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Kongress Medizin und Gesellschaft 2007

17. bis 21.09.2007, Augsburg

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Assessing the quality of quality indicators for French hospitals: the COMPAQH experience

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  • Clément Corriol - Cermes, INSERM U750/CNRS 8069, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France / ENSP, Rennes, France, Paris
  • Catherine Grenier-Sennelier - FNCLCC (French Federation of Cancer Centers), Paris, France, Paris
  • Christine Coudert - Cermes, INSERM U750/CNRS 8069, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France / Haute Autorité de santé (French National Authority for Health), La Plaine Saint-Denis, France, Paris
  • Valentin Daucourt - REQUA (Quality Network of Hospitals in Franche-Comté), Besançon, France, Besançon
  • Etienne Minvielle - Cermes, INSERM U750/CNRS 8069, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France, Paris

Kongress Medizin und Gesellschaft 2007. Augsburg, 17.-21.09.2007. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2007. Doc07gmds794

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/gmds2007/07gmds794.shtml

Published: September 6, 2007

© 2007 Corriol et al.
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Outline

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Objectives: To provide useful information concerning the quality of quality indicators to the implied political authorities.

Methods: A set of validated quality indicators (QIs) was needed to measure performance and ensure quality in hospitals. The COMPAQH project (COordination for Measuring Performance and Assuring Quality in Hospitals) was set up in 2003 to fulfill this need. The project is coordinated by the National Institute for Health and Medical Research (INSERM) with the support of the French Ministry of Health and French National Health Authority. One of the core objectives of the project is to test quality indicators (QIs) and to assess their quality in a perspective of a nation wide generalization decided by political authorities.

To characterize the QIs, 3 dimensions are explored: 1. Feasibility and workload (Feasibility assessment grid, Workload estimation), 2. Metrological qualities (Reliability: Stability and internal consistency; Validity: Face, Content, Criterion, Structure; Minimum Bias), 3. Results relevancy (Results: Gap with an attended threshold, Variability, Interaction with other indicators; Actions: Capacity to identify corrective actions, Delay to produce results, Resulting negative effects).

Results: A descriptive grid was developed to sum up useful information concerning every indicator. Since March 2003, 43 QIs were tested and 28 described with the criteria mentioned above. Based on our conclusions, the French Ministry for Health decided to generalize 3 QIs on nosocomial infections (Composite Index of Nosocomial Infections, Monitoring of wound infections, Consumption of hydro-alcoholic soap). 7 other QIs were described as potentially ready for generalization.

Conclusion: Generalizing QIs nationwide requires at least 4 conditions: 1. to assess their qualities, 2. to offer supports for professionals implied in data collection, 3. to limit the burden of data collection, 4. to define the final use of the QI.