What does "gap analysis" refer to in healthcare quality and safety?

Gap analysis in healthcare quality and safety involves comparing the current performance of healthcare services against established desired standards or benchmarks. This analysis helps identify discrepancies between the existing state of health services and the optimal practices or expected outcomes. By recognizing these gaps, organizations can develop targeted strategies to improve performance, enhance patient safety, and ensure higher quality care.

The process typically involves assessing various aspects of healthcare delivery, from clinical outcomes to patient satisfaction, and determining where improvements are needed to meet the established standards. This is crucial for continuous quality improvement and ensuring compliance with regulations and best practices in healthcare.

The other options do not align with the core concept of gap analysis in this context. Evaluating physician performance over time focuses specifically on individual practitioner metrics rather than organizational performance standards. Measuring patient demographics is related to understanding the population served, but does not directly involve assessing performance in relation to standards. Assessing technological advancements may be part of a broader quality improvement strategy, but it does not encapsulate the essence of what gap analysis aims to achieve in comparing current performance against desired outcomes.