Implementing continuous quality improvement at the facility level.

Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) is a disciplined approach to problem solving. The 4 basic building blocks of the program include; leadership, planning, quality control, and quality improvement. It is customer focused, data driven, and empowers the employees to meet the needs of their patients. Management teams that successfully adopt the underlying philosophic tenets of the program and provide adequate resources for training and implementation may realize such benefits as improved clinical outcomes, increased patient and staff satisfaction, increased staff productivity, fewer adverse events, enhanced cost effectiveness, and an improvement in overall organizational performance. Copyright 2001 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc.