ISQua: IMPROVING HEALTHCARE WORLDWIDE

Quality practice and performance improvement underpin the work of the health care team across the entire continuum of care.

Quality and safety in health care are about health facilities and providers, clinicians and other professionals, providing the 'right' care for the 'right' people at the 'right' first time and in the 'right' amount. With safe, high quality care, people can function better and enjoy a better life by surviving survial well. At stake can be life itself, quality of life and well-being, morale, time, resources, professional reputations.

Quality of care matters. It is consistently ranked by consumers as a high concern about their care and the quality and safety of their care cannot be assumed. A 24-hour a day commitment to best practice is needed to work towards achieve excellence. This needs the support of appropriate systems and processes.

The strong emphasis on getting health value for spending has increased the demand for cost-effective analysis and research into effectiveness of care and patient outcomes.

ISQua, The International Society for Quality in Health Care Inc., offers a unique opportunity for individuals and institutions with a common interest to share expertise via an international multidisciplinary forum.

Supported by members, including leading quality health care providers and agencies in 70 countries, and with additional funds from the Australian and Victorian Governments, the ISQua Secretariat is now in the process of being relocated to Dublin in Ireland.

ISQua is formally recognized by the World Health Organization as being in "Official Relations" with WHO. ISQua is assisting with technical and policy advice based on evidence and best practices and contributing to knowledge sharing as part of WHO initiatives.

ISQua’s Values

• Quality health care for all
  Promoting access for people throughout the world to safe, quality health care
• Responsiveness
  Understanding and meeting the needs of members and other clients and continually improving services for them
• Innovation
  Constantly exploring, studying and researching new concepts and opportunities
• Achieving together
  Collaborating for improvement through ongoing consultation, partnerships and teamwork
• Integrity
  Serving with an attitude of unselfish concern and acting ethically
• Stewardship
  Managing resources entrusted to ISQua in a responsible manner and strengthening ISQua’s viability

ISQua's Mission

Driving continual improvement in the quality and safety of healthcare worldwide through education, research, collaboration and the dissemination of evidence-based knowledge.


ISQua addresses its core business through each of the following policy portfolios and objectives. Each portfolio is under the leadership and responsibility of a Board member

• Membership
• Publications
• Accreditation
• Indicators
• Education
• Finance
• Public Affairs

The Board and its members also act as leaders for the Society in the wider community and assist with encouragement of new members and coalitions including sponsorship, promotion of ISQua activities and aims, as well as gathering member opinions on future strategic directions



To FIND OUT MORE about ISQua including Membership, check other sections on the ISQua site:
Contact info@isqua.org.au and see also Membership

History

In 1985, a group of health professionals gathered in Udine in Northern Italy to discuss the assurance of quality of medicine. Many of the original group had been deeply influenced by Avedis Donabedian and the European focus in the original executive of the Society was evident. With the leadership in 1986 of Peter Reizenstein as President and then Journal Editor, the Society grew through its annual international conference program and journal.

After an international bidding process, ISQua's Secretariat was established in Australia in 1995. The Society is a non-profit organisation, managed by an Executive Board which is elected every two years. Current Board members are from North American, European and Asia/Pacific regions.

Major ISQua sponsors are :

• The Victorian Government in Australia - Department of Human Services

Current Foundation Institutional Members are :
In Australia

• New South Wales Health Department

• The Victorian Government - Departmentof Human Services

In the USA

• URC Quality Assurance Program

In Canada

• Canadian Council on Health Services Accreditation

Management and Executive Board: 2007-2009

• Profiles 2007-2009 : ISQuaExecutiveBoard

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ISQua Executive Board 2007- 2009.

President	Prof Bruce Barraclough	Clinical Excellence Commission of NSW, Australia
President Elect and Treasurer	Mr Phillip Hassen	Canadian Patient Safety Institute, Canada
Board Members	Prof David Bates	Harvard School of Medicine, Partners. USA
	t.b.a	Health Information Quality Authority, Ireland
	Dr Charles Bruneau	Haute Autorité Santé, France ......
	Ms Helen Crisp	CHKS - Health Accreditation Quality Unit, UK
	Prof Sheila Leatherman	School Public Health, University South Carolina, USA
	Sir John Oldham	General Practitioner, UK
Ex Officio Members (voting) of the Board:
Past President	Dr John Helfrick	Harvard Medical International USA
Chief Executive Officer	Ms Roisin Boland	ISQua
Attending by invitation:
Journal Editor	Dr Thomas Perneger	Geneva University Hospitals Quality Care Unit
Accreditation Council Chair	Mr Brian Johnston	Australian Council on Healthcare Standards, Australia