Quality assurance.

Although most formal medical quality assurance systems to date have concentrated on inpatient care, the Emergency Department has been recognized as one site where the need for quality assurance is particularly acute, and where quality assurance mechanisms must be specially designed. When patients are treated and discharged home in minutes to hours, often with no chance of follow up, there is little time to catch errors and remedy treatment. When personnel turn over in 8- to 12-hour shifts, it is difficult to pass along all pertinent patient data, maintain optimal doctor-patient relationships, provide feedback on results, or even hold regular conferences. This article cites ways of handling all of the aformentioned problems.