Related Experiment Videos
Clinical audits: A practical strategy for reducing cesarean section rates in a general hospital in Tehran, Iran
Soheila Mohammadi1, Carina Källestål, Birgitta Essén
1Department of Women's and Children's Health, International Maternal and Child Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. soheila.mohammadi@kbh.uu.se
Objective:
To investigate whether the introduction of clinical audits by the Safe Motherhood Committee of a general hospital in Tehran, Iran, influenced cesarean section (CS) rates,
Study Design:
A retrospective study was performed. The number of deliveries before and after the institution of clinical audits (May to December 2005) were tabulated in the audited hospital and analyzed by Chi(2) test. Additionally, CS rates were measured in 3 other general hospitals during the same time period for comparison.
Results:
A total of 3,494 deliveries were recorded during the study periods in 2004 and 2005 at the audited hospital. Subsequent to the audit, the overall CS rate decreased from 40% to 33% (p < 0.001) and the primary CS rate from 29% to 21% (p < 0.001), accounting for a 27% reduction in the risk of primary CS. In 2006 CS rates reverted to 42%. None of the other 3 general hospitals indicated a decline in CS rates in 2005.
Conclusion:
Our findings show a preventive association between the clinical audits and CS rates in a general hospital. The implementation of a clinical audit process can be an effective way to track care pathways and reduce unnecessary CS deliveries.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
01:26Methods Of Healthcare Delivery System
Managed Care System:
The managed care system is designed to control the cost while maintaining the quality of care. The patient's care from admission to discharge is planned by the primary care provider or the case manager, also known as the gatekeeper. In a managed care system, the number of care providers is limited...
01:15Methods of Documentation VI: Case Management Model
For example, a patient with a chronic illness...
01:30Health Information Technology and Healthcare Information System
Health Information Technology, commonly called HIT, integrates advanced information systems and technology in healthcare settings. Its primary functions include:
01:29Issues And Trends In Healthcare Delivery System
Cost Containment
Payment for healthcare services has historically promoted adoption of costly and often unnecessary or inefficient...