| Purpose | To get a “snapshot” of care processes and/or outcomes at a moment in time and present this picture to a practice. |
|---|---|
| Step 1 | Determine which indicators are wanted; in our case, CVD risk factor indicators. So, we decided to include BP measurements, aspirin recommendations, LDL measurements, ACE inhibitor use, smoking cessation recommendations, and eGFR and ACR levels. |
| Step 2 | Select sample of patients from entire patient roster |
| Step 3 | Review each chart to ensure eligibility and search for documented indicators within the time span. For example, for patients with a diagnosis of hypertension, the audit will reveal if 2 BP measurements were taken and documented within the last 12 months. |
| Step 4 | OF receives data and organizes it for each practice by disease and/or risk factor and presents it to the practice in a neutral, nonjudgemental way. This can show comparison with mean, maximum, and minimum values achieved over a range of practices to give an overview of current processes and outcomes of care. |
| Step 5 | Building on this opportunity, current guidelines of care are discussed, practice goals are explored, and a consensus among team members is reached. |
ACE, angiotensin-converting enzyme; ACR, albumin:creatinine ratio; BP, blood pressure; CVD, cardiovascular disease; eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; OF, outreach facilitator.