The importance of quality control in health care is steadily increasing.
1 In issues of referring patients to certain treatment centres, it is often a determining factor. Moreover, patients these days have an enormous amount of information at their disposal, e.g. via the Internet, and are thus more likely to speak up. As a consequence, the patient himself now has an indubitable say in where (and whether) he will be treated.
2 However, one should constantly question whether or not the implemented quality control is correct. Are referring physicians, general practitioners, patients and family correctly and responsibly informed? This article does not seek to question whether or not the data employed are correct but rather whether the parameters and variables are suitable to describe the quality. This could easily be compared with the working of the Dutch Advertising Code (Nederlandse Reclame Code).
3 Apart from general ethical stipulations, this code also lays down specific norms for specific products. To illustrate the quality of washing powder, for example, it is important to concentrate on the actual power of the product instead of its colour or scent. By determining certain criteria by norm, the code thus tries to ensure that the consumer is appropriately informed. …
