Medical Audit

by Edited by Simon P. Frostick , Philip J. Radford , W. Angus Wallace , Foreword by Kenneth Calman , Terence English

• ISBN13: 9780521446044
• ISBN10: 052144604X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1993-08-27
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

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.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Audit - historical and future perspectives R. B. Duthie

3. Audit philosophy C. D. Shaw

4. Medical audit - a view from the centre D. Mac Pherson

5. Audit - a view from the Royal College of Surgeons of England H. B. Devlin

6. Medical audit - the regional viewpoint I. Bowns

7. Medical audit - the needs of the District Health Authorities H. W. Purser and J. Secker-Walker

8. Resource management and budget holding A. Bradford and M. Dinsmore

9. Unit and district information systems M. W. Beaver and T. J. Dyson

10. Read codes and medical audit J. D. Read

11. Data capture direct from doctors D. Marsh and J. Barrie

12. Computer systems - practice, limitations and pitfalls P. J. Radford

13. Paediatric audit P. C. Holland

14. Audit in obstetrics and gynaecology H. K. Gordon and N. B. Patel

15. Audit in therapeutics M. D. Rawlins and J. M. Smith

16. Audit in general surgery J. R. W. Gumpert

17. Orthopaedic audit - guidelines and hints S. P. Frostick

18. Installing audit in general practice and general dental practice M. Pendlebury and G. Brown

19. Clinical audit in psychiatry - models for audit in mental health J. K. Wing

20. Audit in anaesthesia D. W. Riddington and J. F. Bion

21. Audit in intensive care J. F. Bion

22. Medical audit - lessons from the USA R. B. Keller

23. Quality control in health care - the Dutch experience M. B. Lagaay

24. Medical audit - experience from Sweden K-G. Thorngren

25. Performance indicators J. Boyce

26. Measuring outcome and quality control D. W. Yates and C. S. B. Galasko

27. Audit - will it work? C. Bulstrode

28. What has been achieved so far? S. P. Frostick

29. A practical guide to audit S. P. Frostick.