[Quality measures in interventional radiology]

Abstract

The quality assurance of treatment measures is legally required but as yet not generally established in practice. For interventional radiology, the introduction of quality assurance for PTA of arteries of the lower limbs is planned for January 1999. It is reasonable to subject at least the most important and/or most frequently performed interventions to quality management. In the present article, the term quality in the management of diseases is defined and the system of total quality management discussed at the levels structure, process, and results. For its application, parameters of quality measurement in the form of standards, criteria, and characteristics values are necessary and must be laid down by a team of experts on the basis of subjective experience and/or results in the literature. Practical quality assurance takes place not only within a clinic but also externally by comparison with other centers. Data collection and evaluation requires high-performance software that will be continuously improved, expanded, and adapted to current needs during regular meetings between the various users.