status quo of quo vadis? - KCE
status quo of quo vadis? - KCE
status quo of quo vadis? - KCE
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<strong>KCE</strong> Reports 76 Quality development in general practice in Belgium: <strong>status</strong> <strong>quo</strong> or <strong>quo</strong> <strong>vadis</strong> ? 9<br />
1.4 QUALITY DEVELOPMENT IN GENERAL PRACTICE IN<br />
BELGIUM<br />
1.4.1 Legal framework<br />
Belgium paid attention to quality <strong>of</strong> care from the nineties onwards. A national steering<br />
comity on quality (CNPQ/NRKP) initiates and supervises quality initiatives. Most <strong>of</strong><br />
these initiatives deal with the quality <strong>of</strong> care at individual doctor level. 25 Two national<br />
laws define the conditions <strong>of</strong> “accreditation” in Belgium.<br />
A royal decree (1994) describes the accreditation scheme <strong>of</strong> the GPs. This<br />
“accreditation” differs from the concept <strong>of</strong> accreditation for the practices. The<br />
“accreditation” <strong>of</strong> individual doctors refers to the certification <strong>of</strong> doctors who fulfil<br />
specific criteria. There are four domains i.e., continuing medical education, peer review<br />
system in small groups, optimal organisation <strong>of</strong> the medical practice and rational<br />
prescription 29 All physicians have to keep medical records <strong>of</strong> their patients and collect<br />
at least 20 credits <strong>of</strong> continuing medical education per year, to have at least 1250<br />
patient encounters per year, without any outlier prescription pr<strong>of</strong>ile. The GP should<br />
attend LOK/GLEM meetings (Local Quality Evaluation Groups) at least twice a year.<br />
The “accreditation” is not mandatory but being accredited leads to extra remuneration<br />
(see the statistics in appendix 9).<br />
The National Body for Quality Promotion (CNPQ/NRKP) was launched in 2001. 25 This<br />
body is responsible for development <strong>of</strong> the peer review process in all medical<br />
specialities, especially for conditions where evidence based criteria exist. It is also<br />
responsible for the approval <strong>of</strong> the indicators used for screening and monitoring<br />
colleagues with over prescription. Moreover, the CNPQ/NRKP gives recommendations<br />
for the correct use <strong>of</strong> the ‘global medical record’ (DMG/GMD).<br />
The CNPQ/NRKP validates the current programme on the clinical pathways <strong>of</strong> diabetes<br />
mellitus and renal failure. It recently supported a Quality Award for outstanding<br />
initiatives in general practice: in 2007, 28 projects were nominated. The budget for 2008<br />
is 14 000 euros. 30 Finally, the Royal decree <strong>of</strong> 2001 defines the accrediting body and<br />
comities relating to various specialities. 25<br />
1.4.2 Quality development initiatives in the Belgian context <strong>of</strong> general practice<br />
To date, quality development <strong>of</strong> general practice in Belgium has been the focus <strong>of</strong> many<br />
initiatives by different stakeholders from the pr<strong>of</strong>ession and from governmental bodies<br />
(INAMI/RIZIV and Ministry <strong>of</strong> public health). 3<br />
At national level, the following range <strong>of</strong> activities has been set up:<br />
• Accreditation: described in the paragraph 1.4.1. 29<br />
• Peer review in Local Quality Evaluation Groups (GLEMs/LOKs): the<br />
participation to these meetings twice a year is a condition for<br />
accreditation. 31<br />
• Feedbacks on prescription for individual GPs: the topics already studied<br />
include the prescription <strong>of</strong> antibiotics, antihypertensive drugs and<br />
mammography screening. The standardisation <strong>of</strong> the data takes account <strong>of</strong><br />
the number <strong>of</strong> patients seen and <strong>of</strong> the number <strong>of</strong> patients on the GP list. 32<br />
The objective <strong>of</strong> the GLEMs/LOKs is e.g., to discuss the results <strong>of</strong> the<br />
individual feedbacks and enhance their impact on the practice.<br />
• Guidelines: both GP scientific societies develop guidelines i.e., the French<br />
speaking Société Scientifique de Médecine Générale (SSMG) and the Flemish<br />
Society Domus Medica 33, 34 . Currently 17 French and 27 Flemish guidelines<br />
have been validated by a specific commission or more recently by the Belgian<br />
Centre for EBM (CEBAM). Most guidelines are nowadays published in both<br />
languages. The guidelines development is financed by the Federal Government<br />
and in Flanders also by the Flemish Community (for prevention).