Abstract
Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify performance indicators thought to reflect the quality of patient care in the emergency department.
Methods: A three round accelerated Expert Delphi study was conducted by email or fax. A panel of 33 experts drawn from the fields of emergency medicine, emergency nursing, professional service users, and patients were consulted. Participants were initially asked to propose performance indicators that reflected the quality of care given in the emergency department setting in the United Kingdom. In the second round these proposals were collated and scored using a 9 point Likert scale; those that had not reached consensus were returned for reconsideration in the light of group opinion. Those statements reaching a pre-defined consensus were identified.
Results: 224 performance indicators were proposed. Altogether 36 indicators reached consensus reflecting good departmental performance after round three; 24 of these were process measures.
Conclusions: 36 potential indicators of good quality of care in the emergency department in the UK have been identified.
Full Text
The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (160.4 KB).
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Carley S. D., Mackway-Jones K., Donnan S. Delphi study into planning for care of children in major incidents. Arch Dis Child. 1999 May;80(5):406–409. doi: 10.1136/adc.80.5.406. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Donabedian A. Evaluating the quality of medical care. Milbank Mem Fund Q. 1966 Jul;44(3 Suppl):166–206. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Donabedian A. The end results of health care: Ernest Codman's contribution to quality assessment and beyond. Milbank Q. 1989;67(2):233–267. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Lecky F., Woodford M., Yates D. W. Trends in trauma care in England and Wales 1989-97. UK Trauma Audit and Research Network. Lancet. 2000 May 20;355(9217):1771–1775. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(00)02264-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Recommended guidelines for uniform reporting of data from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: the 'Utstein style'. Prepared by a Task Force of Representatives from the European Resuscitation Council, American Heart Association, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, Australian Resuscitation Council. Resuscitation. 1991 Aug;22(1):1–26. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Associated Data
This section collects any data citations, data availability statements, or supplementary materials included in this article.