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Monitoring and assessing the quality of care for youth: Developing an audit tool using an expert consensus approach

Puszka, Stephanie, Nagel, Tricia M., Matthews, Veronica, Mosca, Diana, Piovesan, Rebecca, Nori, Annapurna and Bailie, Ross S. (2015). Monitoring and assessing the quality of care for youth: Developing an audit tool using an expert consensus approach. International Journal of Mental Health Systems,9(28):1-12.

Document type: Journal Article
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IRMA ID 11381xPUB131
Title Monitoring and assessing the quality of care for youth: Developing an audit tool using an expert consensus approach
Author Puszka, Stephanie
Nagel, Tricia M.
Matthews, Veronica
Mosca, Diana
Piovesan, Rebecca
Nori, Annapurna
Bailie, Ross S.
Journal Name International Journal of Mental Health Systems
Publication Date 2015
Volume Number 9
Issue Number 28
ISSN 1752-4458   (check CDU catalogue open catalogue search in new window)
Scopus ID 2-s2.0-84936863779
Start Page 1
End Page 12
Total Pages 12
Place of Publication United Kingdom
Publisher BioMed Central Ltd.
Field of Research 1117 - Public Health and Health Services
HERDC Category C1 - Journal Article (DIISR)
Abstract Background
The mental health needs of young people are often inadequately met by health services. Quality improvement approaches provide a framework for measuring, assessing and improving the quality of healthcare. However, a lack of performance standards and measurement tools are an impediment to their implementation. This paper reports on the initial stages of development of a clinical audit tool for assessing the quality of primary healthcare for Australian Indigenous youth aged 12–24 including mental health services provided within primary care.
Methods
Audit items were determined through review of relevant guidelines, expert reference group consensus opinion and specific inclusion criteria. Pilot testing was undertaken at four Indigenous primary healthcare services. A focus group discussion involving five staff from a health service participating in pilot testing explored user experiences of the tool.
Results
Audit items comprise key measures of processes and outcomes of care for Indigenous youth, as determined by the expert reference group. Gaps and conflicts in relevant guidelines and a lack of agreed performance indicators necessitated a tool development process that relied heavily on expert reference group advice and audit item inclusion criteria. Pilot testing and user feedback highlighted the importance of feasibility and context-specific considerations in tool development and design.
Conclusions
The youth health audit tool provides a first step in monitoring, assessing and improving the way Indigenous primary healthcare services engage with and respond to the needs of youth. Our approach offers a way forward for further development of quality measures in the absence of clearly articulated standards of care.
Keywords Clinical audit
Quality improvement
Quality indicators
Standard of care
Adolescent health services
Primary healthcare
Indigenous health
DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13033-015-0019-5   (check subscription with CDU E-Gateway service for CDU Staff and Students  check subscription with CDU E-Gateway in new window)
 
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Created: Tue, 26 Jul 2016, 12:45:39 CST