[Audit--a method for quality assessment in health care]

Abstract

If the intentions of genuine assessment of quality and ensuring quality are to be realised in the Danish health service, it is essential that the methods employed are known and accessible. This review presents audit which is a concrete method of assessing quality. In an audit, concrete clinical cases are assessed in order to evaluate the quality of the services rendered by the health service in this instance. Assessment of quality is performed on the basis of criteria and standards for the services rendered. The conclusions end in assessment of whether the services was satisfactory or not. In connection with the unsatisfactory services, the reasons leading to this conclusion are specified. The object of an audit is to assess, ensure and raise the quality of the professional standard. By means of assessing concrete case histories the object is to identify problems of quality which could be influenced by adjustment or alteration of the practice with the object of improving the quality of the diagnosis, treatment and care. Assessment of quality in an audit should thus be carried out as a link in ensuring quality. This implies that the reasons for possible defects in quality should be elucidated. Reports should be given to the health staff involved and measures to improve quality should be worked out and instituted. After a suitable interval, the quality of the service concerned should be assessed again. International experience with audit is extensive. In a series of countries, audit is an integral part of systematic assessment of quality.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)