[Occupational health practice among law, evidence and ethics: a field study]

Quality in health care is defined as the degree to which health services increase the likelihood of desired health outcomes and are consistent with the law, the evidence and the ethical values.

The paper aims at providing a framework in which the concept of quality is applied in the field of occupational health by analysing real-life decisions.

The Italian law states that the practice must be evidence-based and respectful of the code of ethics, emphasizeing that the practice should be relevant, knowledge-based, sound and appropriate. Any dilemma should be dealt according to the ethical principles of beneficience, autonomy and justice. Both the law and the code require that the practice is based on the available evidence. Results show that decisions in selected cases can be made according the above mentioned criteria. CONCLUSION; Decisions made on the basis of a process founded on scientific evidence result in effective and high-quality outcomes respectful of both law and ethics.