Things to remember while planning Healthcare Audit

Healthcare audits require careful planning and deliberation to make use of all effective and working techniques. There is a certain way to systemize the audit in order to derive all necessary results.

Planning a healthcare audit is a process which when chronologically organised will ensure that all areas are covered.

Auditing healthcare entities need to follow the following pre-requisites in a step by step process:

Collect Patient Data

There needs to be quick and efficient collection of patient data from a variety of sources like surveys, feedback forms, letters, receipts, prescriptions and even direct confrontation alongside observation, can be essential info. The importance of collecting such information results in: better categorization and organisation of patient data, quicker and smoother flow of the audit and mainly a much more legitimate approach.

Identify focus areas

The audit committee needs to prioritize all areas of focus in an orderly manner. After careful analysis, there needs to be a study to identify key areas of focus in the audit. The departments need to be marked according to information and factors like time, resources and overall skill need to be taken into consideration.

Set targets & flow

The quality of service and medicine need to be targeted by selecting a starting and finishing point. When there is order and organisation in work, there will be smoother flow from all auditors involved. It is the duty of the auditing committee to plan carefully with due preference given toward care for the patient.

Define the purpose of Audit

A healthcare audit must be done based on a definite purpose. An underlying purpose will help in better formulation of the strategies to employ, in order to draw sounder conclusions. The advantage of having a strong purpose: A better audit strategy and much more specific solutions in regard to various departments.

Execution of the audit

The final and most crucial point is – Execution of the audit. This is where several factors fall into ploy and the essentiality of all steps in an organised manner should not be ignored. All must be done swiftly and with the cooperation the body being audited.

With the purpose of clear goals and determination to improve and enhance quality of healthcare there will be a much more effectiveness in the nature of the healthcare audit. There needs to be working methodologies implemented along with an expert committee to make sure nothing is missed. The audit must fulfill its purpose and bring out results that benefit healthcare on a whole.