Occupational Medicine 1998;48:203-206
© 1998 Society of Occupational Medicine
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Quality management of occupational health services: The necessity of a powerful medical profession
Institute for Health Policy and Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam PO Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Over the past few years there has been a growing interest in quality management in occupational health services. In this article the central role of the medical profession in this area is highlighted from a personal point of view. It is argued that a powerful and active profession is needed as a countervailing power in the field of tension between employees and the company, and for balancing the interests of these two main clients. Therefore, the medical profession should develop a policy on quality and apply quality management on national and local levels to reach a high professional level. In this way the profession can maintain the clinical autonomy that is necessary to be a countervailing power. Elements of such quality management are national guidelines, local peer review and intercolleagual visitation. These activities must be incorporated in the quality management of the occupational health services unit.
Keywords Medical profession; occupational health services; occupational medicine; quality management; quality of care
Received 15 May 1997
Accepted 11 December 1997
Correspondence and reprint requests to: A. F. Casparie, Institute for Health Policy and Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, PO Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Tel: (+31) 10 408 85 25; Fax: (+31) 10 452 60 86; e-mail: Casparie{at}SMW.BMG.EUR.NL