Quantitative assessment of the quality of medical care provided in five family practices before and after attachment of a family practice nurse.

The standards of patient care were maintained in five urban medical practices after the introduction of family practice nurses. Evaluations were achieved before and after their appointment by the indicator condition method. Minimal explicit criteria for the management of patients with 12 indicator conditions and by the use of 14 drugs were approved by an ad hoc peer group of community physicians. These cirteria were applied to the five …