Topic Highlight
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World J Gastroenterol. Oct 14, 2013; 19(38): 6367-6374
Published online Oct 14, 2013. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i38.6367
Quality improvement in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease: Moving forward to improve outcomes
Pauline Quach, Geoffrey C Nguyen, Eric I Benchimol
Pauline Quach, Eric I Benchimol, CHEO IBD Centre, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa K1H 8L1, Canada
Pauline Quach, Geoffrey C Nguyen, Eric I Benchimol, Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Ottawa K1Y 4E9, Canada
Geoffrey C Nguyen, Zane Cohen Center for Digestive Research, Division of Gastroenterology, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto M5T 3L9, Canada
Geoffrey C Nguyen, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 2J7, Canada
Eric I Benchimol, Departments of Pediatrics, Epidemiology and Community Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa K1H 8M5, Canada
Author contributions: Quach P drafted and edited the manuscript; Nguyen GC and Benchimol EI contributed to revising and editing the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Eric I Benchimol, MD, PhD, FRCPC, CHEO IBD Centre, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa K1H 8L1, Canada. ebenchimol@cheo.on.ca
Telephone: +1-613-7377600 Fax: +1-613-7384854
Received: July 23, 2013
Revised: September 12, 2013
Accepted: September 15, 2013
Published online: October 14, 2013
Core Tip

Core tip: This review article provides an overview of the quality improvement movement and the role of quality indicators. Active quality improvement efforts in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease are discussed, and the need for standardizing the development of quality indicators across all fields of healthcare is emphasized. This article also discusses the importance of incorporating validation techniques when developing and selecting quality indicators. Examples of quality improvement efforts in other areas of pediatric chronic illnesses are presented, with important lessons highlighted to guide future quality improvement initiatives.