Audit matrix for evaluating Finnish occupational health units

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health Services
• Quality Management
• Healthcare Auditing

Background:

• Implementing "good practice in occupational health services" requires robust evaluation methods.
• Existing frameworks may not adequately capture the nuances of quality in occupational health.
• Continuous quality improvement is essential for effective occupational health programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the formulation of an audit matrix for occupational health units.
• To present preliminary results on the matrix's applicability.
• To demonstrate how the matrix supports "good practice in occupational health services".

Main Methods:

• Developed an audit matrix with 12 auditable areas.
• Defined 4 quality levels (0-6 points) per area based on quality principles.
• Established a maximum total score of 72 points for comprehensive auditing.

Main Results:

• External audits (n=30) showed scores ranging from 18 to over 54 points.
• Highest mean scores were for "Maintenance of work ability" (4.1), "curative care" (4.0), and "multidisciplinarity" (3.9).
• Lowest mean scores were observed in "planning of activities" (3.1), "customer orientation" (3.2), and "quality improvement" (3.2).

Conclusions:

• The audit matrix is a practical tool for assessing occupational health units.
• It effectively identifies common quality flaws and strengths in Finnish occupational health services.
• The matrix is a useful instrument for performance evaluation and promoting good practice, accepted by professionals.