Effective Clinical Practicesynthesizes the ways in which advances in modern clinical practice can be achieved. Just two of these are the introduction of research evidence into routine clinical practice, and critical evaluation of the effectiveness, appropriateness and efficiency of healthcare delivery. The authors also address current concerns of healthcare purchasers, managers, and clinicians about: developing quality, purchasing quality, auditing and evaluating patient care, issues regarding clinical interventions, and legal issues concerning the use of clinical standards and practice guidelines. The last chapter puts into perspective patients' experiences of clinical audit and evidence-based care. By providing a comprehensive review and systematic investigation of all these issues, this book stimulates debate and adds considerably to our knowledge. This book will undoubtedly be of great interest to doctors, clinicians, healthcare purchasers and managers, health scientists, academics, and undergraduate and postgraduate students of health sciences.

Shows how clinical practice can be improved through the introduction of research evidence coupled with critical evaluation of healthcare delivery. Contains chapters on areas such as the development of quality in clinical practice, methods for auditing the totality of patient care, and the legal standing of clinical standards and guidelines, with numerous flow charts and checklists. Of interest to doctors and clinicians, healthcare purchasers and managers, health scientists and academics, and students of health sciences.
Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Foreward; Chapter 1 The role of clinical audit and the development of quality in clinical practice; Chapter 2 Guaranteeing the delivery of continuous clinical quality improvement in NHS providers; Chapter 3 Increasing the effectiveness of clinical intervention; Chapter 4 Increasing the appropriateness of clinical practice; Chapter 5 Increasing the efficiency of clinical service delivery; Chapter 6 Measuring the outcome of clinical intervention; Chapter 7 Moving clinical art to clinical science: developing and purchasing evidence-based protocols of clinical practice; Chapter 8 Partnerships in clinical audit: senior management &the clinical professions; Chapter 9 The ethics and medico-legal implications of clinical audit and the development of effective clinical practice; Chapter 10 Managing cultural change in clinical organisations; Chapter 11 Clinical audit and the availability of evidence-based care: the patients' view; Chapter 12 Clinical audit - future perspectives in the development of an effective, appropriate and efficient patient-centred clinical service