Abstract

Medical and business leaders in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, joined forces to create a community model of care delivery and patient safety using ISO 9001 principles as a framework for cooperation. The initial model is a community anticoagulation therapy clinic to manage patients who take a common bloodthinning medication. A federal healthcare grant provided start-up funds to create the clinic, which utilizes a controlled document system based on ISO 9001, internal and external auditing, and preventive and corrective action plans. Customer and provider (referring physician) surveys demonstrate 100% satisfaction. More important, patients now experience fewer side effects from the medication and require fewer hospitalizations and physician visits.