[Quality assurance as the topic in medical periodicals. Results of a literature search]

Abstract

Against the background of the increasing importance of quality assurance procedures for the medical profession, it was questioned to which extend the topic "quality assurance" is content in medical journals. The frequency of articles with the key word "quality assurance" in German journals for the period from 1/1992 to 9/1996 was analyzed by using a literature search on Knowledge Finder's Health Star database. Journals for the clinical physician and the physician in the medical practice, that listed more than 200 articles, were taken into account. By using the key word "quality assurance", 276 articles were found (79 in 6 interdisciplinary journals, 197 in 22 medical journals). Interdisciplinary journals published between 8 and 25 (median: 13, rank 1: Zeitschrift für ärztliche Fortbildung), medical journals between 2 and 56 (median 13, rank 1: Chirurg). This analysis leads to the conclusion that a comprehensive continuing education about medical and interdisciplinary aspects of quality assurance in medicine only by reading common German medical journals may not be sufficient.