Clinical audit of surgery in a large teaching hospital

Practical peer review by means of a clinical audit requires complete documentation, critical assessment and open discussion of difficulties or errors in patient management. The quality of care in a large surgical department was monitored using weekly on-the-ward capture of complications and immediate feedback to involved surgeons. Retrospective peer review of surgical deaths judged the process of patient care in three categories--treatment, investigation and documentation; feedback was also provided. Seven of the 10 surgical services each collected morbidity data for at least 40 weeks in 1976 and 44 weeks in 1977. In 1978, 8 of the 10 services collected data for 50 weeks or more. The number of patients reviewed was 3520 in 1978. Of these, 822 (23%) had complications in 1976, 703 (16%) in 1977 and 918 (17%) in 1978. In 1976, 260 patients died; the quality of care was considered to have been adequate in 67%. In 1977, 278 patients died; in 76% the management was considered adequate. In 1978, 231 patients died; in 68% management was satisfactory. This clinical audit system is suitable for computer programming and can provide a complete and accurate report of the entire spectrum of complications.