Management and quality control

The economic approach of the industrial and commercial sector cannot be tra nsferred to the medical one without proper measures. The final objective of the health service is not to gain profits but rather to achieve results in terms of health. Professional qualify and, therefore, appropriateness beco mes the foundation for proper management In turn, appropriateness means to do the right things when they are useful regarding both the organisational, administrative, educational and training aspects and the medical ones. Man agement control is the right answer to this challenge to know and monitor c onsumption, strategies and results in relation to preestablished administra tion health policy objectives. Ifs purpose is to allow the organisation to carry out ifs objectives with the highest effectiveness and efficiency poss ible and if is joined with technical-professional elements which orient and support management in a logic of total quality. The adoption of the proces s of management control does not mean to turn doctors into managers. If mus t be hoped that doctors will understand the economic implications of the de cisions made af clinical level as well as the technical-organisational ones . A medical action becomes effective if if is part of a system in which eac h person involved carries out his duties in an integrated logic where relat ionships are clearly defined. To decide what is appropriate, one refers to what is known and proven. It is clear that the problem of qualify must be f aced firmly and systematically. The activation of a quality program is not only based on the definition of "good practice", in terms of procedures, pr otocols, pathways and reference parameters for measuring qualify but rather on the introduction of clinical methods that can guarantee a series of hig hly important opportunities.