[Instruments for quality assurance in centers for medical rehabilitation]

In 1994, the German statutory pension insurance scheme started to develop a quality assurance programme in rehabilitation clinics, involving scientists giving support to the project. Established as a routine in 1998, the programme is based on the integrated use of different instruments relating to structural, procedural as well as outcome quality. Analysis and evaluation of data follow a concept of clinic comparisons, assessing particular groups of clinics of similar structure. The specific instruments used are described, their development is outlined and their application explained.