Periodic and systematic review of patterns of patient care to assess the quality of treatment.
In administration, a comprehensive analysis of all aspects of personnel work and accounting.
Detailed retrospective review and evaluation of selected medical records by qualified professional staff. Medical audits are used in some hospitals, group practices, and occasionally in private, independent practices for evaluating professional performance by comparing it with accepted criteria, standards and current professional judgment. A medical audit is usually concerned with the care of a given illness and is undertaken to identify’ deficiencies in that care in anticipation of educational programs to improve it.
A check on figures, scientific data or procedures.
A systematic critical analysis of the quality of medical care provided to a person, which examines the procedures used for diagnosis and treatment, the use of resources and the resulting outcome and quality of life for the person.
A systematic review of the procedures involved in the diagnosis, care and treatment of patients. Such a review includes the input of associated resources for example, social services care and funding and an assessment of the outcome and quality of life for the patient(s). If the review is undertaken by health-care professionals, the process is called clinical audit.