LQAS usefulness in an emergency department.
OBJECTIVE
This paper aims to explore lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) applicability and usefulness in the evaluation of quality indicators in a hospital emergency department (ED) and to determine the degree of compliance with quality standards according to this sampling method.


METHODS
Descriptive observational research in the Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón (HGUGM) emergency department (ED). Patients older than 15 years, diagnosed with dyspnoea, chest pain, urinary tract colic or bronchial asthma attending the HGUGM ED from December 2005 to May 2006, and patients admitted during 2005 with exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or acute meningitis were included in the study. Sample sizes were calculated using LQAS. Different quality indicators, one for each process, were selected. The upper (acceptable quality level (AQL)) and lower thresholds (rejectable quality level (RQL)) were established considering risk alpha = 5 per cent and beta = 20 per cent, and the minimum number of observations required was calculated.


RESULTS
It was impossible to reach the necessary sample size for bronchial asthma and urinary tract colic patients. For chest pain, acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and acute meningitis, quality problems were detected. The lot was accepted only for the dyspnoea indicator.


CONCLUSIONS
The usefulness of LQAS to detect quality problems in the management of health processes in one hospital's ED. The LQAS could complement traditional sampling methods.
de la Orden
Susana Granado
SG
Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Servicio de Medicina Preventiva y Gestión de Calidad, Madrid, Spain. sgranado.hgugm@salud.madrid.org
Rodríguez-Rieiro
Cristina
C
Sánchez-Gómez
Amaya
A
García
Ana Chacón
AC
Hernández-Fernández
Tomás
T
Revilla
Angel Abad
AA
Escribano
Dolores Vigil
DV
Pérez
Paz Rodríguez
PR
D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D012494:Sampling Studies