title: What is clinical audit?
abstract: The emphasis of clinical audit should be on improvement in care. Audit can only improve healthcare if it includes a mechanism for change. The fact that information about outcomes is collected does not necessarily mean that care is being audited, nor that improved care will result. Audit must be distinguished from data collection, surgical epidemiology, and research.
authors.affiliation: Anglia and Oxford Regional Health Authority.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D003625:Data Collection; D006801:Humans; D008485:Medical Audit; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D012106:Research; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000592:standards