Table 2 Methods and instruments used within the audit system
From: Effects of auditing patient safety in hospital care: design of a mixed-method evaluation
Audit system | Methods | Instruments |
|---|---|---|
Measurements | Studying policy and quality indicators | Online self-assessment tool based on legal, national, and professional practice standards [16] |
Semi-structured interviews of health care providers | Standardised interview forms [17] | |
Systematic observations (e.g. physicians’ discussions of complications and patient handovers) | Standardised observation forms [17] | |
Questionnaire about team functioning of healthcare providers | Team Climate Inventory [18] | |
Feedback of audit findings by presentation and report | Patient record review to measure adverse events | Standardised record review form based on a protocol originally developed by the Harvard Medical Practice Study [19] |
Assessment of the quality of medical and nursing patient records | ||
Appraisal of document management (e.g. protocols and procedures) and guideline adherence | Standardised assessment forms partly based on the AGREE instrument [21] | |
Follow-up: revisiting 15 months after the audit to monitor improvements | Appraisal and assessment of quality of consultation and collaboration by main internal and external partners | Standardised appraisal and assessment questionnaire [22] |