Quality assurance in Canadian emergency departments: a national survey

This survey provides a description of quality assurance (QA) in emergency departments of Canadian hospitals, looking at QA structure, processes, outcome measurements, and applications. With survey questions addressing the existence of a written QA plan, chart audits, mortality review, data collection and reporting, the frequency of comprehensive QA programs was measured. All Canadian hospitals with 200 or more beds were surveyed by mail; 66% responded (134 of 204). Teaching and larger hospitals were more likely to respond. QA structure was reported by 81% of respondents, with 59% of these having a written plan. The majority collected data (74%), issued reports (75%), and had QA committees (50%), but only 34% were computerized. QA processes included chart audits (78%), review of laboratory, radiology, or ECG reports (73%, 46%, 54%, respectively), and mortality review (91%). Comprehensive QA existed in only 12% of responding hospitals.