QUALITY OF CARE ASSESSMENT: POLICY RELEVANT ISSUES

In: Policy sciences: integrating knowledge and practice to advance human dignity ; the journal of the Society of Policy Scientists, Band 5, Heft 3, S. 317-341

Abstract

QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF MEDICAL CARE HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT SINCE THE GROWTH OF PUBLICALLY-SUPPORTED MEDICAL CARE. LITERATURE IN THIS AREA IS REVIEWED. MOST ISSUES ARE A CENTURY OLD, TRACEABLE TO SUCH SOURCES AS FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE. THE RESULTS OF ASSESSMENT DEPEND ON THE METHODS USED, WHICH THEREFORE SHOULD BE STUDIED MORE THOROUGHLY. RELIANCE ON LISTS OF PROCEDURES CAN ACTUALLY MAKE FOR LOWER QUALITY, BY FORCING A MD TO PERFORM INEFFECTIVE PROCEDURES WHICH ARE MEDICALLY REQUIRED BY QUALITY STANDARDS. IT IS NOT CERTAIN THAT QUALITY ANALYSIS WILL LEAD TO BETTER PUBLIC HEALTH; ANY SUCH ANALYSIS SHOULD HOWEVER ACCOUNT NOT ONLY FOR THOSE WHO RECEIVED SERVICES BUT ALSO THOSE WHO DID NOT, DESPITE FALLING INTO AN INSTITUTION'S RESPONSIBILITY. 7 FIGURES, 10 TABLES. MODIFIED HA.