Evaluation of quality in adult cardiac surgery: let us speak the same language

Abstract

Over the last years, measurements of quality of care have become more and more a public product, used by providers, purchasers and consumers, and patients. This information serves as an important guide for improvement, as well as a decision support tool for everybody taking part in medical treatment. This evolution can be compared with advertising and as in commercials it is important to use the right information. In this report we focus on the quality of adult cardiac surgery. Honest information is of course essential, but in this article attention is asked for the variables used to evaluate the quality of cardiac surgery. (Neth Heart J 2010;18:365-9.).