Conducting Successful Virtual Care Audits

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Introduction

Independent audits are an important tool to promote quality improvement in health and social care organisations. They help to identify if a service or a particular department / area is operating as it should be and to a high standard which is in line with best practice and regulatory requirements. However, the COVID-19 Pandemic has resulted in many challenges and disruptions for the healthcare sector. With travel restrictions and limitations around social contacts, organisations are required to be proactive and rethink ways of conducting audits to ensure consistent and effective oversight of services.

Thankfully, there are many technologies at our disposal that can support healthcare organisation in fulfilling their obligations around auditing. Virtual Care Audits are a great tool to maintain your programme of quality assurance during COVID-19.

In this blog, we detail some of the potential challenges around virtual care audits and provide some tips to help you conduct successful virtual audits.


Potential Challenges to Virtual Care Audits

Virtual audits have the same principles as regular audits, expect that they are conducted using technology. With this format there are likely to be some challenges or adjustments to be made in the way the audit is carried out. Some of the challenges include:


Tips to overcome the challenges and effectively manage a Virtual Audit

Preparation for the Audit

It is extremely important to be as prepared as possible for the audit.

Conducting the Audit

The virtual audit should be conducted in as close a format to a regular onsite audit.

Report and Close Out


Conclusion

Postponing audits is not a viable option in healthcare. Organisations must consider conducting virtual audits to ensure there is effective oversight and quality of care assurance. Although it is clear that performing virtual audits is different, it does not have to be more cumbersome.

HCI is working with our clients to maintain their programmes of independent quality assurance with Virtual Care Audits during the current lock down.

Through remote data analysis, staff interviews, and real time monitoring HCI Specialists continue to provide advice and guidance in line with the everchanging best practice standards.

If you require support in conducting independent audits such as patient safety audits, Infection Prevention and Control Audits or the COVID-19 Assurance Framework Self-Assessment, then contact HCI today. We are here to support you.

Contact Us

For more information contact info@hci.care or Phone +353 (0)1 6292559.

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