title: [Not Available].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As a result of a prioritised improvement action during the second self-assessment using the EFQM Excellence Model carried out in Sierrallana Hospital (Cantabria, Spain), it was decided to form a Benchmarking Network between Hospitals. The objective of this work is to present how this action was developed to create the Benchmarking Network "Red.7".
  
  
  METHODS
  Using the 2004 "Catálogo Nacional de Hospitales "we pre-selected hospitals which could be compared with ours. We asked for information on results indicators in the Health Services of the different regions and we selected those hospitals that could be integrated into the Benchmarking Network. We contacted the top management of the selected hospitals in order to offer them the possibility of participating in the Network. Finally we organised a scientific session to create the Network.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We pre-selected 74 hospitals from 12 regions and 18 of them were selected. Seven of these 18 hospitals responded to our invitation, of which one decided to not participate. Finally the Benchmarking Network was created with 7 hospitals: Fundación Alcorcón; El Bierzo, Morales Messeguer, San Jorge, Sierrallana, Son Llàtzer and Valle del Nalón, hospital.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of the EFQM Excellence Model permitted us to detect a gap in the comparison of results and best practices with other hospitals from the National Health Service, and we have been able to form an integrated Benchmarking Network with hospitals similar to ours in the different regions.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Preventiva, Calidad y Seguridad del Paciente. Hospital Sierrallana. Torrelavega. Cantabria. España. Electronic address: mfarinas@hsll.scsalud.es.
authors.forename: Concepción
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fariñas-Álvarez
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ansorena-Pool
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alvarez-Díez
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Herrera-Carral
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valdor-Arriarán
authors.forename: Liébana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Piedra-Antón
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rosa Díaz-Mendi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dolores Acón-Royo
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alzueta-Fernández