Quality assurance in psychiatry

: The need for ensuring quality in psychiatry and the elements in the structure, process and outcome are described together with the terminology employed in this field. The internal and external methods of ensuring quality in psychiatry are mentioned and an example of "time monitoring" of the physician's time devoted to patient-related work in a psychiatric department is presented. This example shows that each patient can obtain ten minutes of direct contact during each working day at the very most. It is concluded that it is possible to establish standards for structure and the processes employed in treatment of psychiatric patients but that it is much more difficult to establish standards for the outcome. Establishment of quality ensurance programmes at local level is recommended but The Public Health Board, Danish Psychiatric Association and possibly the consumers' association should develop and assess the necessary methods.