[Evaluation and Utilization - Quality Management in a Paediatric University Outpatient Department].

Background: Based on an increasing number of outpatient treatments, an extensive demand planning is necessary to ensure the quality of medical care. University outpatient clinics are special parts of this sector and therefore it is necessary that a research demonstrates the nearly uninvestigated position of a paediatric outpatient clinic.
Patients: The research at the university hospital for children and adolescents in Leipzig started in 2009 to survey 2283 of in total 9391 patients and the physicians.
Methods: Sociodemographic data as well as economic and medical facts were determined by using questionnaires. In each case a questionnaire was answered by the children or their accompanying persons and a separate one was completed by the respective doctor.
Results: The results created a foundation, on the basis of patient volume per day and per daytime. Less than 20% of the children admitted to consult the clinic for their first time. The majority of patients visit them because of a letter of referral. Most of the patients (58%) were younger than 6 years old. Approximately 35% of patients did not come from the city region of Leipzig.
Conclusion: The investigation evidenced the necessity of a day and night operating institution for children in the region of Leipzig as well as the high specialisation of the outpatient clinic. In need of further investigation is the cooperation between several physicians to find out if this lots of medical examination are necessary or if there took place overlapping.
(© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)