[Quality control between utopia and reality. Situation in surgery (author's transl)].

The aim of every German surgeon is to ensure an optimal quality of performance in every sphere of surgical activity in the German Federal Republic. Cooperation of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Chirurgie (German Surgical Society) and the Berufsverband der Deutschen Chirurgen (professional association of German surgeons) is intended to achieve this aim by a system which offers all surgeons working independently in clinics, hospitals and private practice the possibility, on an absolutely voluntary basis, for data on their methods of treatment and results to be recorded centrally and stored in such a way that a comparison of certain criteria of quality assessment of their work is available for them. In the event of a marked difference in quality, an advisory committee of experienced surgeons specially appointed with the confidence of all involved should try to clarify the reason for this on the spot and seek ways to help.