[Quality assurance: the AO documentation at a peripheral hospital]

Follow-up of fracture treatment one year after surgery based on AO Documentation in a small, rural hospital in a region with many tourists is demanding. How many patients can be contacted and assessed at the one year follow-up? From 1.1.95 to 31.12.96 302 patients with 314 fractures were operated on and the results subsequently documented. 255 patients (84%) were assessed personally (221) or by an AO member or family doctor (34). 15 patients died before the appointment, 32 patients could not be contacted or their data was incomplete. To achieve this rate of follow-up, some internal organization in the hospital was necessary, as will be described in this paper. AO Documentation is an important tool for personal quality assurance, especially in small hospitals. Small hospitals might be interesting for the AO since their follow-up rate can be high due to a simple organization and a personal patient-doctor relationship.