[Data supporting quality circle management of inpatient depression treatment].
BACKGROUND
Several quality assurance initiatives in health care have been undertaken during the past years. The next step consists of systematically combining single initiatives in order to built up a strategic quality management.


METHODS
In a German multicenter study, the quality of inpatient depression treatment was measured in ten psychiatric hospitals. Half of the hospitals received comparative feedback on their individual results in comparison to the other hospitals (bench marking). Those bench markings were used by each hospital as a statistic basis for in-house quality work, to improve the quality of depression treatment.


RESULTS
According to hospital differences concerning procedure and outcome, different goals were chosen. There were also differences with respect to structural characteristics, strategies, and outcome. The feedback from participants about data-based quality circles in general and the availability of bench-marking data was positive. The necessity of carefully choosing quality circle members and professional moderation became obvious.


CONCLUSIONS
Data-based quality circles including bench-marking have proven to be useful for quality management in inpatient depression care.
Brand
S
S
Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Universitätsklinikum Aachen, Pauwelstrasse. sbrand@ukaachen.de
Härter
M
M
Sitta
P
P
van Calker
D
D
Menke
R
R
Heindl
A
A
Herold
K
K
Kudling
R
R
Luckhaus
C
C
Rupprecht
U
U
Sanner
Dirk
D
Schmitz
D
D
Schramm
E
E
Berger
M
M
Gaebel
W
W
Schneider
F
F
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008332:Management Quality Circles; D008875:Middle Aged; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome