Dtsch Arztebl Int
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Quality assurance for acute in-hospital care in Germany is based on compulsory comparisons between institutions, so-called external quality assurance (EQA). The effectiveness of EQA has not yet been adequately studied. The purpose of the QUASCH project, which is supported by the Innovation Fund of the Federal Joint Committee, is to investigate the association between EQA and health care outcomes, specifically with respect to stroke. ⋯ Quality assurance measures are associated with lower mortality risk after stroke. The concentration of care in specially qualified institutions is associated with stronger effects than EQA alone.