The three broad aimspursued by the National Quality Strategy (NQS), as recognized by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), are better care, healthy people/healthy communities, and affordable care. These aims reflect a comprehensive approach to improving healthcare by focusing on enhancing the overall quality of care, improving the health of populations, and reducing the cost of care to ensure it is affordable for all.
Reduce medical waste, use Lean, and achieve equity and better access to care (A): These are important goals, but they do not summarize the NQS's broad aims.
Reduce complications, reduce readmissions, and improve health outcomes (B): These are specific targets within the broader framework but not the three broad aims.
Triple aim, reduce utilization, and affordable care (D): The triple aim concept is related, but it is not identical to the three broad aims of the NQS.
References
NAHQ Body of Knowledge: National Quality Strategy and Healthcare Improvement NAHQ CPHQ Exam Preparation Materials: Understanding National Quality Initiatives
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Leadership in the realm of patient safety is paramount. The stakeholders, ranging from the surgeons to the Chair of the Board, have to be engaged and really understand the importance of leadership support1. Effective leadership is necessary in medicine to foster an organizational culture that promotes patient safety2. By fostering an environment of psychological safety that encourages others to feel safe communicating issues andspeaking up with concerns, leaders are able to act decisively and timely to protect patients and employees2.
In the context of patient safety, human factors refer to the environmental, organizational, and job factors, as well as human and individual characteristics, which influence behavior at work in a way that can affect health and safety2. A focus on human factors in a patient safety program is essential because even when appropriate processes are in place, errors can occur due to human factors2. Therefore, understanding and addressing human factors is a key focus area for leaders coordinating a patient safety program2.

The primary focus of Six Sigma methodology is reducing variation in processes. Six Sigma aims to improve the quality of outputs by identifying and eliminating the causes of defects and minimizing variability in manufacturing and business processes. By striving for near-perfect processes, Six Sigma helps organizations deliver consistent, high-quality products and services, which is critical in healthcare for improving patient outcomes.
* Complying with standards (B): While Six Sigma can help meet standards, its focus is on reducing process variation.
* Eliminating waste (C): This is a primary focus of Lean methodology, not Six Sigma.
* Improving patient safety (D): While reducing variation can improve safety, Six Sigma's core goal is to minimize defects and variability.
References
* NAHQ Body of Knowledge: Process Improvement and Six Sigma
* NAHQ CPHQ Exam Preparation Materials: Six Sigma Methodology in Healthcare
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The IOM's Crossing the Quality Chasm (2001) outlines six aims for improving healthcare: safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable.
Option A (Low costs): Low costs are not one of the six aims, though efficiency indirectly addresses cost by reducing waste.
Option B (Population-centered): Population-centered is not an IOM aim; patient-centered care focuses on individual needs, not populations.
Option C (Effective): This is the correct answer. NAHQ CPHQ study materials cite effective care-delivering evidence-based care that achieves desired outcomes-as one of the six IOM aims.
Option D (Coordinated): Coordinated care is a component of patient-centered or efficient care but is not explicitly listed as one of the six aims.
Reference: NAHQ CPHQ Study Guide, Domain 4: Performance and Process Improvement, references the IOM's six aims, including effective care, as a framework for quality improvement.