The Ethics of Using Quality Improvement Methods in Health Care

“Quality improvement (QI) activities can improve health care but
must be conducted ethically. The Hastings Center convened leaders
and scholars to address ethical requirements for QI and their relationship
to regulations protecting human subjects of research. The
group defined QI as systematic, data-guided activities designed to
bring about immediate improvements in health care delivery in
particular settings and concluded that QI is an intrinsic part of
normal health care operations. Both clinicians and patients have an
ethical responsibility to participate in QI, provided that it complies
with specified ethical requirements”.