Measurement of quality of performance is increasingly seen as part of the provision of a service within the National Health Service. This article describes how a group of occupational therapists in Southampton and South West Hampshire looked at a process known as clinical audit that is practised within the medical profession to see if it would be a suitable method of evaluating performance within occupational therapy. The group viewed it as a most suitable method and this study will be followed by pilot studies of the practice of clinical audit.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Van't HoffW. Audit reviewed: Medical audit in North America. J R Coll Physicians Lond1985; 19(1): 53–55.
2.
MilgromP. A study of procedures to assess care and continuing dental education. Int Dent J.1978; 28: 126–36.
3.
StevensJL. Quality of care in general practice; can it be assessed?J R Coll Gen Prac1977; 27: 455–66.
4.
OstrowPCJonesE. Peer review for nonphysicians. Hospitals1979; Dec:66–69.
KingDJ. Competence to practise. Br J Occup Ther1980; 43(6): 191–93.
7.
McCollMAQuinnB. A quality assurance method for community occupational therapy. Am J Occup Ther1978; 39(9): 570–77.
8.
PalmerRHReillyMC. Individual and institutional variables which may serve as indicators of quality of medical care. Med Care1979; 17(7): 693–717.
9.
SpelbringLM. Nationally speaking. Am J Occup Ther1979; 30(9): 539–40.
10.
AbernethyV. Compassion, control and decisions about competency: Opinion and comment. Am J Psychiatry1984; 141: 1.
11.
BlackDSir. Apples of discord. J R Soc Med1981; 74: 92–100.
12.
BromleyAI. The patient care audit. Physiotherapy1978; 64(9): 270–71.
13.
BrookRHQuality assurance today and tomorrow: Forecast for the future. Ann Int Med1976; 85: 809–17.
14.
BurgFDBrownleeRDVaughanVCIIIAndersonJA. A method for defining competency in paediatrics. J Med Educ1976; 51: 824–28. (Copies of this report can be obtained from the American Board of Paediatrics, c/o Children's Hospital of Philadelpia, 34th Street and Civic Centre Building, Philadelphia, Pa 19104.)
15.
FernowLCThe effect of problem orientated medical records on clinical management controlled for patient risks. Med Care1978; 16(6): 476–87.
16.
HimbergerAD. A quality assurance program for psychiatric nursing. Superv Nurs1980; 11(11): 25–26.
17.
HoffWV. Audit reviewed: Medical audit in North America. J R Coll Physicians Lond1985; 19(1): 53–55.
18.
KempN. A place for quality. Senior Nurs1984; 1(34): 12–16.
19.
LeggeD. Medical care in Australia. Aust Clin Rev1981; 3: 29–32.
20.
LeichnerPA study of the reliability of the clinical oral examination in psychiatry. Can J Psychiatry1984; 29(5): 394–97.
21.
LordDJ. Peer review. The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, Western Australian Branch, Sir Charles Gaidner Hospital, Nedlands, WA 6009. Med J Aust1980; Jan 26.
22.
MenzelFSTeegardenK. Quality assurance: A tri-level model. Am J Occup Ther1982; 36(3): 163–69.
23.
OstrowPC. The historical precedents for quality assurance in health care. Am J Occup Ther1983; 37(1): 23–26.
24.
OstrowPC. Quality assurance requirements of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals. Am J Occup Ther1983; 37(1): 27–31.
25.
OstrowPCKuntavanishAA. Improving the utilization of occupational therapy: A quality assurance study. Am J Occup Ther1983; 37(6): 388–91.
26.
PalmerRHQuality assurance in eight adult medicine group practices. Med Care1984; 22(7): 632–43.
27.
RobertsonSCMartinED. Continuing education: A quality assurance approach. Am J Occup Ther1981; 35(5): 312–16.
28.
Royal Australian College of Physicians.Guidelines for quality assurance in the hospital practice of internal medicine. Aust Clin Rev1982; Sept: 24–26.
29.
SadoffRL. Patients' rights versus patients' needs: Who decides?J Clin Psychiatry1983; 44(6), part 2: 27–32.
30.
ShimeldA. A clinical demonstration program in quality assurance. Am J Occup Ther1983; 37(1): 32–35.
31.
ThompsonR. Medical care in the eighties, quality assurance. J Tenn Med Assoc1981; 74(11): 801–806.
32.
WilkinD. Myth and reality in general practice. Times HealthSuppl1985; Mar: 5.
33.
WinickoffRNImproving physician performance through peer comparison feedback. Med Care1984; 22(6): 527–34.
