[Aspects of quality assurance and research in general practice]

Research is a prerequisition for setting standards in the field of quality assurance. It is emphasized that scientific work that is intended to have an impact on general practice has to be carried out in general practice. Quality assurance plays a decisive role in recognizing and applying the results of relevant research. The author discusses the significance of typical topics concerning the presentation and prevalence of diseases in general practice. Issues related to quality assurance of scientific studies performed by general practitioners are considered. Intra- and interobserver variation as a problem towards achieving reliable results is described and discussed. The author emphasises the importance of The research council in general practice, as a help in achieving quality assurance.