[Questioning of relatives--potentials for the internal quality management in institutions caring for the elderly].

The German care quality assurance law ("Pflege-Qualitätssicherungs-Gesetz", PQsG) calls for internal quality management in residential care facilities. Empirical surveys with residents, their relatives and employees are essential to get transparency and to assess the quality of service. Within the scope of the present study more than 1400 relatives of residents of 31 residential care institutions were surveyed. Therefore in preliminary studies a questionnaire for the relatives was developed, which collects data concerning quality aspects on various aspects (for example care, staff, medical care, cooperation with relatives). On the average, relatives judged the quality of the institutions as good. The overall mean of 2.2 (scale values between 1.8 ["administration/management"] and 2.5 ["care"]) reveals a positive aspect, but there is substantial variation between institutions. Empirical surveys are important tools for internal quality management. Among other things, their results can be used as input for specific quality circle work and thus for continuous improvement. Used continually in the sense of a routine-monitoring system, surveys can also serve to evaluate quality management procedures.