The Quality Board (KR) is an independent board and advises the Executive Board of the National Health Care Institute. The Board advises on various themes relating to the quality of care. In doing so, the Board considers the interests of society so that healthcare is people-centred, sustainable and suitable for the long term. The Quality Board consists of experts who advise, from different perspectives, on quality of care, measuring and interpreting quality, and learning about and improving quality of care. The chair of the QR is F. (Floortje) Scheepers.
What is quality of care?
According to the KR, good care has a lot to do with how we define the good life, based on the patient's or client's point of view. Here, the KR uses 3 principles that are important to many people when it comes to leading a good life: autonomy, connecting with others and doing meaningful things. Good healthcare should align to these principles, by improving patients' and clients' health level and their opportunities for self-control over their lives, social activities and giving personal meaning to their lives. Good care thus depends on the values and criteria of the parties concerned when it comes to a good life.
The various characteristics of good care are legally enshrined. Accordingly, it is mandatory to keep working on the quality of care. According to the Act, good quality care and care of a high standard is care that is at least safe, timely, effective, efficient and focused on the personal situation of the patient or client.
Tasks of the Quality Board
The KR gives the Executive Board of the National Health Care Institute recommendations relating to:
- the approach to appropriate care
- the long-term agenda and work programme of the National Health Care Institute
- providing a clear picture of information about the quality of care
- quality tools of the Healthcare Institute, such as for testing quality standards
- policy and implementation of the National Health Care Institute’s quality-related activities
- financial impacts of quality standards (together with the Insured Package Advisory Committee)
- broad themes about the quality of care
- inclusion of quality registrations in the Register.
Active role: mediation and overruling power
The KR can also play a mediating role in discussions about quality and the development and introduction of quality tools.
A specific statutory duty of the Board is what is known as overruling power. Sometimes patients, healthcare professionals and health insurance companies do not agree on a quality standard or measurement tool. The Healthcare Institute then asks the KR to draw up a standard or instrument, or a part of it. This is always carried out in collaboration with the parties concerned.
More information or questions?
If you have questions about the Quality Board or anything you would like to share, please contact us at Kwaliteitsraad@zinl.nl.