[Quality assurance in an emergency department--what is it?]

To date, the medical profession has worked mainly on the improvement of medical treatment and has concentrated less on the methods used and the information given to patients and colleagues. The different aspects of quality in the daily routines are described, and some of these are used as examples of how a system for quality assurance can be developed. It is important that each department develop its own system of quality assurance adapted to local difficulties and different specialties.