Quality health services across the world should be:
Effective
Providing evidence-based health care services to those who need them.
People-centered
Providing care that responds to individual preferences, needs and values.
Safe
Avoiding harm to people for whom the care is intended.
In order to realise the benefits of quality health care, health services must also be:
Timely
Reducing waiting times and sometimes harmful delays for both those who receive and those who give care.
Integrated
Providing care that is coordinated across levels and providers, making the full range of health services available.
Equitable
Providing care that does not vary in quality on account of personal circumstances including but not limited to age, gender or ethnicity.
Efficient
Maximising the benefits of available resources and avoiding waste.
Defining Quality: Aiming for a Better Health Care System (IHI Open School).
