Quality assurance in endoscopic surgery.

A number of operative procedures in gynecology are now being performed with the help of endoscopy, a development that was not based upon appropriate clinical trials. Quality assurance is today's challenge in gynecological endoscopic surgery. Although as a rule data from quality registers cannot be used for comparative purposes, they may guarantee a basic standard of documentation of surgical results. Quality assurance is a continuous process and a means to improve quality in general. Quality indicators are specific criteria that denote quality change and play a key role in quality programs. It is important to realize that quality in this sense may be viewed not only from the medical aspect but from a variety of perspectives including education, training and medical care.