[Experts' opinion on criteria for certification of primary occupational medicine service units].

BACKGROUND: The article shows the results of a survey of the experts' opinions on the criteria for certification of primary occupational medicine service units.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The group of experts surveyed comprised: the national consultant and regional consultants in occupational medicine, directors of regional occupational medicine centres, heads of organisation and supervision departments of those centres and chairmen of chapters of the Polish Association of Occupational Medicine. A questionnaire employed in the survey of the experts' opinions on the quality assessment criteria and indicators used in primary occupational medicine service units certification system were based on variables typical for management and quality assurance systems applied in health care. Of the 68 questionnaires sent, 45 of them were completed and returned.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Among criteria for certification of primary occupational medicine service units, verified by experts, there were criteria common for management and quality assurance systems used in health care, e.g., client orientation; improvement of qualifications; using standards and medical procedures, quality book and medical documentation of self-control procedures; obligation to implement quality goals; information management, i.e. performance of cumulative analysis of documentation. Criteria used in quality management systems concerning organisation management, internal audits and human resources management do not apply to primary occupational medicine service units, because the majority of them are one-person enterprises acting as individual medical practices or physicians authorised to perform prophylactic examinations and acting as a primary occupational medicine service unit in the structure of public or non-public health care units. The survey revealed the presence of common criteria and indicators for services quality assessment in primary occupational medicine service units and other systems of management and health services quality assurance. Among them the following may be indicated: client-patient orientation (learning about his/her needs, regular assessment of satisfaction with services), improvement of personnel qualifications, information management, or constant improvement of services.