Quality in Hospitals in Europe

DUQuE “Deepening our understanding of quality improvement in Europe” is a research project financed by the EU 7th Research Framework Programme. This 42 months' project started in November 2009 and its end is foreseen for April 2013.

The main goal of the DUQuE project is to study the effectiveness of quality improvement systems in European hospitals. This will be done by assessing the relationship of organisational quality improvement systems/management and culture, professionals’ involvement, and patient empowerment with the quality of hospital care (including clinical effectiveness, patient safety and patient involvement).

Design

DUQuE will collect data using a cross-sectional, observational study of European hospitals. Data will be collected at hospital, departmental, professional and patient levels. Hospitals in the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom will participate.

Expected outcomes

Two main research outputs are expected:

• Hospital guidance - an in-depth overview on the effectiveness of quality and safety strategies and on how to integrate them in hospitals
• Appraisal scheme for purchasers - identifying the core quality and safety strategies that should be in place in European hospitals.