Quality improvement through data and appraisal: the national programme for assessment of healthcare quality in Germany
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Grüning, T
Davids, J
Ashrafian, A
Type
Chapter
Abstract
A case study is presented that looks at healthcare quality improvement through a large data-based programme combined with structured qualitative
appraisals using a peer-review-like process. The national external, data-based quality assessment programme in Germany consists of three elements, i.e. a) data collection, analysis and feedback, b) qualitative appraisal, and c) public reporting. Data on specifically developed quality indicators for interventions or diseases in currently 24 selected clinical areas are collected. Around 2.4 million patient data sets, i.e. 10-15% of all inpatient cases, from over 1,500 hospitals and an increasing number of outpatient clinics are collected for computing the results of 221 quality indicators. Data analysis is followed by an appraisal process if results are outside the normal range. Qualitative appraisal is considered to be essential for finally deciding whether there is poor quality of care or not, for finding the cause of deficient quality if present, and for achieving improvement. The results are published for each individual hospital in nonanonymous form (public reporting) providing a basis for empowering patients, benchmarking of hospitals and subsequent quality improvement.
appraisals using a peer-review-like process. The national external, data-based quality assessment programme in Germany consists of three elements, i.e. a) data collection, analysis and feedback, b) qualitative appraisal, and c) public reporting. Data on specifically developed quality indicators for interventions or diseases in currently 24 selected clinical areas are collected. Around 2.4 million patient data sets, i.e. 10-15% of all inpatient cases, from over 1,500 hospitals and an increasing number of outpatient clinics are collected for computing the results of 221 quality indicators. Data analysis is followed by an appraisal process if results are outside the normal range. Qualitative appraisal is considered to be essential for finally deciding whether there is poor quality of care or not, for finding the cause of deficient quality if present, and for achieving improvement. The results are published for each individual hospital in nonanonymous form (public reporting) providing a basis for empowering patients, benchmarking of hospitals and subsequent quality improvement.
Editor(s)
Azzopardi Muscat, Natasha
Date Issued
2021-12-02
Citation
1st Meeting of the Minds: vol. 5, 2021, pp.74-78
ISBN
978-2-8325-1222-7
Publisher
Frontiers Media S.A.
Start Page
74
End Page
78
Journal / Book Title
1st Meeting of the Minds: vol. 5
Copyright Statement
© 2021 The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed.
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