Step 3: Identify Patient Population
In order to determine which records to review, you need to define the population you wish to assess. Characteristics to consider may include age, gender, disease status, treatment status, etc.
In many cases, the topic itself will help to define this. If you want to look at cervical cancer screening rates, the population has to be limited to women. You may wish to exclude those who have had hysterectomies.
Many audits require specific inclusion or exclusion criteria. For the audit on diabetic foot exams mentioned earlier, you might have:
Inclusion criteria:
- diagnosis of diabetes
- age 18 or above
Exclusion criteria:
Examples
Click on one of the images to view the example
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