Medical registers as a quality management tool: An analytical review
Subject The article considers the issue of medical register maintenance. Objectives The purpose of the study is to evaluate the efficiency of current medical registers, using a case of endoprosthesis replacement register maintenance, as an economical instrument of managing the medical institution, which provides for optimization and improvement of medical services quality. Methods For analytical estimation purposes, we studied relevant data published in peer-reviewed journals and open registers materials from the Internet. Results The analysis found out that the content of registers and their functions differ depending on the register level, i.e. national, regional, local, i.e. within one or two clinics. The register maintenance experience showed that regardless of the level, registers enable not only to follow up patient's condition after treatment, predict and monitor the efficiency and safety of the product, but also to assess the volume and structure of expenses during medical treatment. Medical registers provide cooperation in the patient-medical institution-manufacturer system, which helps reducing direct and indirect cost of treatment. Based on the analytical review, we identified main advantages of registers ensuring the said cooperation. Conclusions Medical registers should be used as an instrument of quality management not only in an individual medical facility, but also in certain branches of the healthcare industry. The project for organization of the national register of endoprosthesis replacement should be initially based on the creation of regional registers, within the subjects of the Russian Federation.