title: LQAS usefulness in an emergency department.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Servicio de Medicina Preventiva y Gestión de Calidad, Madrid, Spain. sgranado.hgugm@salud.madrid.org
authors.forename: Susana Granado
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: de la Orden
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Rieiro
authors.forename: Amaya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Gómez
authors.forename: Ana Chacón
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: Tomás
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hernández-Fernández
authors.forename: Angel Abad
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Revilla
authors.forename: Dolores Vigil
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Escribano
authors.forename: Paz Rodríguez
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Pérez
mesh_terms: D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D012494:Sampling Studies