In an enterprise where it is decided to incorporate an insurance of quality systems of the products and services, it is very important to know in one hand the degree of quality produced for the users, and also is to quantify this quality in its different phases, it is what is called the quality indicators.

In any service industry the knowledge of these values lead the directors to get to know better the industry and to make decisions for improving the results. In the case of health industry the service given is the health service, the same happens in any other, it is a service with quantifying results that help to know if the daily work has been well done, getting the wished results and highly satisfying the user, in this case the patient. Since 1999 the Cantabrian Institute of Ophthalmology has introduced business administration to its system based on the international rules of ISO 9001. Within this system of quality control the rules dictate that the enterprise must follow some standards, which will guide how to value the results of its acts. When and how they are done is left to the enterprise but the rules of ISO oblige these controls to be realised periodically and these results once analysed, can be used as reference for improving. Our control quality system is based on five principal points:

A.- Determining the quality standards: They are reference values for the results obtained and want to measure, as they are varied. So that, we must bare in mind the average level, the best results and the results of other health centres or similar characters. Are those that when establishing results, are denominated “very good” it is said we have reached the goal.

B.- Quality indicators: Are measuring elements, which allow us month-by-month and in average, to know the results of different phases of our health service. It is divided in three parts, each of which has an specific importance and percentage within the average that supposes the term “quality index”.
1.1: Whole of the quality of the services analyses such important factors as average waiting time in different operations in determined moments and waiting list control for clinic or operations. This service quality affects 30% of the entire quality index.
1.2: Surgery times indicator: Nowadays in ophthalmology to be able to offer the patient a fast and sure surgery, is a very important point when making a decision, from the patient’s behalf, facing a determined council of surgery treatment. The faster a surgery, the less anaesthesia needed, a lower handling of ocular tissnes exist and hence a lower probability of complications, which makes the patients to recover fast. This has an overall percentage of 10%
1.3: Finally, and taking into account 60% of the quality index, we have the surgery results in terms of security and efficiency.

C.- Satisfactory poll: its another tool for knowing the degree of satisfaction, with the obtained quality, by calling outside and inside patients. The polls are realised choosing 100 patients each term by chance, within first visits revisions and post surgery patients. Labour poll is made once a year. Moreover, the patients have forms for suggestions, complains and recommendations, through which and at any given time can express their opinions about any assistance, services and organisation of our hospital for further improvements.

D.- Special committees: There are four special committees with regular meetings about our working methods: Management, Quality, Scientific and Ethic.

E.- Auditories: Are controlling tools about the whole quality systems by means of regular revisions. These auditories are two types: internal, who are realised qualified people of the enterprise to test how the rules of ISO are fulfilled and external, who are realised by certifying organisation, independly and totally, twice per year. The revision made by these auditories implies up dating and good working of quality systems in all its fields.