The idea of introducing a special label for "self-help-friendly" institutions was first developed for hospitals. A demonstration project (BKK BV, the German Federal Association of Company Health Insurance Funds) was launched and organized by the local contact point for self-help groups in Hamburg. Shortly thereafter, a group of experienced self-help supporters started to implement self-help friendliness in quality management systems for ambulatory care. These endeavours, presented in this article, prove that not only professional but also user-based quality standards are becoming more and more common in quality development processes of health care services. The general legislative and political conditions for these developments have considerably improved over the past few years. This will be the foundation for a new quality of the doctor-patient relationship.
