title: Quality standards in a rheumatology Day-Care Hospital Unit. The proposal of the Spanish Society of Rheumatology Day Hospitals' Working Group.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In recent years, the Rheumatology Day-Care Hospital Units (DHU have undergone extensive development. However, the quality standards are poorly documented and mainly limited to structure items rather than including broad and specific areas of this specialty.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To develop specific quality standards for Rheumatology DHU.
  
  
  METHODS
  After a systematic review of the literature and related documents, a working group (WG) involving 8 DHU-experienced rheumatologists developed an initial proposal of the quality standards, under the supervision of an expert methodologist. A second round was held by the WG group to review the initial proposal and to consider further suggestions. Once the content was agreed upon by consensus, a final report was prepared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  17 structure standards, 25 process standards and 10 results standards were defined, with special emphasis on specific aspects of the Rheumatology DHU. The proposal includes: 1) essential standards to 2) excellent standards, 3) a Rheumatology DHU services portfolio and 4) performance criteria.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The proposed quality standards are the basis for developing the indicators and other management tools for Rheumatology DHU, thereby ensuring a patient-oriented practice based on both the evidence and the experience.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Reumatología, Hospital Universitario La Princesa, IISP, Madrid, España. Electronic address: vicuna111@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: García-Vicuña
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Reumatología, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, España. Electronic address: mariamontor1@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Montoro
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Reumatología, Hospital Universitario de Donostia, San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa, España. Electronic address: tonoeguesdubuc@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: César Antonio
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Egües Dubuc
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Reumatología, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, España. Electronic address: sagrario.bustabad@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sagrario
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bustabad Reyes
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Reumatología, Hospital de Sabadell, Corporació Parc Taulí, Sabadell, Barcelona, España. Electronic address: agomez@tauli.cat.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gómez-Centeno
authors.affiliation: Sección de Reumatología, Hospital Universitario Infanta Sofía, San Sebastián de los Reyes, Madrid, España. Electronic address: santiago.munoz@salud.madrid.org.
authors.forename: Santiago
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Fernández
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Reumatología, Hospital Clínico Universitario, Santiago de Compostela, La Coruña, España. Electronic address: evappampin@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pérez Pampín
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Reumatología, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, Valencia, España. Electronic address: roman_jan@gva.es.
authors.forename: Jose Andrés
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Román Ivorra
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Reumatología, Hospital Universitario La Paz, IdiPaz, Madrid, España. Electronic address: alejandro.balsa@salud.madrid.org.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balsa
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Salud Musculoesquelética, Madrid, España. Electronic address: estibaliz.loza@inmusc.eu.
authors.forename: Estíbaliz
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Loza
mesh_terms: D003631:Day Care, Medical / Q000592:standards*; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000592:standards; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D012219:Rheumatology / Q000592:standards*; D013030:Spain
keywords: Day care hospital; Estándares de calidad; Gestión de la calidad; Hospital de día; Quality Management; Quality standards; Reumatología; Rheumatology