The Ethics of Using QI Methods to Improve Health Care Quality & Safety

This special report from The Hastings Center explores the ethical dimensions of efforts to make health care safer and better through continuous quality improvement (QI) efforts in patient care, with special attention to the relationship between everyday QI activities and the ethical rules and regulations governing human subjects research. It offers practical recommendations for ensuring that QI meets ethical requirements, proposes a cooperative effort by public and private entities to develop clearer guidance on the relationship between ethical oversight of QI and human subjects research regulations, and makes other policy recommendations aimed at promoting safety and quality in health care through the ethical conduct of QI. Download the report for free.