title: [Use of quality assessments by internists: added pressure to carry out assessments or an aid to improve quality?].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To obtain an insight into how internists and residents use quality assessments and their opinions on these assessments.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaire survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  All 139 internists and residents who attended a national training day on internal medicine in 2012 were invited to answer questions anonymously on the actual use of various quality assessments and to give their opinion on these assessments. The questionnaire consisted of closed and free text questions. The answers were analysed using descriptive statistics. The qualitative information was analysed together by the investigators.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total 123 doctors (88% of the 139 attendants at the training day) from 45 training hospitals (74% of all internal medicine residency training programs) participated in this study. All respondents had recently participated as an individual or as a member of a group in one or more quality assessments. Medical departments and group practices carried out quality assessments more often than required in many cases. Respondents recognised and acknowledged the advantages of quality assessments. The disadvantages of quality assessments related to the methods, the ways assessments were used and undesirable effects. Most of the medical departments and group practices developed policies on how to follow up on the assessment results. Individual performance data was also discussed in the majority of cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Internists (whether or not undergoing training) make extensive and intensive use of quality assessments. The benefits and the weaknesses of quality assessments are both acknowledged. Proactive efforts are required so that improvements can be made in addition to the assessments.
authors.affiliation: Jeroen Bosch Ziekenhuis en Jeroen Bosch Academie, afd. Inwendige geneeskunde, 's-Hertogenbosch.
authors.forename: Paetrick M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Netten
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kinaci
authors.forename: M J M H Kiki
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lombarts
mesh_terms: D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D007396:Internship and Residency; D009426:Netherlands; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires