Addressing which type of causes will have the most significant impact on patient outcomes?

Addressing special causes will have the most significant impact on patient outcomes because these causes represent variability that is not inherent to the process. Special causes are often sporadic, isolated events that can greatly influence a process's performance, leading to fluctuations in patient outcomes. By identifying and eliminating these special causes, healthcare organizations can improve the consistency and reliability of their services, thus enhancing overall patient care.

In contrast, common causes refer to the inherent variability within a process, which is expected and generally consistent. While addressing common causes can lead to improvement, the changes may not lead to dramatic shifts in patient outcomes since these causes are always present. Chronic and intermittent causes are types of special causes but may not be as directly impactful in improving outcomes as the identification and elimination of special causes that lead to abrupt changes or deteriorations in care quality. By focusing on special causes, organizations can implement targeted strategies that yield measurable improvements in patient safety and quality of care.