ISO 9001:2000, a systematic approach to quality management in anaesthesiology?

Quality management is an important task of our speciality that offers a specific service within the healthcare system. This must be seen in particular against the background of the mostly high personnel and material costs generated by a hospital. The demands made by the lawgivers can be met by the ISO 9001:2000 standard, basic aspects of which as implemented in a university hospital are described. Numerous terms are translated and presented as practical implementation aids. The required elements of good quality need to be systematically verifiable: orientation to the needs of the patient, competent guidance, and system-oriented management of personnel and process; further aspects include constant improvements, objective approaches to decision-making and PR work, to the benefit of all concerned. To be able to accomplish all this, a high level of motivation is necessary. ISO 9001:2000 certification means a permanent openness to external monitoring to ensure that all demands are being met. This system thus extends far beyond a self-evaluation that is not oriented to a specific outcome. For many staff members, this systematic verifiability requirement is initially considered to be an additional burden, which, however, has during the course of its establishment proved to be indispensable.