Open AccessMeasuring and improving quality in obstetrics – the implementation of national indicators in Denmark
Author(s) -
KESMODEL ULRIK SCHIØLER,
JØLVING LINE RIIS
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.401
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1600-0412
pISSN - 0001-6349
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0412.2011.01078.x
Subject(s) - medicine , danish , cardiotocography , quality management , obstetrics , pregnancy , medical emergency , operations management , fetus , management system , philosophy , linguistics , biology , economics , genetics
From September 2010, all births in Denmark will be monitored from a quality perspective with the Danish National Indicator Project in order to document and develop the quality of the care provided during delivery. We describe the process of selecting the indicators based on relevance, scientific evidence, usefulness and applicability, acceptability and patient safety. Eight indicators were selected covering different aspects of delivery: anesthesia/pain relief; continuous support for women in the delivery room; lacerations, 3rd or 4th degree; acute cesarean section; post‐partum hemorrhage; establishment of skin‐to‐skin contact between mother and newborn infant; severe fetal hypoxia; delivery of a healthy child after uncomplicated delivery. Registration will be mandatory for all delivery units in Denmark. Subsequently, the clinical units will receive feedback in the form of real‐time monthly and quarterly standard reports including unadjusted results that may be used for the unit's own internal monitoring and development of quality.