The importance of complete and valid written consent for medical procedure is indisputable. Written consent forms for ophthalmology related laser procedures and angiography were audited against guidelines regarding validity and adequacy. A full cycle clinical audit was carried out at a tertiary hospital providing ophthalmology service. A preintervention audit was performed in 2018 where consent forms of all ophthalmology related laser procedures and angiography were reviewed. Multiple interventions were taken to improve the adherence in obtaining a valid and adequate written consent prior to the post intervention audit. Standards of practice were compared to ‘Guidelines for Consent for Treatment of Patients by Registered Medical Practitioners’ by Malaysian Medical Council (MMC), and ‘Consent Forms in Ophthalmic Practice’ by Dr. Amit Khosla. A total of 412 consent forms were reviewed in the pre-intervention audit of 2018. Adherence to standard was 37.14%. In the post intervention audit, 256 forms were reviewed, and the adherence improved to 85.94%. Interventions taken include briefing to stakeholders, formulating a standardized risks checklist and multiple checks were done to ensure the interventions were adhered to by the doctors. The significant improvement in adequacy and validity of consent taking for ophthalmology related laser procedures and angiography showed that the interventions taken, were indeed useful. However, continuous effort in maintaining the standard is crucial for patient care and safety.
Clinical Audit

ABSTRACT Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing in dentistry has been widely reported but local studies are scarce. We aimed to evaluate antibiotic prescribing practices among dental officers in a public dental primary care clinic against current guidelines: specifically assessing the number, appropriateness, accuracy of prescriptions, type of antibiotics prescribed and repeated prescribing of the same type of antibiotics within a specific duration. A retrospective audit consisting of two cycles (1st cycle: July to September 2018, 2nd cycle: July to September 2019) was carried out by manually collecting relevant data of patients (aged 18 and above) who were prescribed antibiotics from carbon copies of prescription books. Between each cycle, various interventions such as education through a continuous professional development (CPD) session, presentation of preliminary findings and making guidelines more accessible to dental officers were implemented. When the 1st and 2nd cycles were compared, the number of antibiotic prescriptions issued reduced from 194 to 136 (–30.0%) whereas the percentage of appropriate prescriptions increased slightly by 4.1%. Inaccurate prescriptions in terms of dosage and duration decreased (–0.5% and –13.7%, respectively) whilst drug form and frequency of intake increased (+15.7% and +0.7%, respectively). Repeated prescribing of the same antibiotics by the same officer within a period of ≤6 weeks no longer occurred. Amoxicillin and metronidazole were most commonly prescribed in both cycles. Overall, the antibiotic prescribing practices did not closely adhere to current guidelines. However, clinical audit in conjunction with targeted interventions resulted in improvement in the antibiotic prescribing patterns. Thus, further intervention and re-audit is necessary.
Anti-Bacterial Agents--administration & ; dosage ; Dental Clinics ; Clinical Audit

INTRODUCTION: H. pylori eradication reduces the risk of gastric malignancies and peptic ulcer disease. First-line therapies include 14-day PAC (proton pump inhibitor [PPI], amoxicillin, clarithromycin) and PBMT (PPI, bismuth, metronidazole, tetracycline). Second-line therapies include 14-day PBMT and PAL (PPI, amoxicillin, levofloxacin). This clinical audit examined current treatment outcomes in Singapore. METHODS: Clinical data of H. pylori-positive patientswho underwent empirical first- and second-line eradication therapies from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2018 were reviewed. Treatment success was determined by ¹³C urea breath test performed at least 4 weeks after treatment and 2 weeks off PPI. RESULTS: A total of 963 patients (862 PAC, 36 PMC [PPI, metronidazole, clarithromycin], 18 PBMT, 13 PBAC [PAC with bismuth], 34 others) and 98 patients (62 PMBT, 15 PAL, 21 others) received first-and second-line therapies respectively. A 14-day treatment duration was appropriately prescribed for first- and second-line therapies in 65.2% and 82.7% of patients, respectively. First-line treatment success rates were noted for PAC (seven-day: 76.9%, ten-day: 88.3%, 14-day: 92.0%), PMC (seven-day: 0, ten-day: 75.0%, 14-day: 69.8%), PBMT (ten-day: 100%, 14-day: 87.5%) and PBAC (14-day: 100%). 14-day treatment was superior to seven-day treatment (90.8% vs. 71.4%; P = 0.028). PAC was superior to PMC (P < 0.001) but similar to PBMT (P = 0.518) and PBAC (P = 0.288) in 14-day therapies. 14-day second-line PAL and PBMT had similar efficacy (90.9% vs. 82.4%; P = 0.674). CONCLUSION First-line empirical treatment using PAC, PBMT and PBAC for 14 days had similar efficacy. Success rates for second-line PBMT and PAL were similar.
Humans ; Helicobacter pylori ; Clarithromycin/therapeutic use* ; Helicobacter Infections/drug therapy* ; Metronidazole/therapeutic use* ; Bismuth/therapeutic use* ; Singapore ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Amoxicillin/therapeutic use* ; Proton Pump Inhibitors/therapeutic use* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use* ; Treatment Outcome ; Clinical Audit

BACKGROUND: Deficiencies in anaphylaxis management in Emergency Departments is well recognised despite established guidelines for its treatment. OBJECTIVE: To identify deficiencies in the management of anaphylaxis in a busy metropolitan Emergency Department and determine if an education intervention could correct these. METHODS: Paediatric and adult admissions to the Emergency Department of a busy hospital were tracked over a 10-month period with a targeted educational program being instituted at 5 months. The electronic records were retrospectively reviewed looking for cases of anaphylaxis and milder forms of immediate type allergic reactions presenting with a combination of urticaria and nonairway threatening angioedema. Anaphylaxis presentation was graded using the Brown grading system. Use of all medication during resuscitation was documented. Observation period before discharge and referral to specialist unit for follow-up was noted. RESULTS: In the first 5 months, 38 patients fulfilled our criteria. Three had severe anaphylaxis, 13 had moderately severe anaphylaxis and 12 had urticaria and angioedema without anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis was not always recognised or graded leading to inappropriate management with adrenaline often being withheld. Promethazine, usually given in parenteral form, was frequently administered. Observation time was often inadequate. Referral to an immunologist was not universally followed through. Following the educational intervention 58 patients fulfilled our criteria over the next 5 months. The appropriate use of adrenaline increased by 21% and the use of sedating antihistamines decreased by 16%, while the number of referrals to an immunologist increased by 24%. There was an 11% reduction in the number of patients who were observed for at least 4 hours. CONCLUSION: A number of deficiencies in the management of anaphylaxis presentations have been identified. Targeted educational activities aimed at the Emergency Department hospital staff may improve outcomes.
Adult ; Anaphylaxis ; Angioedema ; Clinical Audit ; Education ; Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Epinephrine ; Follow-Up Studies ; Histamine H1 Antagonists ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Practice Guidelines as Topic ; Promethazine ; Referral and Consultation ; Resuscitation ; Retrospective Studies ; Specialization ; Urticaria

INTRODUCTIONLate preterm (LP) neonates (34 to 36 weeks gestation) are often managed like term neonates though current literature has identified them to have greater complications. The primary objective of our study was to evaluate and compare morbidity and resource utilisation in LPs especially in view of paucity of Asian studies in this regard.

MATERIALS AND METHODSA retrospective audit was carried out on 12,459 neonates born in KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKWCH). The chief outcome measures were hypoglycaemia, hypothermia, respiratory morbidity, feeding problems and neonatal jaundice. Resource utilisation included neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission, mechanical ventilation, parenteral nutrition and length of hospitalisation.

RESULTSOf 12,459 deliveries, 1221 (10%) were LP deliveries with a significantly increasing trend of 8.6% to 10% from 2002 to 2008 (P = 0.001). Neonatal morbidity in the form of hypoglycaemia (34 weeks vs 35 to 36 weeks vs term: 26% vs 16% vs 1%); hypothermia (5% vs 1.7% vs 0.2%); feeding difficulties (30% vs 9% vs 1.4%); respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) (4% vs 1% vs 0.1%); transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTNB) (23% vs 8% vs 3%) and neonatal jaundice (NNJ) needing phototherapy (63% vs 24% vs 8%), were significantly different between the 3 groups, with highest incidence in 34-week-old infants. Resource utilisation including intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV) (15% vs 3.5% vs 1%), total parenteral nutrition/intravenous (TPN/IV) (53% vs 17% vs 3%) and length of stay (14 ± 22 days vs 4 ± 4.7 days vs 2.6 ± 3.9 days) was also significantly higher (P <0.001) in LPs.

CONCLUSIONLP neonates had significantly higher morbidity and resource utilisation compared to term infants. Among the LP group, 34-week-old infants had greater complications compared to infants born at 35 to 36 weeks.

Clinical Audit ; Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Humans ; Hypoglycemia ; epidemiology ; Hypothermia ; epidemiology ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; utilization ; Intermittent Positive-Pressure Ventilation ; utilization ; Jaundice, Neonatal ; epidemiology ; therapy ; Length of Stay ; statistics & numerical data ; Male ; Parenteral Nutrition ; utilization ; Parenteral Nutrition, Total ; utilization ; Phototherapy ; Premature Birth ; epidemiology ; Respiration, Artificial ; utilization ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn ; epidemiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Singapore ; epidemiology ; Transient Tachypnea of the Newborn ; epidemiology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the monitoring and early warning functions of the occupational disease reporting system right now in China, and to analyze their influencing factors.

METHODSAn improved audit tool (ODIT) was used to score the monitoring and early warning functions with a total score of 10. The nine indices were completeness of information on the reporting form, coverage of the reporting system, accessibility of criteria or guidelines for diagnosis, education and training for physicians, completeness of the reporting system, statistical methods, investigation of special cases, release of monitoring information, and release of early warning information.

RESULTSAccording to the evaluation, the occupational disease reporting system in China had a score of 5.5 in monitoring existing occupational diseases with a low score for release of monitoring information; the reporting system had a score of 6.5 in early warning of newly occurring occupational diseases with low scores for education and training for physicians as well as completeness of the reporting system.

CONCLUSIONThe occupational disease reporting system in China still does not have full function in monitoring and early warning. It is the education and participation of physicians from general hospitals in the diagnosis and treatment of occupational diseases and suspected occupational diseases that need to be enhanced. In addition, the problem of monitoring the incidence of occupational diseases needs to be solved as soon as possible.

China ; epidemiology ; Clinical Audit ; Epidemiological Monitoring ; Humans ; Incidence ; Occupational Diseases ; epidemiology ; Occupational Health

SUMMARY Introduction: Maternal mortality and morbidity from eclampsia continues to be seen around the globe. Local Key Performance Index on recurrence of eclamptic fits did not meet targets, thus this raised the issue whether the care provided adhered to the standard management for eclampsia. Methods: This clinical audit was conducted to assess and improve the quality of the service being offered to patient, particularly in managing eclampsia cases. It was conducted according to the audit cycle. It begins with the development of 12 standardized criteria for eclampsia management. First audit was conducted by retrospectively reviewing eclampsia cases from year 2008 till 2012. Strategies for changes were formulated and implemented following the results of the first audit. Second audit was conducted six months after the changes. Results: The overall incidence rate of eclampsia was 9.17 per 10,000 deliveries. A first seizure occurred during the antepartum period in 52.9% of cases (n=27), intrapartum in 24% (n=11) and postpartum in 21% of cases (n=13). Suboptimal care was mainly on delay of activation of Red Alert system and no treatment for uncontrolled blood pressure. Several strategies were implemented, mainly on improving working knowledge of the staffs and reengineering hospital Red Alert system. Positive achievements observed during the second audit, shown by a reduction in the number of patients with recurrence eclamptic fits and perinatal mortality rate. Conclusion: Conducting an audit is essential to evaluate local performance against the standardized criteria. Improvement can be achieved with inexpensive solutions and attainable within a short period of time.
Eclampsia ; Clinical Audit

BACKGROUND: Skin cancer is the most prevalent cancer by organ type and referral accuracy is vital for diagnosis and management. The British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) and literature highlight the importance of accurate skin lesion examination, diagnosis and educationally-relevant studies. METHODS: We undertook a review of the relevant literature, a national audit of skin lesion description standards and a study of speciality training influences on these descriptions. Questionnaires (n=200), with pictures of a circular and an oval lesion, were distributed to UK dermatology/plastic surgery consultants and speciality trainees (ST), general practitioners (GP), and medical students (MS). The following variables were analysed against a pre-defined 95% inclusion accuracy standard: site, shape, size, skin/colour, and presence of associated scars. RESULTS: There were 250 lesion descriptions provided by 125 consultants, STs, GPs, and MSs. Inclusion accuracy was greatest for consultants over STs (80% vs. 68%; P<0.001), GPs (57%) and MSs (46%) (P<0.0001), for STs over GPs (P<0.010) and MSs (P<0.0001) and for GPs over MSs (P<0.010), all falling below audit standard. Size description accuracy sub-analysis according to circular/oval dimensions was as follows: consultants (94%), GPs (80%), STs (73%), MSs (37%), with the most common error implying a quadrilateral shape (66%). Addressing BAD guidelines and published requirements for more empirical performance data to improve teaching methods, we performed a national audit and studied skin lesion descriptions. To improve diagnostic and referral accuracy for patients, healthcare professionals must strive towards accuracy (a circle is not a square). CONCLUSIONS: We provide supportive evidence that increased speciality training improves this process and propose that greater focus is placed on such training early on during medical training, and maintained throughout clinical practice.
Cicatrix ; Clinical Audit ; Consultants ; Delivery of Health Care ; Diagnosis ; Education* ; General Practitioners ; Humans ; Referral and Consultation ; Skin Neoplasms ; Skin* ; Students, Medical ; Surgery, Plastic ; Teaching ; Surveys and Questionnaires

While there is an ethical obligation to improve clinical outcomes by developing better therapies, surgical innovation has largely progressed without the strict regulations required of novel pharmaceutical products. We explore the reasons why new surgical techniques are frequently introduced without the benefit of randomised controlled trials, and present an approach to the ethical evaluation of novel surgical procedures.
Biomedical Research ; ethics ; Clinical Competence ; Diffusion of Innovation ; Ethics, Medical ; General Surgery ; ethics ; methods ; standards ; Humans ; Informed Consent ; Medical Audit ; Medicine ; Singapore ; Specialty Boards

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) is a serious, life threatening condition with a high mortality rate that represents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. The aim of this study was to collect demographic data and clinical, laboratory and microbiological characteristics of PLA patients treated between 2000 and 2010. We also aimed to collect information regarding our management experience of these cases. METHODS: As a retrospective review, 47 patients with PLA in a tertiary referral center were examined to determine their demographic characteristics, clinical features, and laboratory, imaging, and microbiologic findings as well as the treatment outcome. RESULTS: Cryptogenic PLA was the most frequently identified type of PLA, while benign biliary tract disease was the most frequently identifiable cause of PLA (18/47 patients; 38.3%). Leukocytosis and elevated alanine transaminase were common laboratory findings and were observed in 35 (74.5%) and 22 (46.8%) patients, respectively. Increased fibrinogen was also detected in 11 of 15 investigated cases (73.3%). Notably, infection-induced thrombocytopenia occurred in 8 patients (17%). Diabetes mellitus was associated with the occurrence of infection induced shock when compared to the non-diabetic group (p<0.05). Patients with two or more comorbid diseases had longer hospitalizations when compared to patients with one comorbid disease or those without comorbidities (p<0.001). The number of days needed to establish diagnosis was correlated with the length of hospitalization (p<0.001). The overall hospital mortality rate was 2.1% (1/47). CONCLUSIONS: Characteristics of PLA patients from the past 10 years are presented. The number of days needed to establish a PLA diagnosis was correlated with the length of the hospital stay. The hospital stay of PLA patients can be further improved by early diagnosis and effective treatments during the early stages of PLA progression.
Alanine Transaminase ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Biliary Tract Diseases ; Clinical Audit ; Comorbidity ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Early Diagnosis ; Fibrinogen ; Hospital Mortality ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Leukocytosis ; Liver Abscess, Pyogenic ; Retrospective Studies ; Shock ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Thrombocytopenia ; Treatment Outcome