CQI progress reports: the dashboard approach provides a better way to keep board informed about quality.

Once continuous quality improvement is under way, nearly all healthcare organizations send progress reports to the board. Typically, however, the board gets a potpourri of data--from written and oral reports of quality improvement projects to clinical outcome measurements, and customer satisfaction data. That's why top executives are trying to determine more precisely what information trustees and other leaders really need. One solution is a "dashboard" of critical indicators based on the organization's strategic plan.