[Information for quality management in the hospital: on the function and methodology of patient and staph surveys].

BACKGROUND: For quality management to be both systematic and realistic, a wealth of information is needed on the experiences patients as well as staff have in the hospital's daily running. This makes patient and staff surveys imperative to prudent quality management. TOPIC: The following article describes essential points for such studies to become methodologically sound and for their results to be of practical relevance. It is emphasized that the surveys' main purpose--i.e. to stimulate measures for improving the quality of care--can only be fulfilled when hospital staff, with the resolute support by its directors, is being successfully involved in these studies during all stages.