[Assessment and learning from the 27th Conference of the Spanish Society for quality in healthcare].
OBJECTIVE
To analyse the results of the 27th Conference of the Spanish Society for Quality in Health Care (SECA) held in Seville (October 2009).


METHODS
A retrospective descriptive study was conducted using the conference databases.


METHODS
All abstracts received (1231). 36 pairs of reviewers using explicit criteria evaluated abstracts and assignment as Experiences or Electronic Communications. Participant satisfaction in the Conference and Workshops was evaluated by an anonymous questionnaire.


RESULTS
A total of 1213 communications were accepted. The average score of accepted abstracts was 6.38 ± 0.95 points. Experiences had an average score of 7.55 ± 0.41 points, while Electronic Abstracts had an average score of 6.26 ± 0.9 points. Andalusia (557) and Catalonia (140) had the highest amount of abstracts in the Conference, but Murcia and Andalusia obtained the highest rates per million inhabitants.


CONCLUSIONS
The assessment of abstracts and organising a national conference are methodologically complex processes. Accountability for actions and decisions made by the Organising and Scientific Committees are an ethical requirement of transparency.
Reyes-Alcázar
V
V
Comité Científico del 27 Congreso de la Sociedad Española de Calidad Asistencial, Sevilla, España. victor.reyes@juntadeandalucia.es
Torres-Olivera
A
A
Suárez-Alemán
G
G
D003226:Congresses as Topic; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012958:Societies, Scientific; D013030:Spain