[The role of clinical audit in the quality improvement of health care]. / A klinikai audit szerepe az egészségügyi minoségfejlesztésben.

ABSTRACT

The aim of clinical audit is continuous improvement of the quality of care through systematic and critical review of current practice against explicit criteria and the implementation of change if necessary. The audit is a regular multidisciplinary activity by which all participants of care including doctors, nurses and other health professionals carry out a systematic review of their own practice. Data collected during the process of audit should be handled with care, and individual data concerning care-givers, patients or health professionals must be treated confidentially. Clinical audit needs realistic timeframe and necessary resources as well as tolerant culture of learning organisations. Furthermore the success of clinical audit depends on the commitment and support of the management of the organisations. Clinical audit could relatively easily be embodied into the current practice of peer-review processes and other quality improvement initiatives in Hungary. Widespread and systemic application of clinical audit may improve the quality of patient care and maintain the trust of the population. However, clinical audit should be effective and cost-effective. The recently published methodological guideline by the Ministry intends to promote good practice in clinical audit.