Health Care Quality Improvement Program: a new approach.

The Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) has embarked on a new program to ensure the quality of care provided to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. The approach, entitled the Health Care Quality Improvement Program (HCQIP), focuses on improving the outcomes of care, measuring improvement, and surveying for patient satisfaction. HCQIP, still in its infancy, is undertaken in collaboration with the providers of care. This article describes HCQIP.