title: Developing a national continuous quality improvement system for neuromodulation treatment in The Netherlands.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Because neuromodulation was not included in the national health insurance system, the Dutch Neuromodulation Group (DNG) developed national standards and a continuous quality improvement (CQI) system for consistency in application of neuromodulation techniques and in the quality of outcomes.
  A stepwise approach was used in which the following ten steps were taken: (1) selected participating medical specialists and their centers, (2) described the treatment protocol, (3) collected data in a national database, (4) organized feedback sessions for the DNG, (5) formulated quality indicators, (6) adjusted the process of treatment, (7) formalized the structure of the DNG, (8) defined responsibilities, (9) established procedures for future development, and (10) made agreements with payers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Making reimbursement for expensive health care interventions contingent on a national CQI system created a powerful financial incentive to continuously provide effective care in an efficient manner.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health Policy and Management, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam (EMCR), The Netherlands. beersen@bmg.eur.nl
authors.forename: Nicoline
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Beersen
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Bart de Bruijn
authors.forename: Monique A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Dekkers
authors.forename: Pieter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ten Have
authors.forename: Gideon B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Hekster
authors.forename: W Ken
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Redekop
authors.forename: Geert H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Spincemaille
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Theuvenet
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.forename: Niek S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Klazinga
mesh_terms: D000776:Anesthesiology; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D006801:Humans; D009426:Netherlands; D059408:Pain Management; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017749:Total Quality Management