TOWARDS AN ESSENTIAL DATA SET FOR AMBULATORY OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGICAL CARE IN GENERAL-PRACTICE

In order to optimize otorhinolaryngological ambulatory care provision and quality assurance in the general practice services there is a need for interdisciplinary on the conditions, the quantitative and qualita tive criteria of diagnosis and outcome as well as other standards that apply to such a partnership. We report on the core, or essential set, of data involved herein, as derived from an information modelling stu dy of the literature and a formalized agreement between the public pri mary health care and specialist otorhinolaryngology organizations in S weden. We find that the identified essential data set constitutes a co mpact common taxonomy, term register, or thesaurus, an ordered survey of which provides the necessary performance and quality assurance supp ort. This points to a computerized method of mediation. The essential data set for otorhinolaryngology in general practice thus corresponds to the notion of a basic minimal data set as outlined by the World Hea lth Organization to be one of the requisites for the successful realiz ation of the distinct components of the Health for All by the Year 200 0 programme at the local level.