Biomaterial Database

[Quality assurance in medical care]. 1996

P Oberender, and F Daumann

Lehrstuhl für Volkswirtschaftslehre, Forschungsstelle für Sozialrecht und Gesundheitsekonomie, Universität Bayreuth.

The demand for quality assurance in Germany's health care system has been on the increase since promulgation of the Germany Statutory Health Service Reform law. To control, to assure and to improve quality a vast array of different systems is used by health care providers. All these systems work in a similar manner. The desired level of quality is determined and compared with the actually achieved level. If a deviation of quality is observed, actions for quality improvement are instituted. However, there are some problems that make quality assurance a difficult problem. Since the level of quality is a result of a patient's individual evaluation it is very difficult to set a common level. Another problem is to find valid criteria to measure the degree of quality. Finally, further research is necessary to analyse benefits and costs of introducing a quality assurance system.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009313	National Health Programs	Components of a national health care system which administer specific services, e.g., national health insurance.	National Health Insurance, Non-U.S.,Health Services, National,National Health Insurance,National Health Insurance, Non U.S.,National Health Services,Services, National Health,Health Insurance, National,Health Program, National,Health Programs, National,Health Service, National,Insurance, National Health,National Health Program,National Health Service,Program, National Health,Programs, National Health,Service, National Health
D011785	Quality Assurance, Health Care	Activities and programs intended to assure or improve the quality of care in either a defined medical setting or a program. The concept includes the assessment or evaluation of the quality of care; identification of problems or shortcomings in the delivery of care; designing activities to overcome these deficiencies; and follow-up monitoring to ensure effectiveness of corrective steps.	Quality Assessment, Health Care,Health Care Quality Assessment,Health Care Quality Assurance,Healthcare Quality Assessment,Healthcare Quality Assurance,Quality Assessment, Healthcare,Quality Assurance, Healthcare,Assessment, Healthcare Quality,Assessments, Healthcare Quality,Assurance, Healthcare Quality,Assurances, Healthcare Quality,Healthcare Quality Assessments,Healthcare Quality Assurances,Quality Assessments, Healthcare,Quality Assurances, Healthcare
D003362	Cost-Benefit Analysis	A method of comparing the cost of a program with its expected benefits in dollars (or other currency). The benefit-to-cost ratio is a measure of total return expected per unit of money spent. This analysis generally excludes consideration of factors that are not measured ultimately in economic terms. In contrast a cost effectiveness in general compares cost with qualitative outcomes.	Cost and Benefit,Cost-Benefit Data,Benefits and Costs,Cost Benefit,Cost Benefit Analysis,Cost-Utility Analysis,Costs and Benefits,Economic Evaluation,Marginal Analysis,Analyses, Cost Benefit,Analysis, Cost Benefit,Analysis, Cost-Benefit,Analysis, Cost-Utility,Analysis, Marginal,Benefit and Cost,Cost Benefit Analyses,Cost Benefit Data,Cost Utility Analysis,Cost-Benefit Analyses,Cost-Utility Analyses,Data, Cost-Benefit,Economic Evaluations,Evaluation, Economic,Marginal Analyses
D005858	Germany	A country in central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark. The capital is Berlin.
D006285	Health Planning	Planning for needed health and/or welfare services and facilities.	Health and Welfare Planning,National Health Planning and Resources Development Act of 1974,Planning, Health and Welfare,State Health Planning, United States,PL93-641,Public Law 93-641,Planning, Health,Public Law 93 641
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man