Outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy. Management of serious infections. Part I: Medical, socioeconomic, and legal issues. Quality assurance.

At present, there are no accepted guidelines for quality assurance in the outpatient setting, although they are being developed. Greater emphasis is being placed on ongoing rather than retrospective improvement of quality, as measured by the care-giving process and outcome. Thus, programs need to incorporate sound methods for teamwork, communication, and documentation of services.