Congress:
EuroSafe Imaging 2019
Keywords:
Action 6 - Clinical audit tool for imaging, Action 8 - Radiation protection training and learning material, Action 1 - Guidelines, implementation policies, and Clinical Decision Support (ESR iGuide), Radioprotection / Radiation dose, Plain radiographic studies, CT, Radiation safety, Quality assurance
Authors:
J. G. Black, T. T. Zhang, B. Kelly, S. Ebdon-Jackson, A. Brady, D. Howlett
DOI:
10.26044/esi2019/ESI-0094
Description of activity and work performed
Clinical Audit
Clinical audit is defined by the BSSD as “a systematic examination or review of medical radiological procedures that seeks to improve the quality and outcome of patient care through structured review,
whereby medical radiological practices,
procedures and results are examined against agreed standards for good medical radiological procedures,
with modification of practices,
where appropriate,
and the application of new standards if necessary.”1
Clinical audit is a cycle,
in which an area for study is identified and a target or standard is set.
Current practice is observed and compared to the agreed standard.
If the standard is not met,
changes are devised and implemented to improve practice.
The process is then repeated to evaluate the impact of the change and,
if necessary,
suggest further changes3.
The ultimate goal of clinical audit is a continuous cycle of improvement within the department4.
Esperanto
Esperanto consists of a comprehensive guide to clinical audit,
including information on BSSD and the role audit will play under this legislation2.
The aim is to provide radiology departments with a thorough grounding in the basic principles and methodology of a successful clinical audit and ultimately to enable departments to smoothly integrate audit into their existing practice.
To this end,
Esperanto contains several appendices of audit templates:
•Appendix 1: A draft blank template,
giving users a framework which they can use to design audits appropriate for evaluating local practice.
•Appendix 2: A selection of audit templates for ‘regulatory’ audit topics – that is,
topics which are related to regulation of medical exposures using ionising radiation and which are compulsory under BSSD1.
These areas will be of primary importance to departments only just starting to incorporate audit into their regular practice.
•Appendix 3: Audit templates for ‘clinical’ audit topics,
relating to service provision and clinical practice.
These will be of more use for those departments already accustomed to use of audit in day-to-day practice.