[Self-audit and tutor accreditation].
OBJECTIVE
To describe the experience of using self-audit (SA) as a means of accrediting family and community medicine tutors, to analyse the knowledge that the tutors have on this self-assessment methodology, and to record their opinions on this method.


METHODS
Retrospective descriptive study and analysis of an opinion questionnaire.


METHODS
Family and community medicine teaching units (TU) in Catalonia.


METHODS
Tutors from family and community medicine TU in Catalonia (July 2001-July 2008).


METHODS
Training of the tutors in SA methodology, creation of a reference group and a correction cycle. Correction by peers of the SAs performed by the tutors according to previously determined criteria and subsequent issue of a report-feedback. Self-administered questionnaire by a group of TU tutors.


RESULTS
A total of 673 SA were performed. The most frequent topic selected was diabetes mellitus in 27.9% of cases. The overall evaluation of the SA from a methodological point of view was correct in 44.5% of cases, improvable in 45.3%, and deficient in 10.2%. A total of 300 opinion questionnaires were issued. The response rate was 151/300 (50.03%). On the question about the usefulness of the SA in professional practice, 12% considered it very useful, 56% adequate, and 32% of little use or not useful. As regards whether it was a good means for the re-accreditation or accreditation of tutors, 66% considered that it was not.


CONCLUSIONS
A high percentage of the SAs analysed are not carried out correctly, which indicates that tutors do not know this self-assessment method very well. They consider that SAs are a useful tool for improving clinical practice, but not a good means for accreditation and re-accreditation.
Ezquerra Lezcano
Matilde
M
Unidad Docente de Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria del Consorcio Sanitario de Terrassa, Barcelona, España. mezquerra@cst.cat
Tamayo Ojeda
Carmen
C
Calvet Junoy
Silvia
S
Avellana Revuelta
Esteve
E
Vila-Coll
María Antonia
MA
Morera Jordán
Concepción
C
D000068:Accreditation; D003154:Community Medicine / Q000193:education; D005178:Faculty; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education; D008485:Medical Audit; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain