GUIDELINES FOR CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN THE CARDIAC-CATHETERIZATION LABORATORY

The Laboratory Performance Standards Committee of the Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions has compiled guidelines for a quality improvement program for the cardiac catheterization laboratory. The first step is to identify ''quality indicators'' in order to quantify the results. The indicators must be risk-adjusted to assure validity of comparative data. The second step is development of a data collection process that continues after the patient has left the catheterization laboratory. The third step, data evaluation, requires determination of normal ranges of occurrence rates and identification of adverse events that exceed these rates. An investigation should be undertaken to determine the processes and systems that may produce the undesirable outcome. The fourth step is creation of a solution to correct the deficiency. This may involve education, administrative intervention, or feedback. The final step is reassessment of the quality indicators to determine if the corrective action has been effective. (C) 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.