[External quality assurance in Germany. The current status]

The so-called "external quality assurance" allows the comparison of hospitals using selected quality indicators for process and outcome of care. The methods were developed in early projects of perinatologists and surgeons in the mid 70s. The comparative statistics inform hospitals about their strengths and deficiencies compared to other hospitals.

Since 2001 the Federal Committee on Quality Assurance (Bundeskuratorium Qualitätssicherung) requests the realization of external quality assurance measures for 27 diseases and procedures in all German hospitals based on the 5th Social Law. If hospitals refuse participation or participate incompletely, they have to expect financial sanctions. The comparative statistics enable first assessments of the quality of hospital care. However, the methods have to be improved if they will be used to demonstrate quality of hospital care to people outside the hospitals.