide all clinical decisions.
Timely – reducing waits and sometimes harmful delays for both those who receive and those who give care.
Efficient – avoiding waste, including waste of equipment, supplies, ideas and energy.
Equitable – providing care that does not vary in quality because of personal characteristics such as gender, ethnicity, geographic location, and socio-economic status.

As you look for resources to assist you with your health care decisions, the quality and safety measures in CheckPoint will help you evaluate the health care in your community. While this information is important, please keep in mind that CheckPoint data represents only one part of the overall health care picture. The measures do not answer all questions about an individual hospital's performance. You are encouraged to discuss the management of your care with your provider and participate in all decisions involving your care plan.