A clinical audit is a process of measuring and improving the quality of health care by comparing it against agreed standards of best practice. Non-clinical audit is a process of measuring and improving the quality of other aspects of health service delivery, such as administration, finance, human resources, etc. Both types of audit aim to identify gaps and areas for improvement, and to implement changes to enhance performance.

According to the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP), a clinical audit is defined as:

‘Clinical audit is a quality improvement cycle that involves measurement of the effectiveness of healthcare against agreed and proven standards for high quality, and taking action to bring practice in line with these standards so as to improve the quality of care and health outcomes.’

Some examples of clinical audit topics are:

• The management of diabetes in primary care
• The prevention of pressure ulcers in hospital wards
• The adherence to antibiotic prescribing guidelines in emergency departments

Some examples of non-clinical audit topics are:

• The timeliness of patient appointments and referrals
• The accuracy and completeness of medical records
• The satisfaction and feedback of staff and patients

Both clinical and non-clinical audits follow a similar cycle of steps, such as:

• Selecting a topic and defining the aim and objectives
• Setting criteria and standards based on evidence and best practice
• Collecting and analyzing data to measure current performance
• Comparing results with criteria and standards and identifying gaps
• Implementing changes to address gaps and improve performance
• Re-auditing to evaluate the impact of changes

Clinical and non-clinical audits are important tools for quality improvement in health care. They can help to ensure that patients receive safe, effective, and person-centered care and that health services are efficient, accountable, and responsive to their needs.