[What is "quality management"?].

According to the EN DIN ISO norms measures of quality planning, quality control, quality assurance and quality improvement define a comprehensive quality management. These international norms may solve the recent confusion of terms in Germany. The trend in quality assuring measures clearly shows in the direction of quality audits, but we believe that too much control is contra-productive. Benefits may be expected by the implementation of comprehensive quality management systems, appropriate techniques of benchmarking, practical guidelines and certifications of surgical departments with good quality management systems.