Quality development in perinatal care : the OBSQID project : report on a WHO meeting, Oporto, Portugal 23-24 June 2000

Abstract

Continuous quality of care development entails (‎a)‎ health care providers comparing their outcomes with those of their peers and (‎b)‎ the identification, through data collection and analysis, of centres demonstrating best practice and the most rational use of technology in order that their knowledge and expertise may be disseminated and exploited. To this end, the Quality of Health Systems Programme has facilitated consensus across Europe on health indicators within various medical specialties. These indicators and variables are compiled in data collection forms at both case and aggregated levels. Case-based data are submitted to nodes that render the data anonymous and provide feedback to users, as well as the opportunity for self-analysis and comparison between sites. Through such comparison, health care facilities and health care providers will be motivated to continually improve their outcomes and the quality of their care. Anonymous aggregated data can be compared across local, regional and national borders at the website http://qct.who.dk/obsqid.htm.The Workshop also reviewed the results of the use of the OBSQID tools 6 the OBSQID Basic Information Sheet and the OBSQID Perinatal Aggregated Data Sheet, as well as satellite data collection activities in obstetrics and clinical practice