Clinical Audit Flashcards
1
Q
What is a clinical audit
A
A quality improvement cycle that involves measurement of the effectiveness of healthcare against agreed and proven standards for high quality, and taking action to bring practice in line with these standards to improve the quality of care & health outcomes
2
Q
Research:
A
- designed to derive generalisable new knowledge
- designed to test a hypothesis
- addressed clearly defined questions, aims and objectives
- study design may involve allocating patients to intervention groups
- normally requires research ethics committee review
3
Q
Service evaluation:
A
- Designed and conducted solely to define or judge current care
- designed to answer ‘what standard does this service achieve’?
- measures without reference to a standard
- no allocation to intervention
- does not require research ethics committee review
4
Q
Clinical audit:
A
- designed and conducted to produce information to inform delivery of best care
- designed to answer ‘does this service reach a predetermined standard’
- measures against a standard
- no allocation to intervention
- does not typically require research ethics committee review
5
Q
Reasons to do a clinical audit?
A
- monitor current practice
- high volume/high cost procedures
- in response to incident/ complaint
- re-audits
- quality improvement
- CQC (standards of quality and safety)
- revalidation for medical staff
- NHS standard contract- must complete certain audits
6
Q
The clinical audit cycle stages
A
- Preparation & planning
- Measuring performance
- Implementing change
- Sustaining improvement
7
Q
Clinical audit stages
- Preparation and planning
A
-select topic
-identify standards e.g. NICE guidelines
-create team
-develop or adapt audit tools
-sample size & selection
-pilot tools
Follow local NHS trust procedures
8
Q
Clinical audit stages
- Measuring performance
A
- information governance
- ensuring data quality
- recording (need evidence)
- analyse& present results
9
Q
Clinical audit stages
- Implementing change
A
- present & discuss results at relevant meetings
- discuss issues and recommendations
- Set realisatic goals and timescales
- develop action plan
- SMART actions & targets
10
Q
Clinical audit stages
- Sustaining improvement
A
- complete action plan and evaluate progress
- review and implement actions
- discuss areas of concern
- is re-audit required?
- targeted re-audit
- spin-off audits
