Quality Assurance is characterized by which of the following?

Quality Assurance involves establishing a systematic approach to ensure that the services or products provided meet certain standards of quality. It typically emphasizes the importance of compliance with established criteria and standards through structured evaluation processes. This approach often includes both routine checks and evaluations of past performance to identify areas where standards may not have been met.

The characteristic of a reactive examination of previously unmet standards aligns with the essence of Quality Assurance, as it inherently involves recognizing where quality has faltered and addressing those gaps. This approach focuses on developing corrective measures based on past discrepancies to maintain or improve quality levels.

In contrast to a proactive approach, which aims to prevent quality issues before they occur, Quality Assurance primarily operates from the standpoint of evaluating and rectifying problems that have already occurred. Its systematic nature means that it often involves auditing and reassessing established standards to ensure ongoing compliance.

The other options suggest characteristics more aligned with different quality improvement philosophies. A proactive approach to quality improvement implies a forward-thinking strategy that looks to prevent issues before they arise, whereas continuous assessment of all processes suggests an ongoing monitoring practice that may not be specific to addressing past failures. Focusing on identifying new opportunities for improvement also reflects a more dynamic and forward-looking perspective, which is typically associated with Quality Improvement rather than Quality Assurance.