title: [Quality criteria in medicine: which limits?].
abstract: This article aims to develop a critical appraisal of the criteria's development in medicine. The COMPAQH (Coordination for Measuring Performance and Assuring Quality in Hospitals) project (Ministry of Health/ High Authority of Health/ National Institute of Medical Research) helps to support this analysis. This project based on the test of 42 Quality indicators (QI) gives findings not only about the manner to build criteria, but also to interpret and diffuse results among physicians and hospital managers. Criteria must be elaborated in a pragmatic way. They must be in compliance with practice guidelines supported by scientific evidences. The associated risk is to create and develop a normative medicine. Collaboration with professional societies may be useful in preventing this risk.
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherches en economie et gestion de la santé (Inserm U 537/Cnrs Esa 8052), 80, rue du Général-Leclerc, 94276 Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France. minviel@kb.inserm.fr
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Minvielle
mesh_terms: D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D016730:Program Development; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D012955:Societies, Medical