Evaluation of the quality of diagnostic examinations in ambulatory patients

: 100 medical records of male and female patients seen for the first time in 1972 at the Medical Outpatients Department, University of Basel (Switzerland) were reviewed retrospectively to assess the quality of history and clinical as well as laboratory diagnostic procedures. In addition, 10 patients were selected for total re-evaluation by renewal clinical and laboratory examinations. On the basis of entries made in the medical records (format DIN A5) the medical history and the clinical examination were judged to be of good quality. A minimal program for laboratory investigation (sedimentation rate, hemoglobin, leukocyte count, serum-transaminase, BUN, urine for sugar and albumin and urine sediment) and small format chest-X-ray had been carried out according to the rules and supplement by additional investigations in 87%. The retrospective check on 10 patients showed that the first examination had been well done and without omissions. Continuous checking of diagnostic procedures was recognized as important, and changes in the forms used were admitted to be necessary for improving quality.