Keywords
Dysphagia in the elderly
Continuous quality improvement
Aspiration
Swallowing function
Submitted : 2026-02-11
Accepted : 2026-02-26
Published : 2026-03-13
Abstract
Objective: To investigate the effect of PDCA continuous quality improvement on the management of elderly patients with dysphagia. Methods: Sixty elderly patients with dysphagia admitted to a hospital between June 2024 and May 2025 were selected and randomly divided into a control group (n=30) and an observation group (n=30) using the mean score method. The control group received routine clinical management. The observation group additionally implemented the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) continuous quality improvement management. The incidence of aspiration, improvement rate of swallowing function, and patient satisfaction were compared between groups. Results: After intervention, the aspiration incidence in the observation group was 6.67%, significantly lower than the control group’s 30.300% (P<0.05). The overall improvement rate in swallowing function in the observation group was 96.67%, significantly higher than the 73.33% in the control group (P<0.05); The overall satisfaction rate in the observation group was 100%, significantly higher than the 73.33% in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Applying the PDCA cycle to the clinical management of elderly patients with dysphagia effectively reduces aspiration risk, promotes recovery of swallowing function, and significantly enhances patient and family satisfaction, demonstrating positive value for widespread implementation.
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