Being proficient during an audit is a key part of being a doctor. There is a growing body of evidence that describes how an audit can be effectively undertaken; however, this is rarely put into practice. This article aims to provide you with practical advice on how to effectively undertake an audit, based on the most up-to-date evidence.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AllwoodD.HildonZ.BlackN. (2013) Clinicians’ views of formats of performance comparisons. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice19(1): 86–93. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2753.2011.01777.x.
2.
BradleyE. H.HolmboeE. S.MatteraJ. A.RoumanisS. A.RadfordM. J.KrumholzH. M. (2004) Data feedback efforts in quality improvement: Lessons learned from US hospitals. Quality and Safety in Health Care13(1): 26–32. doi: 10.1136/qshc.2002.4408.
3.
GiuffridaA.GravelleH.RolandM. (1999) Measuring quality of care with routine data: Avoiding confusion between performance indicators and health outcomes. British Medical Journal319(7202): 94–98. doi: 10.1136/bmj.319.7202.94.
4.
HysongS. J. (2009) Meta-analysis: Audit and feedback features impact effectiveness on care quality. Medical Care47(3): 356–363. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0b013e3181893f6b.
5.
HysongS. J.BestR. G.PughJ. A. (2006) Audit and feedback and clinical practice guideline adherence: Making feedback actionable. Implementation Science1: 9. doi: 10.1186/1748-5908-1-9.
6.
IversN.BarnsleyJ.UpshurR.TuK.ShahB.GrimshawJ.ZwarensteinM. (2014) My approach to this job is …. one person at a time. Canadian Family Physician60(3): 258–266.
7.
Ivers, N., Jamtvedt, G., Flottorp, S., Jm, Y., Sd, F., Ma, O. B.,…Ad, O. (2012). Audit and feedback: Effects on professional practice and healthcare outcomes. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 6, art. no.: CD000259. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD000259.pub3.
8.
Jamtvedt, G., Young, J., Kristoffersen, D., O’Brien, M., & Oxman, A. (2006). Audit and feedback: Effects on professional practice and health care outcomes. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2, art. no.: CD000259. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD000259.pub2.
9.
KerrE. A.SmithD. M.HoganM. M.HoferT. P.KreinS. L.BermannM.HaywardR. A. (2003) Building a better quality measure: Are some patients with “poor quality” actually getting good care?Medical Care41(10): 1173–1182.
PereraR.DowellT.CramptonP.KearnsR. (2007) Panning for gold: An evidence-based tool for assessment of performance indicators in primary health care. Health Policy80(2): 314–327. doi: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2006.03.011.
RickettsT. C.RandolphR.HowardH. A.PathmanD.CareyT. (2001) Hospitalization rates as indicators of access to primary care. Health & Place7(1): 27–38. doi: 10.1016/S1353-8292(00)00035-6.
15.
SimmsR. A.YellandA.PingH.BeringerA. J.DraycottT. J.FoxR. (2014) Using data and quality monitoring to enhance maternity outcomes: A qualitative study of risk managers’ perspectives. BMJ Quality & Safety23(6): 457–464. doi: 10.1136/bmjqs-2013-002025.
16.
Van der VeerS. N.de KeizerN. F.RavelliA. C. J.TenkinkS.JagerK. J. (2010) Improving quality of care. A systematic review on how medical registries provide information feedback to health care providers. International Journal of Medical Informatics79(5): 305–323. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2010.01.011.