The outpatient use of digitalis: a chart audit

In order to establish the appropriateness of the use of digitalis, the charts of 337 patients with heart disease from the Family Health Center at the University of Maryland were reviewed. The results revealed that several patients were on digitalis for weak or borderline reasons or for poorly documented reasons. Although few attempts had been made to discontinue digitalis, a high perc:ntage of those patients who had discontinued digitalis did so without morbidity or mortality, and without having to have digitalis reinstituted. The necessity for continuous evaluation and reassessment of each patient's need for digitalis was clearly illustrated. Chart audit was also a significant means of self as well as group education, through dissemination of the information obtained. Ideally, chart audits will improve patient care, both immediately as a result of the audit and long term as a result of increased awareness of possible problems and pitfalls. Further study is needed to verify this latter premise.