Search results for "Quality Assurance."
showing 10 items of 104 documents
Quality management in higher education: A comparative study of the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland
2010
This chapter examines lecturers’ perceptions of the balance between quality assurance and quality enhancement in three case study higher education institutions in different European countries. Where quality initiatives emphasised assurance rather than enhancement, this was taken to indicate a significant limitation on a lecturer’s autonomy in the quality management process. In-depth interviews using a semi-structured schedule were conducted with 20 randomly selected academic staff in each of the three higher education institutions. The results from the interviews demonstrated a very wide range of views among the interviewees. However, generally, it was found that there was a high level of d…
Evaluation and Quality Assurance in Finnish and Italian Universities in the Bologna Process
2008
Abstract The purpose of the study is to describe the evaluation and quality assurance practices employed in the basic units of Finnish and Italian universities and analyse the impact of the Bologna process on quality assessment. The data consist of interviews (n=30) conducted in Finland and Italy. The results suggest that: (1) evaluation and quality assurance were primarily seen in connection with the educational provision of the university; (2) although the respondents were familiar with evaluation, they were unsure about the procedures and effects of quality assurance in their unit; and (3) despite the harmonising aim of the Bologna process, evaluation, and quality assurance appeared to m…
Comparison of two portable solid state detectors with an improved collimation and alignment device for mammographic x-ray spectroscopy.
2006
We describe a portable system for mammographic x-ray spectroscopy, based on a 2 X 2 X 1 mm3 cadmium telluride (CdTe) solid state detector, that is greatly improved over a similar system based on a 3 X 3 X 2 mm3 cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) solid state detector evaluated in an earlier work. The CdTe system utilized new pinhole collimators and an alignment device that facilitated measurement of mammographic x-ray spectra. Mammographic x-ray spectra acquired by each system were comparable. Half value layer measurements obtained using an ion chamber agreed closely with those derived from the x-ray spectra measured by either detector. The faster electronics and other features of the CdTe detecto…
Effects of Interrater Reliability of Psychopathologic Assessment on Power and Sample Size Calculations in Clinical Trials
2002
Although rater training is increasingly used to improve the quality of the investigated outcome parameters, the reliability of assessments is not perfect. Thus, empirical reliability estimates should be used instead of theoretically assumed perfect reliability. Implications of the reliability of psychiatric assessments for sample size and power calculations in clinical trials are presented. The theoretical basis of sample size and power calculations using empirical reliability scores is delineated. Examples from contemporary research on schizophrenia and depression are used to illustrate several implications for study design and interpretation of results. The tremendous impact of the lack o…
Service quality benchmarking via a novel approach based on fuzzy ELECTRE III and IPA: an empirical case involving the Italian public healthcare conte…
2017
A novel fuzzy-based approach which combines ELECTRE III along with the Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) is proposed in the present work to comparatively evaluate the service quality in the public healthcare context. Specifically, ELECTRE III is firstly considered to compare the service performance of examined hospitals in a noncompensatory manner. Afterwards, IPA is employed to support the service quality management to point out improvement needs and their priorities. The proposed approach also incorporates features of the Fuzzy Set Theory so as to address the possible uncertainty, subjectivity and vagueness of involved experts in evaluating the service quality. The model is applied to…
Assaying multiple 125 I seeds with the well-ionization chamber SourceCheck 4π 33005 and a new insert
2015
PURPOSE To provide a practical solution that can be adopted in clinical routine to fulfill the AAPM-ESTRO recommendations regarding quality assurance of seeds used in prostate permanent brachytherapy. The aim is to design a new insert for the well-ionization chamber SourceCheck(4π) 33005 (PTW, Germany) that allows evaluating the mean air-kerma strength of up to ten (125)I seeds with one single measurement instead of measuring each seed individually. MATERIAL AND METHODS The material required is: a) the SourceCheck(4π) 33005 well-ionization chamber provided with a PTW insert to measure the air-kerma strength S K of one single seed at a time; b) a newly designed insert that accommodates ten s…
External investigations and disciplinary sanctions against auditors: the impact on audit quality
2015
In this paper, we provide empirical evidence for the impact of disciplinary sanctions imposed on Spanish auditing firms and their engagement partners. The disciplinary sanctions resulted from external investigations, which revealed misapplications of auditing standards. In particular, we evaluate (a) the efficacy of the external supervisory board in identifying low-quality auditors and (b) the effectiveness of the disciplinary system in improving the quality of subsequent statutory audits performed by the sanctioned auditors. We employ two earnings management indicators as proxies for audit quality: loss avoidance through extraordinary items and abnormal accruals. And we compare these measu…
Quality assurance of decision-making in conversations between professionals and non-professionals: identifying the presence of deliberative principles
2012
The ideal of dialogue is at stake in professional conversations. The aim of this study is to develop an instrument that makes it possible to compare principles of deliberation with what actually takes place in professional conversations. The developed instrument is tested on one patient's conversation with his doctor about lifestyle changes, and meetings where pupils with learning disabilities and their parents discuss further schooling with school representatives. Although in need of refinement, the conclusion is that the instrument provides meaningful insight into how much each participant 'contributes' to the decision-making process and 'behaves' during the conversation.
Cryopreservation of MHC Multimers: Recommendations for Quality Assurance in Detection of Antigen Specific T Cells
2015
Fluorescence-labeled peptide-MHC class I multimers serve as ideal tools for the detection of antigen-specific T cells by flow cytometry, enabling functional and phenotypical characterization of specific T cells at the single cell level. While this technique offers a number of unique advantages, MHC multimer reagents can be difficult to handle in terms of stability and quality assurance. The stability of a given fluorescence-labeled MHC multimer complex depends on both the stability of the peptide-MHC complex itself and the stability of the fluorochrome. Consequently, stability is difficult to predict and long-term storage is generally not recommended. We investigated here the possibility of…
QA of dynamic MLC based on EPID portal dosimetry.
2010
Abstract Purpose Dynamic delivery of intensity modulated beams (dIMRT) requires not only accurate verification of leaf positioning but also a control on the speed of motion. The latter is a parameter that has a major impact on the dose delivered to the patient. Time consumed in quality assurance (QA) procedures is an issue of relevance in any radiotherapy department. Electronic portal imaging dosimetry (EPID) can be very efficient for routine tests. The purpose of this work is to investigate the ability of our EPID for detecting small errors in leaf positioning, and to present our daily QA procedures for dIMRT based on EPID. Methods and materials A Varian 2100 CD Clinac equipped with an 80 …