6. Quality United States Health Care Defined ꟷ ABCSTEEEP
- T Michael White MD FACP
- Oct 19
- 2 min read
Updated: Oct 21
ABC-STEEEP
Affordable Basic Compassionate
Safe Timely Efficient Effective Equitable
Patient-Centered Care
Letters to the File
T Michael White MD FACP
******
6. Quality United States Health Care Defined ꟷ ABC-STEEEP
“The definition of quality is conformance to mutually agreed upon requirements.”
Dr. Phil Crosby
The WhiteHouse on the Belleair Bluff
Thursday, October 17, 2025
Dr. Mike,
A letter to the file…
Dr. Philip B Cosby (Quality Is Free: The Art of Making Quality Certain) explains that the definition of quality is conformance to requirements. What are our fine nation’s requirements for quality health care? Benefitting from training (Institute of Medicine and The Crosby Quality College) and experience, I can articulate our nation’s target for quality health care in a phrase ꟷ the citizens of these fine United States require (and deserve) universal access to affordable, basic, compassionate, safe, timely, efficient, effective, equitable (just), patient-centered care (ABC-STEEEP). Carefully considering each word of the requirements for quality health care:
Universal: applying to all people.
Affordable: something that doesn't cost too much and is within most people's financial means.
Basic: simple and not elaborate.
Compassionate: having sympathy and concern for others.
Safe: protected from danger or risk.
Timely: happening at the most suitable moment.
Efficient: achieving results well without wasting time, energy, or resources.
Effective: producing the intended result.
Equitable (just): treating everyone justly according to their needs or circumstances.
Patient-centered: ensuring individual patient preferences, needs, and values guide clinical decisions.
This careful consideration defines what the scope of requirements for universal access to ABC-STEEEP approximates. And it immediately brings into focus a need to address two independent, somewhat conflicting, pragmatic requirements ꟷ universal access to ABC-STEEEP must be affordable for both the individual patient and affordable for our country.
The prudent realization of requirements for national ABC-STEEEP as defined above cannot and will not allow all things for all people. The poet (Larry Weiss) has it right ꟷ by necessity there will be “a load of compromising on the road to our horizons.” (265 words)
Respectfully submitted with fondest personal regards,
Dr. Mike
You may leave an anonymous comment without username and email ꟷ please do. Please share your wisdom, insights and perceptions (your reality) about what I have right, wrong and/or omitted. I will be delighted to hear from you as this draft and subsequent chapters will be significantly enhanced.
Dr. Mike
Letters to the File
Introduction to ABC-STEEEP ꟷ Letters to the File
About Dr. Mike
My Perfect Health Care ꟷ An Uncomfortable Paradox
From the Watershed into Universal Access to ABC-STEEEP
Privilege = Responsibility ꟷ Sounding Our National Health Care Alarm
Quality United States Health Care Defined ꟷ ABC-STEEEP
(more to follow)
As always, very well thought out and perceptive. You write: The poet (Larry Weiss) has it right ꟷ by necessity there will be “a load of compromising on the road to our horizons.” It reminds me that, as on many issues, the devil is in the details.
Yes, our citizens require and deserve access to care.