Quality control of medical practice in Bophuthatswana

Quality control of medical care in hospitals is an already established monitoring procedure in the United States, enacted by the American Congress as a Public Law. It was adopted and adapted by other Western countries to fulfill its major aim of improving the quality of patient care in hospitals. The various methodologies used so far serve other important purposes as well, i.e., as an education process, a reporting mechanism and to contain the ever increasing costs of medical services. The underlying concept is the legal recognition that the hospital in society exists under "a contract" that requires it to exercise reasonable diligence regarding the quality of medical care to all patients at all times. This concept applies to Bophuthatswana as well. It does so, because one of our major goals is to provide health services to all, as declared by the WHO and UNICEF; and that this goal encompasses many basic human rights which are already in the process of realization. High-quality medical and patient care are two components of this set of rights. However, social priorities here are different from those in developed societies because of socio-economic constraints. Thus, our health policy is unique--primary health care which is hospital-based and community-oriented with the nursing sector at its core. Therefore, our quality control system will be also a unique one and will fit into the specific structure and needs of the health care system and its high ethical approach.