Establishing a standardized quality management system for the European Health Network GA2LEN

Area of Science:

• Allergy and Immunology
• Healthcare Quality Management
• Clinical Network Operations

Background:

• Quality management is crucial in clinical practice, yet a standardized system was lacking for European allergy centers.
• The Global Allergy and Asthma European Network (GA(2)LEN) comprises 25 allergy centers across 16 European countries.
• Existing quality criteria were not uniformly implemented across GA(2)LEN centers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement standardized quality criteria within GA(2)LEN allergy centers.
• To ensure uniform standards for diagnosis and patient care across Europe.
• To foster a culture of continuous quality improvement in allergy services.

Main Methods:

• Developed and agreed upon quality criteria covering diagnostics, therapeutics, and emergency preparedness.
• Audited participating centers to assess implementation of quality indicators and identify deviations.
• Conducted a follow-up survey to evaluate the project's usefulness.

Main Results:

• Deviations were noted in emergency care/patient safety (e.g., lack of training, inadequate equipment) and pharmaceutical handling (e.g., missing temperature logs, expired products).
• Quality improvement was evidenced by findings from re-audits.
• The project's usefulness was rated highly by participants.

Conclusions:

• A quality management system with joint standards and harmonized procedures is achievable in international health networks.
• Such systems effectively ensure and enhance the quality of patient care.
• Standardization improves allergy diagnosis, treatment, and patient safety across diverse healthcare settings.