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Audit |
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What is audit? Medical audit is the systematic critical analysis of the quality of clinical care. It looks at all aspects from diagnosis, treatment, use of resources and outcome.
Aims and objectives To improve the quality of care provided. This is achieved by identifying less-than-adequate care and raising it to the standard of the agreed best.
General principles To identify agreed standards against which the quality of care provided can be compared. These standards should not be fixed and immutable, as to allow change. Frank and open discussion is encouraged to lead to changes in practice when indicated. Other essential elements are motivation and interest amongst participating staff, honesty and adequate data.
Audit cycle
Meeting to agree a ‘gold’ standard of care for a specific condition
Prospective analysis of care for that condition
Compare actual standard with ‘gold’ standard
Identify areas where deficiencies exist and make recommendations
Agree to implement changes for improvement
Prospective analysis of care following implementation of new recommendations
Audit ideas ¨ An audit on patient waiting times ¨ An audit on the quality of radiographs ¨ An audit on referral letters for children’s General Anaesthesia ¨ An audit on referral letters for apicectomies ¨ An audit on success of exposure and bonding of ectopic canines
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Clinical audit is an extension of good clinical practice. It is mandatory under the Lifelong learning requirements to under 15 hours of clinical audit in a 3-year period. |
