Quality Measurement Framework Research Articles

BIGOWL4DQ: Ontology-driven approach for Big Data quality meta-modelling, selection and reasoning

Context:Data quality should be at the core of many Artificial Intelligence initiatives from the very first moment in which data is required for a successful analysis. Measurement and evaluation of the level of quality are crucial to determining whether data can be used for the tasks at hand. Conscientious of this importance, industry and academia have proposed several data quality measurements and assessment frameworks over the last two decades. Unfortunately, there is no common and shared vocabulary for data quality terms. Thus, it is difficult and time-consuming to integrate data quality analysis within a (Big) Data workflow for performing Artificial Intelligence tasks. One of the main reasons is that, except for a reduced number of proposals, the presented vocabularies are neither machine-readable nor processable, needing human processing to be incorporated. Objective:This paper proposes a unified data quality measurement and assessment information model. This model can be used in different environments and contexts to describe data quality measurement and evaluation concerns. Method:The model has been developed as an ontology to make it interoperable and machine-readable. For better interoperability and applicability, this ontology, BIGOWL4DQ, has been developed as an extension of a previously developed ontology for describing knowledge management in Big Data analytics. Conclusions:This extended ontology provides a data quality measurement and assessment framework required when designing Artificial Intelligence workflows and integrated reasoning capacities. Thus, BIGOWL4DQ can be used to describe Big Data analysis and assess the data quality before the analysis. Result:Our proposal has been validated with two use cases. First, the semantic proposal has been assessed using an academic use case. And second, a real-world case study within an Artificial Intelligence workflow has been conducted to endorse our work.

The Patient-Centered Dental Home: A Framework for Quality Measurement, Improvement, and Integration.

This study completed the development of a standardized patient-centered dental home (PCDH) framework to align and integrate with the patient-centered medical home. This study identified measure concepts and specific measures and standards to complete the 4-level measurement framework to implement and evaluate a PCDH. This study built on prior model development, which identified the PCDH definition and characteristics and the components nested within those characteristics. An environmental scan identified existing oral health care quality measure concepts, measures, and standards for rating by the project's National Advisory Committee (NAC). A modified Delphi process, adapted from the RAND appropriateness method, was used to obtain structured feedback from the NAC. NAC members rated measure concepts on importance and, subsequently, specific measures and standards on feasibility, validity, and actionability using a 1 to 9 rating scale. Criteria for model inclusion were based on median ratings and rating dispersion. Open-ended comments were elicited to inform model inclusion as well as identify additional concepts. We identified more than 500 existing oral health care measures and standards. A structured process was used to identify a subset that best aligned with a PCDH for rating by the NAC. Four Delphi rounds were completed, with 2 rounds to rate measure concepts and 2 rounds to rate measures and standards. NAC quantitative ratings and qualitative comments resulted in a total of 61 measure concepts and 47 measures and standards retained for inclusion in the framework. The NAC ratings of measure concepts, and specific measures and standards nested within those concepts, completed the 4-level PCDH measurement framework. The resulting framework allows for the development and implementation of core measure sets to identify and evaluate a PCDH, facilitating quality improvement and dental-medical integration. Clinicians, payers, health care systems, and policy makers can use the results of this study to guide and assess implementation of the various components of a patient-centered dental home and to support dental-medical integration.

Factors Influencing the Auditor Independence and Affects to Audit Quality of Supreme Audit Institution of Vietnam

Purpose: The aim of this study is to explore the factors affect to auditor independence, and impacts auditor independence to audit quality of Supreme Audit Institution (SAI). Theoretical framework: This study explores factors affecting the auditor independence in public sector based on articles pertaining to public sector audits that were published in major publications in the 20th century. The theories were applied in order to build up research model about factors influencing the auditor independence and affects to SAI’s audit quality. Design/methodology/approach: Research using complex techniques to analyze complex relationships in the SEM model. This result tests research model in Vietnam from the perspective of the state auditors’ perception with 225 valid responses. Findings: The result found out three primary factors that affect the independence of public-sector auditors: political hegemony, auditor tenure and relationships with auditees. These factors have negative impact on state auditor’s independence, meanwhile auditor independence has a positive impact on SAI’s audit quality. Research, Practical & Social implications: The study contributes to existing literature by providing empirical evidence for there is no suitable audit quality measurement framework for SAIs. Originality/value: The results highlight strong importance of the auditor independence so that SAI Vietnam can have effective solutions to protect independence of state auditor from threats and improve the audit quality of SAI.

Quality Measurement Gaps in Pediatric-To-Adult Health Care Transition in the United States: A Framework to Guide Development of New Measures

PurposePediatric-to-adult health care transition (HCT) is a critical component of care for youth and young adults (Y/YA), especially those with chronic conditions. Positive outcomes in population health, patient experience, and utilization of care for Y/YA with chronic conditions have been associated with a structured HCT approach. Despite these outcomes and professional recommendations, few Y/YA receive HCT guidance from providers. Compounding this problem is the lack of attention to HCT quality measurement to stimulate and evaluate practice improvements and ensure accountability in pediatric and adult care. MethodsA multistep process was undertaken to develop a new HCT quality measurement framework and identify existing HCT measures from national databases. Based on an environmental scan, the framework was created, measure gaps identified, and measure concepts proposed to fill these gaps. A multistakeholder advisory committee provided guidance throughout this initiative. ResultsThe HCT measurement framework has 11 domains: one structure domain (health organization characteristics), three process domains (clinician HCT activities, Y/YA/F activities, continuity of care), four outcome domains (population health, utilization/cost/value of care, patient experience, and clinician experience), and three mediator domains (Y/YA/F-centered care, care coordination, and Y/YA/F characteristics). The search yielded 49 potentially relevant measures but only four qualified as directly relevant to HCT. Fifty four HCT measure concepts were proposed to address these shortcomings. DiscussionPediatric-to-adult HCT quality measurement is largely absent in nationally recognized databases. This article provides a comprehensive HCT quality measurement framework, which was used to identify gaps and propose measure concepts as a roadmap for future HCT quality measurement improvements.

Towards A Comprehensive Framework for Audit Quality Measurement: Conceptualization and Operationalization

Towards A Comprehensive Framework for Audit Quality Measurement: Conceptualization and Operationalization

전동킥보드 공유 플랫폼의 서비스 품질이 소비자의 기술수용에 미치는 영향

The electric scooter (e-scooter), categorized as a form of micromobility, is a powered standup scooter that commonly uses an electric motor. With recent technological development, e-scooter gained worldwide popularity especially after operating as sharing services. E-scooter sharing service in Korea was launched in 2018 and the market has expanded dramatically over the last 4 years. However, academic literature has been unable to keep pace with the sudden rate of change in the e-scooter sharing industry. Therefore, this study aims to explore how e-scooter sharing service quality affects consumer perceived use experience that in turn influences consumer’s attitude and consequent continued usage intention. The extended technology acceptance model (TAM) is adopted to understand consumer’s new type of sharing service adoption behavior from a service quality perspective. The new type of online to offline service quality measurement framework, which has a theoretical basis on SERVQUAL and modified to a micromobility sharing context, is utilized and integrated with TAM to predict consumer’s mobile platform service quality perception on the e-scooter sharing services. Moreover, consumer safety risk perception of e-scooter sharing service is included in this research. The results strongly support the traditional relationships among TAM variables, in which perceived ease of use and usefulness had positive association with consumer attitude and continuance intention. Also, positive influences of service quality on perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and consumer satisfaction were demonstrated. Also, negative effects of perceived safety risk on consumer attitude, satisfaction and continuance intention were observed. Implications for further research and recommendations for stakeholders are discussed to promote this sustainable micromobility sharing option.

Ownership in international vocational education and training transfer: The example of quality development in India

AbstractThis article addresses policy transfer in international development activities in vocational education and training. Ownership has been identified and established as a key factor for sustainability of transfer activities in different fields of development cooperation. While the concept has been targeted from a macro‐level perspective of government‐to‐government transfer for a long time, meso‐ and micro‐level perspectives of multi‐stakeholder involvement are increasingly emerging. Thus, the focus is on the function of ownership in terms of the role of local stakeholder commitment for sustainable transfer at the level of vocational training institutions in India. Using the example of the transfer of an approach for quality measurement, factors, potentials and challenges for ownership development are explored. Findings are based on the first evaluation cycle of a quality measurement framework developed with specific regard to Polytechnic Colleges and Industrial Training Institutes. Results of the evaluation were analysed considering the model intentions and theoretically based assumptions taken in the research process. Ownership at the meso‐level can be established by high degrees of acceptability of measures, participation of stakeholders at the institutional level and internal and external moderation processes in implementation. This paper argues that increased participation and decision‐making authority will contribute to measures in line with stakeholders' needs and enable Polytechnic Colleges and ITIs to engage in institutional development more effectively when considering stakeholders' views. This is the case, particularly when focusing on quality assurance and development at the organisational level.

Waste Control at Construction Project by Adopting Lean Management Tool for Quality Measurement Framework

Abstract: Lean manufacturing and lean construction have the same goals according to Paez et al. (2005): elimination of waste, cycle time reduction, and variability reduction. One of the ways of reaching the goals of lean construction is flow according to Paez et al. (2005). When trying to attain flow in construction one need to realize that there are differences between manufacturing and construction, which may make it difficult to attain the same flow between different processes, attained within manufacturing (Koskela, 1992). These differences are certain construction peculiarities such as one-of-a-kind projects, site production, temporary organization and regulatory intervention, aspects more common with construction projects than manufacturing. According to Koskela (1992) however, the same production principles apply and there is room for improvement when it comes to flow in the construction industry. By using lean thinking and lean tools and adapting them to the construction industry this master's thesis purpose is to develop a tool to identify and measure waste, guide in which order waste should be reduced and by this enabling estimations of potential consequences that might occur by implementing a lean approach at a construction site. This is of interest in order to bridge the research gap between conceptual lean construction and research based on empirical studies

Pixel-scale historical-baseline-based ecological quality: Measuring impacts from climate change and human activities from 2000 to 2018 in China

Widespread concern about ecological degradation has prompted development of concepts and exploration of methods to quantify ecological quality with the aim of measuring ecosystem changes to contribute to future policy-making. This paper proposes a conceptual framework for ecological quality measurement based on current ecosystem functions and biodiverse habitat, compared with pixel-scale historical baselines. The framework was applied to evaluate the changes and driving factors of ecological quality for Chinese terrestrial ecosystems through remote sensing-based and ecosystem process modeled data at 1 km spatial resolution from 2000 to 2018. The results demonstrated the ecological quality index (EQI) had a very different spatial pattern based upon vegetation distribution. An upward trend in EQI was found over most areas, and variability of 46.95% in EQI can be explained well by change in climate, with an additional 10.64% explained by changing human activities, quantified by population density. This study demonstrated a practical and objective approach for quantifying and assessing ecological quality, which has application potential in ecosystem assessments on scales from local to region and nation, yet would provide a new scientific concept and paradigm for macro ecosystems management and decision-making by governments.

A metafrontier Global Malmquist framework for hospitals productivity and quality measurement: Evidence from the Greek economic recession

• This study develops a framework that measures the quality effects into a separate component of the metafrontier global Malmquist index. • The proposed approach make use and derive benefit from the transitivity property of the developed index to overcome the possible data scarcity problems and provide consistent assessments with and without quality data. • We use the developed methodological framework, to better understanding the interrelationships between production and quality within the healthcare setting. • From a managerial perspective this study provides an empirical analysis of productivity drivers of Greek hospitals during the period of economic crisis to explore how the fiscal pressure affects hospital management. The main purpose of the study is to examine how the global economic crisis has affected the hospital productivity growth and quality performance of public hospitals in Greece. Through the nonparametric estimation of a quality-adjusted metafrontier Malmquist index, the study accounts the heterogeneity of hospitals according to the hierarchical levels of the healthcare system (primary, secondary and tertiary care) to examine the trends of efficiency change, innovation change, and leadership change during the period 2009-2013. The proposed approach relies on a novel methodological framework for measuring quality into a separate component of the metafrontier Malmquist. To understand the effect of the economic crisis in healthcare the study further explores the association between productivity and quality in the hospital sector. The results show that the implemented austerity measures have had a negative impact particularly on the quality of the tertiary hospitals that exhibited an overall productivity regress.

Quality measurement in agile and rapid software development: A systematic mapping

Context:In despite of agile and rapid software development (ARSD) being researched and applied extensively, managing quality requirements (QRs) are still challenging. As ARSD processes produce a large amount of data, measurement has become a strategy to facilitate QR management. Objective:This study aims to survey the literature related to QR management through metrics in ARSD, focusing on: bibliometrics, QR metrics, and quality-related indicators used in quality management. Methods:The study design includes the definition of research questions, selection criteria, and snowballing as search strategy. Results:We selected 61 primary studies (2001–2019). Despite a large body of knowledge and standards, there is no consensus regarding QR measurement. Terminology is varying as are the measuring models. However, seemingly different measurement models do contain similarities. Conclusion:The industrial relevance of the primary studies shows that practitioners have a need to improve quality measurement. Our collection of measures and data sources can serve as a starting point for practitioners to include quality measurement into their decision-making processes. Researchers could benefit from the identified similarities to start building a common framework for quality measurement. In addition, this could help researchers identify what quality aspects need more focus, e.g., security and usability that have surprisingly few metrics reported.

Patient centered dental home: Building a framework for dental quality measurement and improvement.

This article presents results of the second phase of a project to develop a patient-centered dental home (PCDH) model. Aims of PCDH model development include broadening the scope of prior dental home definitions to include populations across the lifespan, developing a quality measurement framework to facilitate quality assessment and improvement, and promoting opportunities for medical-dental integration through alignment with existing PCMH models. This phase determined the components, or conceptual subdivisions, associated with a previously developed PCDH definition and characteristics. We used a modified Delphi process to obtain structured feedback and gain consensus among the project national advisory committee (NAC). The process included a web-based survey that asked NAC members to rank the importance of each potential component on a scale of 1-9. Criteria for consensus on component inclusion/exclusion combined a median rating and measure of disagreement. Respondents were also encouraged to provide open-ended feedback regarding rationale for component ratings and additional suggested components. A total of 47 out of 51 members completed the survey. All 34 components met the quantitative criteria for inclusion in the PCDH model. Changes were made to components based on open-ended feedback. This project phase further developed a PCDH measurement framework that aims to guide practice transformation, quality measurement and improvement in dental care delivery, as well as integration between medicine and dentistry. Using a Delphi approach with a broad group of stakeholders ensured that components had face validity and were conceptually aligned with the PCDH definition and characteristics.

Counting what counts: A researcher productivity scoring framework for South African's universities of technology

One of the three objectives of academic institutions all over the world is that of ensuring and upholding vibrant research productivity. For developing countries such as South Africa, public spending on research and development provides mechanisms for this. The South Africa’s Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) is the custodian of government research funds. Evidence shows that DHET continues to grapple with the challenge of objectively measuring research productivity from the research funds invested in universities. The current funding framework applied by DHET has received numerous criticism one of them being its quantitative nature - it rewards quantity as opposed to quality research. This problem is more pronounced in Universities of Technology (UoTs) where, after more than ten years of operating as universities, the culture of research is not yet fully entrenched. Acknowledging the critical role played by research productivity measurements, we present a research productivity and quality measurement framework for UoTs. Using a case study of one of the UoTs, quantitative data relating to 48 aspects of the of existing research incentive system was used in determining the system’s effectiveness and efficacy in stimulating researchers’ activities. The proposed Framework consists of three components on: how to motivate researchers, what/how to measure research performance and how to incentivise researchers. Using an actual dataset of research outputs from the case study, an illustration on how to apply the framework has been provided. The results confirm our Framework’s ability to “count what counts” and proven the statement that “not everything that can be counted counts”.

Strategies for developing and implementing a rheumatoid arthritis healthcare quality framework: a thematic analysis of perspectives from arthritis stakeholders

ObjectivesTo obtain stakeholder perspectives to inform the development and implementation of a rheumatoid arthritis (RA) healthcare quality measurement framework.DesignQualitative study using thematic analysis of focus groups and interviews.SettingArthritis stakeholders from...

Priorities for High-quality Care in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Results of Patient, Health Professional, and Policy Maker Perspectives.

To elucidate the essential elements of high-quality rheumatoid arthritis (RA) care in order to develop a vision statement and a set of strategic objectives for a national RA quality framework. Focus groups and interviews were conducted by experienced qualitative researchers using a semistructured interview or focus group guide with healthcare professionals, patients, clinic managers, healthcare leaders, and policy makers to obtain their perspectives on elements essential to RA care. Purposive sampling provided representation of stakeholder types and regions. Recorded data was transcribed verbatim. Two teams of 2 coders independently analyzed the deidentified transcripts using thematic analysis. Strategic objectives and the vision statement were drafted based on the overarching themes from the qualitative analysis and finalized by a working group. A total of 54 stakeholders from 9 Canadian provinces participated in the project (3 focus groups and 19 interviews). Seven strategic objectives were derived from the qualitative analysis representing the following themes: (1) early access and timeliness of care; (2) evidence-informed, high-quality care for the ongoing management of RA and comorbidities; (3) availability of patient self-management tools and educational materials for shared decision making; (4) multidisciplinary care; (5) patient outcomes; (6) patient experience and satisfaction with care; and (7) equity, the last of which emerged as an overarching theme. The ultimate vision obtained was "ensuring patient-centered, high-quality care for people living with rheumatoid arthritis." The 7 strategic objectives that were identified highlight priorities for RA quality of care to be used in developing the National RA Quality Measurement Framework.

Identifying the fundamental structures and processes of care contributing to emergency general surgery quality using a mixed-methods Donabedian approach

BackgroundAcute Care Surgery (ACS) was developed as a structured, team-based approach to providing round-the-clock emergency general surgery (EGS) care for adult patients needing treatment for diseases such as cholecystitis, gastrointestinal perforation, and necrotizing fasciitis. Lacking any prior evidence on optimizing outcomes for EGS patients, current implementation of ACS models has been idiosyncratic. We sought to use a Donabedian approach to elucidate potential EGS structures and processes that might be associated with improved outcomes as an initial step in designing the optimal model of ACS care for EGS patients.MethodsWe developed and implemented a national survey of hospital-level EGS structures and processes by surveying surgeons or chief medical officers regarding hospital-level structures and processes that directly or indirectly impacted EGS care delivery in 2015. These responses were then anonymously linked to 2015 data from the American Hospital Association (AHA) annual survey, Medicare Provider Analysis and Review claims (MedPAR), 17 State Inpatient Databases (SIDs) using AHA unique identifiers (AHAID). This allowed us to combine hospital-level data, as reported in our survey or to the AHA, to patient-level data in an effort to further examine the role of EGS structures and processes on EGS outcomes. We describe the multi-step, iterative process utilizing the Donabedian framework for quality measurement that serves as a foundation for later work in this project.ResultsHospitals that responded to the survey were primarily non-governmental and located in urban settings. A plurality of respondent hospitals had fewer than 100 inpatient beds. A minority of the hospitals had medical school affiliations.DiscussionOur results will enable us to develop a measure of preparedness for delivering EGS care in the US, provide guidance for regionalized care models for EGS care, tiering of ACS programs based on the robustness of their EGS structures and processes and the quality of their outcomes, and formulate triage guidelines based on patient risk factors and severity of EGS disease.ConclusionsOur work provides a template for team science applicable to research efforts combining primary data collection (i.e., that derived from our survey) with existing national data sources (i.e., SIDs and MedPAR).

111EMF Development of a Quality Measurement Framework for Acute Psychiatric Care

111EMF Development of a Quality Measurement Framework for Acute Psychiatric Care

Development of a Patient-centered Quality Measurement Framework for Measuring, Monitoring, and Optimizing Rheumatoid Arthritis Care in Canada.

The aim of this study was to develop a patient-centered quality measurement framework to address a predefined vision statement and 7 strategic objectives for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) care that was developed in prior qualitative work with arthritis stakeholders. One hundred forty-seven RA-related performance measures (PMs) were identified from a systematic review. A candidate list of 26 PMs meeting predefined criteria and addressing the strategic objectives previously defined was then assessed during a 3-round (R) modified Delphi. Seventeen panelists with expertise in RA, quality measurement, and/or lived experience with RA rated each PM on a 1-9 scale based on the items of importance, feasibility, and priority for inclusion in the framework during R1 and R3, with a moderated discussion in R2. PMs with median scores ≥ 7 on all 3 items without disagreement were included in the final set, which then underwent public comment. Twenty-one measures were included in the final framework (15 PMs from the Delphi and 6 published system-level measures on access to care and treatment). The measures included 4 addressing early access to care and timely diagnosis, 12 evidence-based care for RA and related comorbidities, 1 addressing patient participation as an informed partner in care, and 4 on patient outcomes. The proposed framework builds upon existing measures capturing early access to care and treatment in RA and adds important PMs to promote high-quality RA care and outcome measurement. In the next phase, the authors will test the framework in clinical practice in addition to addressing certain areas where no suitable PMs were identified.

Implementing person‐centred key performance indicators to strengthen leadership in community nursing: A feasibility study

To explore the utility and feasibility of implementing eight person-centred nursing key performance indicators in supporting community nurses to lead the development of person-centred practice. Policy advocates person-centred health care, but few quality indicators exist that explicitly focus on evaluating person-centred practice in community nursing. Current quality measurement frameworks in the community focus on incidences of poor or missed opportunities for care, with few mechanisms to measure how clients perceive the care they receive. An evaluation approach derived from work of the Medical Research Council was used, and the study was underpinned by the Person-centred Practice Framework. Participatory methods were used, consistent with person-centred research. Data were thematically analysed, revealing five themes: giving voice to experience; talking the language of person-centredness; leading for cultural change; proud to be a nurse; and facilitating engagement. The findings suggest that implementing the eight person-centred nursing key performance indicators (KPIs) and the measurement framework is feasible and offers a means of evidencing person-centredness in community nursing. Person-centred KPI data, used alongside existing quality indicators, will enable nurse managers to evidence a high standard of care delivery and assist in the development of person-centred practice.

Measuring Quality in Kidney Care: An Evaluation of Existing Quality Metrics and Approach to Facilitating Improvements in Care Delivery.

Leveraging quality metrics can be a powerful approach to identify substantial performance gaps in kidney disease care that affect patient outcomes. However, metrics must be meaningful, evidence-based, attributable, and feasible to improve care delivery. As members of the American Society of Nephrology Quality Committee, we evaluated existing kidney quality metrics and provide a framework for quality measurement to guide clinicians and policy makers. We compiled a comprehensive list of national kidney quality metrics from multiple established kidney and quality organizations. To assess the measures' validity, we conducted two rounds of structured metric evaluation, on the basis of the American College of Physicians criteria: importance, appropriate care, clinical evidence base, clarity of measure specifications, and feasibility and applicability. We included 60 quality metrics, including seven for CKD prevention, two for slowing CKD progression, two for CKD management, one for advanced CKD and kidney replacement planning, 28 for dialysis management, 18 for broad measures, and two patient-reported outcome measures. We determined that on the basis of defined criteria, 29 (49%) of the metrics have high validity, 23 (38%) have medium validity, and eight (13%) have low validity. We rated less than half of kidney disease quality metrics as highly valid; the others fell short because of unclear attribution, inadequate definitions and risk adjustment, or discordance with recent evidence. Nearly half of the metrics were related to dialysis management, compared with only one metric related to kidney replacement planning and two related to patient-reported outcomes. We advocate refining existing measures and developing new metrics that better reflect the spectrum of kidney care delivery.