Clinical leaders' and staff's assessment of the current quality related to the patient pathways and expectations of and knowledge about accreditation--a baseline evaluation in Copenhagen County]

In the preparation for accreditation in Copenhagen County the commitment of clinical leaders and staff members is crucial. The objectives of these surveys are to examine the leaders' and the staff's assessment of quality improvement and their expectations and knowledge about accreditation, as well as the staff's advice concerning the further planning.Two surveys among clinical leaders and staff members were carried out.Statistically, significant differences between staff and leaders were found in many areas concerning quality improvement and knowledge about accreditation. Leaders and staff both had high expectations of the use of accreditation as a tool for quality improvement, thus no statistically significant difference between expectations were found.The overall positive expectation for accreditation as a tool for quality improvement is an excellent basis for the accreditation process. The different assessments in quality among leaders/staff and positions show the need to involve all personnel in the organization. A survey about patient experiences includes the same subjects as the survey among staff and leaders. A striking discrepancy between the evaluation of quality by patients and by the leaders and staff in specific areas was found; therefore further investigations will be carried out.