Discussion of Fifer's “Quality Assurance in Health Care”

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter describes that an important way to ensure the best quality of care in hospital is to make quality control the major responsibility of the chiefs of divisions or heads of services. They should see that work of high quality is carried out in each department in an effective, efficient, and economical fashion, following guidelines laid down by a departmental peer group. Unfortunately, at present, many of the quality assessment and audit committees study process more than the delivery of actual care. In addition, they are more interested in immediate hospital results than long-term outcome. The broad areas that should be studied in relation to quality control or quality assessment in the hospitals are the use of drugs and investigational procedures. However, in the long run, the goal with regard to quality of care will be accomplished only if the undergraduate and postgraduate training fosters an attitude of self-criticism and an acceptance of peer criticism in new doctors.