What is audit and how to start it?

The verb "to audit" dates from the sixteenth century when it meant "to make an official systematic examination of accounts". If we substitute "diseases and medical interventions" for "accounts", that is what clinical audit means. It is more than merely quality assurance, although that comes into it. It embraces also a great deal of clinical research. It certainly entails the complete, accurate, and honest recording of a doctor's practice. How to start it? That depends on whether you are going to audit the work of your own unit only, or whether you are going to include the work of the whole hospital, region, or country. Whatever you do you must compare the results that you find with those that have been published. Many departments find it impossible to record the outcome of every intervention in a way that allows sensible conclusions to be drawn. To these departments the reporting of critical incidents is a most welcome substitute. Whatever way you go, remember that audit must be interesting and it must produce results that help you to improve your practice.