Infection control as a quality control in an integrated hospital quality assurance program.

I have discussed infection control in the context of a quality control system in a hospital. To date hospital "quality assurance" has been unfocused, retrospective, and CME related-an inappropriate response to such quality problems as inappropriate antibiotic usage, hospital related infection, and professional (malpractice) liability. I have suggested that the control paradigm (a concurrent signal leads to response system) may provide the approach needed to enhance the effectiveness of the whole hospital quality assurance effort.