E-Book Overview
The application of audit to resource allocation and clinical practice has emerged as a fundamental principle in Western medical systems over recent years. Used effectively, audit can have wide-ranging benefits for both the patient and the practitioner, in terms of resource management and quality of care. This book reviews the concepts behind audit and the approaches that individual specialties take. First, the book describes the philosophy of audit and the requirements of various agencies such as the Department of Health and the Royal College of Surgeons for audit. Second, the book outlines the specific requirements of the major specialties and third, the book gives practical suggestions for the development of an audit strategy. There are comparisons between audit performed in the United Kingdom and that performed in the United States and Sweden. Further, the need to consider the relationship between resource management and medical audit particularly with reference to the data requirements is emphasized. Throughout the book the concept of "completing the loop", i.e.the need to effect change from the audit activity is discussed as well as the educational value of audit. The editors have stressed that there are no hard and fast rules in creating an audit strategy and as yet there are few experts.
E-Book Content
"Resources are needed if audit is to be successful and worthwhile. The critical resource is an attitude of mind".
The application of audit to resource allocation and clinical practice has emerged as a fundamental principle in sophisticated medical systems over recent years. The implementation of audit procedures is now an important and necessary part of the clinician's responsibilities. Used effectively, audit can result in wide-ranging benefits for both patients and practitioners, by ensuring the best use of limited resources and continuously evaluating and improving the quality of care. However, the setting up of an efficient and productive audit facility requires careful planning and may encounter resistance. This book provides a detailed account of audit processes and discusses the application of audit in a variety of medical settings. It describes the factors which should be considered in order to choose the best audit system, gives guidance on the successful implementation of such systems and discusses the advantages which can be obtained from effective audit. Attention is drawn to the place of audit in continuing medical education, in research and in modulating the purchaserprovider relationship in health care. The book contains contributions from clinicians and managers who describe their own experience of medical audit, in the UK as well as in Europe and the United States. This is both a thoughtful review and a practical guide to successful medical audit and includes advice on the collection and utilisation of information for effective resource management and improved patient care. It gives clear guidance and helpful advice for the clinician and manager on how to create and maintain an effective system for the measurement of medical performance, whether in hospital or in the community.
MEDICAL AUDIT
MEDICAL AUDIT: Rationale and Practicalities Edited by
SIMON P. FROSTICK, PHILIP J. RADFORD AND W. ANGUS WALLACE
I CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
Published by the Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge The Pitt Building, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1RP 40 West 20th Street, New York, NY 10011^1211, USA 10 Stamford Road, Oakleigh, Melbourne 3166, Australia © Cambridge University Press 1993 First published 1993
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress cataloguing in publication data available ISBN 0 521 44604 X paperback
Transferred to digital printing 2001
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