The use of clinical audit cycle for improvement in Abu Dhabi health service company “SEHA”

Purpose: A clinical audit is a quality improvement process that seeks to improve patient care and outcomes through a systematic review of care against explicit criteria and the implementation of change. Although much important work has been documented regarding Clinical Audit, several questions concerning the methodology of this approach in various healthcare facilities and contexts remain unanswered. Hence, the purpose of this study is to describe an appropriate way to implement a Clinical Audit strategy in a healthcare organization in the UAE.
Design/Methodology/Approach: A review and critical analysis of the comments from key staff members working in the quality control departments in healthcare facilities through semi-structured internet calls interviews Using Ms Teams. The application was conducted based on the action research methodology. The interview questions were developed by listing the topics related to particular research questions and reviewing the previous literature.
Findings: certain fundamentals for the implementation of Clinical Audit strategy needed to secure a successful implementation of the strategy; developing a Clinical Audit policy, Clinical Audit training, and building a Clinical Audit annual plan, can provide a solid structure for the strategy. Key stakeholder engagements such as facility leadership and quality control staff members have a significant impact on Clinical Audit strategy implementation success. However, a cautionary note is forwarded suggesting that practitioners need to be fully aware of the potential setbacks present in implementing the strategy. Thus, the usefulness of the Clinical Audit strategy framework may depend upon an individual health care facility's quality improvement needs.
Value: This paper provides guidance to healthcare facilities regarding the appropriate approach to implement the Clinical Audit strategy. Healthcare facilities need to work continuously with patients' needs in order to thrive. This study will also serve as a basis for further research, focusing on the effects of Clinical Audit on the improvement of patient care and provided services.