Skip to main content
Bulletin of the Medical Library Association logoLink to Bulletin of the Medical Library Association
. 1980 Jul;68(3):288–292.

A quality assurance process in health sciences libraries.

P C Self, K A Gebhart
PMCID: PMC226510  PMID: 7417732

Abstract

A goal of libraries is to assure the improvement of library services. Many organizations have attempted to use standards as a method to assure quality services, but often standards have failed through a lack of individual commitment to those standards and to the methodology used in establishing the standards. Many segments of the health care field have adopted the concept of quality assurance and are applying it to the service and care they provide. This process has the potential to raise or assure quality of service in health sciences libraries. The process involves: selecting a subject for review; developing measurable criteria; ratifying the criteria; evaluating existing services using the criteria; identifying problems; analyzing problems; developing solutions; implementing solutions; and reevaluating services. Two pilot quality assurance studies conducted in the Midwest Health Science Library Network during 1978 are described. Plans are under way to use this process on a regional basis.

Full text

PDF
288

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Evans E., Borko H., Ferguson P. Review of criteria used to measure library effectiveness. Bull Med Libr Assoc. 1972 Jan;60(1):102–110. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Orr R. H., Pings V. M., Olson E. E., Pizer I. H. Developing of methodologic tools for planning and managing library services: 3. Standardized inventories of library services. Bull Med Libr Assoc. 1968 Oct;56(4):380–403. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Pings V. M., Olson E. E., Orr R. H. Summary report of a study of academic medical library statistics. Bull Med Libr Assoc. 1969 Jul;57(3):233–238. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Bulletin of the Medical Library Association are provided here courtesy of Medical Library Association

RESOURCES