Biomaterial Database

Improving preventive practice. An educational intervention using chart audit. 1999

B Jones, and S Garside

RACGP Training Program, Queensland.

OBJECTIVE To assess if the impact of teaching preventive medicine can be increased by supplementing conventional teaching with a practice based preventive audit undertaken by general practice registrars and their supervisors. METHODS A practice based medical record audit of preventive activities was undertaken by 30 general practice registrars and 27 of their supervisors. Items recorded were based on the RACGP's Guidelines for Preventive Activities in General Practice. Participants were also asked to identify or target areas identified by the audit which they specifically wished to improve. Following an educational program on preventive medicine for both groups, the audit was repeated to assess changes made. RESULTS Both registrars and supervisors increased their level of prevention in most parameters measured. Registrars' scores were lower than supervisors' for all items in the initial audit but they made greater improvements by the repeat audit (p < 0.02 for all items). There was great variability between the level of recording of preventive data--from rubella immunity (which was recorded in only 22% of cases) to blood pressure (which was recorded in 94% of cases). There was also variability between practices. Items specifically targeted for improvement by participants did not improve more than other items. CONCLUSIONS Supplementing conventional teaching with a practice-based audit improved the level of preventive medicine undertaken in teaching practices, by both registrars and supervisors.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007223	Infant	A child between 1 and 23 months of age.	Infants
D008297	Male		Males
D008485	Medical Audit	A detailed review and evaluation of selected clinical records by qualified professional personnel for evaluating quality of medical care.	Audit, Medical,Audits, Medical,Medical Audits
D008611	Mentors	Senior professionals who provide guidance, direction and support to those persons desirous of improvement in academic positions, administrative positions or other career development situations.	Mentorships,Mentor,Mentorship
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D010818	Practice Patterns, Physicians'	Patterns of practice related to diagnosis and treatment as especially influenced by cost of the service requested and provided.	Clinical Practice Patterns,Physician's Practice Patterns,Clinical Practice Pattern,Pattern, Clinical Practice,Patterns, Clinical Practice,Practice Pattern, Clinical,Practice Patterns, Clinical,Practice Patterns, Physician's,Prescribing Patterns, Physician,Physician Practice Patterns,Physician Prescribing Pattern,Physician Prescribing Patterns,Physician's Practice Pattern,Physicians' Practice Pattern,Physicians' Practice Patterns,Practice Pattern, Physician's,Practice Pattern, Physicians',Practice Patterns, Physician,Prescribing Pattern, Physician
D011315	Preventive Medicine	A medical specialty primarily concerned with prevention of disease (PRIMARY PREVENTION) and the promotion and preservation of health in the individual.	Medicine, Preventive,Preventative Care,Preventative Medicine,Preventive Care,Care, Preventative,Care, Preventive,Medicine, Preventative
D011322	Primary Prevention	Specific practices for the prevention of disease or mental disorders in susceptible individuals or populations. These include HEALTH PROMOTION, including mental health; protective procedures, such as COMMUNICABLE DISEASE CONTROL; and monitoring and regulation of ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANTS. Primary prevention is to be distinguished from SECONDARY PREVENTION and TERTIARY PREVENTION.	Prevention, Primary,Disease Prevention, Primary,Prevention, Primordial,Primordial Prevention,Disease Preventions, Primary,Preventions, Primordial,Primary Disease Prevention,Primary Disease Preventions,Primordial Preventions
D011793	Queensland	A state in northeastern Australia. Its capital is Brisbane. Its coast was first visited by Captain Cook in 1770 and its first settlement (penal) was located on Moreton Bay in 1824. The name Cooksland was first proposed but honor to Queen Victoria prevailed. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p996 & Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p441)
D012042	Registries	The systems and processes involved in the establishment, support, management, and operation of registers, e.g., disease registers.	Parish Registers,Population Register,Parish Register,Population Registers,Register, Parish,Register, Population,Registers, Parish,Registers, Population,Registry