Open Forum: The value of medicine in improving the quality of care

Abstract

Patients expect the provision of quality care from the healthcare system, whether they are in the public sector or the private sector. One method amongst many of ensuring the provision of quality care is with the use of medicine. This discussion paper explores the conceptual link between the value of a medicine and improving quality of care. Before a link can be established it is necessary that a broader understanding of value and quality be provided. The paper highlights that the means to realize the value of a medicine is with the aid of a quality improvement process implemented by health care providers and medical schemes. A quality improvement process aims to maximise the usefulness of medicine by focusing on the patient's desired therapeutic outcomes. However, this process does not come without its obstacles. The paper proposes that a system of comparing health care providers and medical schemes based on quality of care is a viable mechanism of overcoming obstacles.

South African Family Practice Vol. 48 (10) 2006: pp. 6-11