A person in a health care institution who carries out quality assurance (QA) activities. The term “QAP” has not been tightly defined; it includes administrators with QA duties, quality assurance coordinators, directors of quality assurance, utilization review coordinators, DRG coordinators, discharge planners, and risk managers. These and other individuals in quality assurance are eligible for member¬ ship in the National Association of Quality Assurance Professionals (NAQAP). NAQAP has instituted an examination procedure leading to a credential, namely, designation of the individual as a Certified Professional in Quality Assurance (CPQA).