ABSTRACT
Quality is a desired entity. We know that, if we get sick, we want quality care. The World Organization of National Colleges and Academies of Family Medicines/General Practice (WONCA) Working Party on Quality Assurance defined it as a process of planned activities, which includes performance review and enhancement with the aim of continually improving standards of patient care. The implementation of quality assurance can be perceived conceptually as having three interrelated dimensions: topics, indicators and the process of quality assurance; the people involved; and structures, policies and conditions. Specific educational opportunities help to give doctors the knowledge and skills necessary to be able to carry out worthwhile activities. Training practices will be able to point to examples of quality assurance in the practice, and trainees can be given the chance to develop audit procedures for their own patient care. Developing Quality assurance systems involves family doctor organizations at many different levels, and takes time and money.
