["Premature mortality" as an integral indicator of the quality of medical care].
Retrospective expert appraisal of the causes of premature death provides the possibility for raising the quality of health care, eliminating defects in the work of polyclinics and hospitals and also consolidating the main chains of health care. Reduction of premature mortality for preventable causes can lengthen expectation of life. When assessing the quality of health care it is recommended to apply an integral indicator of premature mortality.