title: [Glossary of terms of management and quality].
abstract: The implementation of a quality management system (QMS) in the health-care world is nowadays mandatory. This is a specific request not only of local laws but also of the World Health Organization which recently said that "By the year 2000, there should be structures and processes in all member States to ensure a continuous improvement in the quality of health care". In addition, we are bombarded by demands from patients, physicians, employers and the administration. However a QMS is something new for the medical doctor. We think that the first step to divulge the culture of quality in our field is to have a good knowledge of the specific terminology used in the QMS. This glossary explains the meaning of more than 80 terms related to the QMS.
authors.affiliation: Divisione di Cardiologia, Fondazione Salvatore Maugeri, Clinica del Lavoro e della Riabilitazione, IRCCS, Gussago (BS).
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pasini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schweiger
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scherillo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maugeri
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ramponi
mesh_terms: D011786:Quality Control; D017749:Total Quality Management
vernacular_title: Glossario dei termini di management e qualità.