title: The limits of medical quality assurance systems.
abstract: Quality Assurance (QA) via the process of review systems is a retrospective look at what was. It is a picture of the past. Any such system is bound to have limitations, because the past cannot be changed. In QA, the ultimate aim should be to educate physicians as to where they made mistakes so that they can learn how to prevent them in the future. The distribution of what mistakes can be avoided, so that all physicians can learn from others' mistakes, takes the whole team closer to the aim of real QA--preventing mistakes. The first part of this article looks at QA in general terms; the second part looks at inherent biases that should be removed so that the team reaches the goal of bona fide quality.
authors: R M
authors: RM
authors: Burton
mesh_terms: D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D005246:Feedback; D007324:Institutional Management Teams; D008503:Medical Staff / Q000592:standards*; D010380:Peer Review / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D014481:United States