Progress on Quality Management in the German Health System
Author Information
Author(s): Juergen Breckenkamp, Christiane Wiskow, Ulrich Laaser
Primary Institution: University of Bielefeld, School of Public Health
Conclusion
Germany has made considerable progress in implementing quality management in its health system, but full integration will require long-term commitment and further development.
Supporting Evidence
- Quality management in Germany has been linked with health care reforms since the early nineties.
- Obligatory quality assurance measures for hospitals were introduced in 1992.
- The latest reform in 2003 aimed to improve health care quality while also containing costs.
Takeaway
Germany is working hard to make its health care better by checking how well hospitals are doing, but it will take a long time to get everything right.
Methodology
This review summarizes recent developments in medical quality management related to federal reform legislation in Germany, based on expert interviews and literature review.
Potential Biases
Potential bias may arise from the reliance on expert opinions and the subjective nature of quality assessments.
Limitations
The review does not provide specific quantitative data or outcomes from the quality management initiatives.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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