78 FR 68853 - International Medical Device Regulators Forum; Medical Device Single Audit Program International...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-15

...] International Medical Device Regulators Forum; Medical Device Single Audit Program International Coalition Pilot... Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing participation in the Medical Device Single Audit Program International Coalition Pilot Program. The Medical Device Single Audit Program (MDSAP) was designed and...

Internal Audit Manual.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-11-01

multilocation audits because of the significant amount of planning, resources, and time they require, coordination of all review efforts shall be the...similar to the multilocation audits of the internal audit activities. f. The Military Department audit agencies and the Military Department criminal...34 -.° -.- . . °- . .. ?.. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . .. .. . . .. :2 DOD 7600.7-M DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE( %INTERNAL AUDIT ~MANUAL Jq- OFFICE OF L- INSPECTOR GENERAL

10 CFR 835.102 - Internal audits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Internal audits. 835.102 Section 835.102 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OCCUPATIONAL RADIATION PROTECTION Management and Administrative Requirements § 835.102 Internal audits. Internal audits of the radiation protection program, including examination of program...

10 CFR 835.102 - Internal audits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Internal audits. 835.102 Section 835.102 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OCCUPATIONAL RADIATION PROTECTION Management and Administrative Requirements § 835.102 Internal audits. Internal audits of the radiation protection program, including examination of program...

10 CFR 835.102 - Internal audits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Internal audits. 835.102 Section 835.102 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OCCUPATIONAL RADIATION PROTECTION Management and Administrative Requirements § 835.102 Internal audits. Internal audits of the radiation protection program, including examination of program...

10 CFR 835.102 - Internal audits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Internal audits. 835.102 Section 835.102 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OCCUPATIONAL RADIATION PROTECTION Management and Administrative Requirements § 835.102 Internal audits. Internal audits of the radiation protection program, including examination of program...

10 CFR 835.102 - Internal audits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Internal audits. 835.102 Section 835.102 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OCCUPATIONAL RADIATION PROTECTION Management and Administrative Requirements § 835.102 Internal audits. Internal audits of the radiation protection program, including examination of program...

77 FR 24538 - Sunshine Act; Audit Committee Meeting of the Board of Directors

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-24

... NEIGHBORHOOD REINVESTMENT CORPORATION Sunshine Act; Audit Committee Meeting of the Board of.... Executive Session with Internal Audit Director IV. Executive Session with Officers: Pending Litigation V. Internal Audit Report with Management's Response VI. Amendment to the FY 2012 Internal Audit Plan VII. FY...

78 FR 54925 - Audit Committee Meeting of The Board of Directors; Sunshine Act Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-06

... NEIGHBORHOOD REINVESTMENT CORPORATION Audit Committee Meeting of The Board of Directors; Sunshine.... Executive Session With Internal Audit Director III. Title Change of the Internal Audit Director IV. Executive Session With Officers: Pending Litigation V. FY14 Risk Assessment & Internal Audit Plan VI...

Evaluation of the organisation and effectiveness of internal audits to govern patient safety in hospitals: a mixed-methods study.

PubMed

van Gelderen, Saskia C; Zegers, Marieke; Boeijen, Wilma; Westert, Gert P; Robben, Paul B; Wollersheim, Hub C

2017-07-10

Hospital boards are legally responsible for safe healthcare. They need tools to assist them in their task of governing patient safety. Almost every Dutch hospital performs internal audits, but the effectiveness of these audits for hospital governance has never been evaluated. The aim of this study is to evaluate the organisation of internal audits and their effectiveness for hospitals boards to govern patient safety. A mixed-methods study consisting of a questionnaire regarding the organisation of internal audits among all Dutch hospitals (n=89) and interviews with stakeholders regarding the audit process and experienced effectiveness of audits within six hospitals. Response rate of the questionnaire was 76% and 43 interviews were held. In every responding hospital, the internal audits followed the plan-do-check-act cycle. Every hospital used interviews, document analysis and site visits as input for the internal audit. Boards stated that effective aspects of internal audits were their multidisciplinary scope, their structured and in-depth approach, the usability to monitor improvement activities and to change hospital policy and the fact that results were used in meetings with staff and boards of supervisors. The qualitative methods (interviews and site visits) used in internal audits enable the identification of soft signals such as unsafe culture or communication and collaboration problems. Reported disadvantages were the low frequency of internal audits and the absence of soft signals in the actual audit reports. This study shows that internal audits are regarded as effective for patient safety governance, as they help boards to identify patient safety problems, proactively steer patient safety and inform boards of supervisors on the status of patient safety. The description of the Dutch internal audits makes these audits replicable to other healthcare organisations in different settings, enabling hospital boards to complement their systems to govern patient safety. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

12 CFR 917.7 - Audit committees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... internal auditor and that the internal auditor may be removed only with the approval of the audit committee; (ii) Provide that the internal auditor shall report directly to the audit committee on substantive matters and that the internal auditor is ultimately accountable to the audit committee and board of...

12 CFR 917.7 - Audit committees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... internal auditor and that the internal auditor may be removed only with the approval of the audit committee; (ii) Provide that the internal auditor shall report directly to the audit committee on substantive matters and that the internal auditor is ultimately accountable to the audit committee and board of...

A Critical Evaluation of Academic Internal Audit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blackmore, Jacqueline Ann

2004-01-01

This account of internal audit is set within the context of higher education in the UK and a fictitiously named Riverbank University. The study evaluates the recent introduction of "Internal Academic Audit" to the University and compares the process with that of the internationally recognized ISO 19011 Guidelines for Auditing Quality…

CTEPP STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR CONDUCTING INTERNAL FIELD AUDITS AND QUALITY CONTROL (SOP-2.25)

EPA Science Inventory

This SOP describes the method for conducting internal field audits and quality control procedures. Internal field audits will be conducted to ensure the collection of high quality data. Internal field audits will be conducted by Field Auditors (the Field QA Officer and the Field...

21 CFR 1304.06 - Records and reports for electronic prescriptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

...) The internal audit trail and any auditable event identified by the internal audit as required by... auditable event identified by the internal audit as required by § 1311.215 of this chapter. (d) A registrant... Note: At 75 FR 16306, Mar. 31, 2010, § 1304.06 was added, effective June 1, 2010. Inventory...

The Internal Control System and Control Programs: A Reference Guide

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-06-01

multilocation audits . [Ref. 27:Ch. 8, p. 4] 3. Verification Staqe The actual audit field work occurs during this phase. The audit team provides an entrance...number) ;E, GUO.)P SuB GROUP Internal Control; Internal Control System; Audits ; Reviews; Ccamand Evaluation Program; EconnTy & Efficiency Reviews...general overview of the inter- nal control system and discusses the various external and internal audits , inspections, reviews and investiaative

48 CFR 970.5232-3 - Accounts, records, and inspection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... subcontracts, both pre-award and post-award; and (viii) The schedule for peer review of internal audits by... be undertaken by the internal audit organization during the next fiscal year that is designed to test.... (i) Internal audit. The Contractor agrees to design and maintain an internal audit plan and an...

48 CFR 970.5232-3 - Accounts, records, and inspection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... subcontracts, both pre-award and post-award; and (viii) The schedule for peer review of internal audits by... be undertaken by the internal audit organization during the next fiscal year that is designed to test.... (i) Internal audit. The Contractor agrees to design and maintain an internal audit plan and an...

48 CFR 970.5232-3 - Accounts, records, and inspection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... subcontracts, both pre-award and post-award; and (viii) The schedule for peer review of internal audits by... be undertaken by the internal audit organization during the next fiscal year that is designed to test.... (i) Internal audit. The Contractor agrees to design and maintain an internal audit plan and an...

48 CFR 970.5232-3 - Accounts, records, and inspection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... subcontracts, both pre-award and post-award; and (viii) The schedule for peer review of internal audits by... be undertaken by the internal audit organization during the next fiscal year that is designed to test.... (i) Internal audit. The Contractor agrees to design and maintain an internal audit plan and an...

The relational underpinnings of quality internal auditing in medical clinics in Israel.

PubMed

Carmeli, Abraham; Zisu, Malka

2009-03-01

Internal auditing is a key mechanism in enhancing organizational reliability. However, research on the ways quality internal auditing is enabled through learning, deterrence, motivation and process improvement is scant. In particular, the relational underpinnings of internal auditing have been understudied. This study attempts to address this need by examining how organizational trust, perceived organizational support and psychological safety enable internal auditing. Data collected from employees in medical clinics of one of the largest healthcare organizations in Israel at two points in time six months apart. Our results show that organizational trust and perceived organizational support are positively related to psychological safety (measured at time 1), which, in turn, is associated with internal auditing (measured at time 2).

A clinical audit programme for diagnostic radiology: the approach adopted by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

PubMed

Faulkner, K; Järvinen, H; Butler, P; McLean, I D; Pentecost, M; Rickard, M; Abdullah, B

2010-01-01

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has a mandate to assist member states in areas of human health and particularly in the use of radiation for diagnosis and treatment. Clinical audit is seen as an essential tool to assist in assuring the quality of radiation medicine, particularly in the instance of multidisciplinary audit of diagnostic radiology. Consequently, an external clinical audit programme has been developed by the IAEA to examine the structure and processes existent at a clinical site, with the basic objectives of: (1) improvement in the quality of patient care; (2) promotion of the effective use of resources; (3) enhancement of the provision and organisation of clinical services; (4) further professional education and training. These objectives apply in four general areas of service delivery, namely quality management and infrastructure, patient procedures, technical procedures and education, training and research. In the IAEA approach, the audit process is initiated by a request from the centre seeking the audit. A three-member team, comprising a radiologist, medical physicist and radiographer, subsequently undertakes a 5-d audit visit to the clinical site to perform the audit and write the formal audit report. Preparation for the audit visit is crucial and involves the local clinical centre completing a form, which provides the audit team with information on the clinical centre. While all main aspects of clinical structure and process are examined, particular attention is paid to radiation-related activities as described in the relevant documents such as the IAEA Basic Safety Standards, the Code of Practice for Dosimetry in Diagnostic Radiology and related equipment and quality assurance documentation. It should be stressed, however, that the clinical audit does not have any regulatory function. The main purpose of the IAEA approach to clinical audit is one of promoting quality improvement and learning. This paper describes the background to the clinical audit programme and the IAEA clinical audit protocol.

Auditing the Records of Student-Athletes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riggs, Robert O.; Hedden, Carole R.

1985-01-01

A 1985 survey showed that NCAA members favored mandating annual audits of athletics budgets by institutional or independent auditors. Development of Tennessee's internal audit system is described, and its internal audit procedures is outlined. (MLW)

77 FR 56238 - Audit Committee Meeting of the Board of Directors; Sunshine Act

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-12

... NEIGHBORHOOD REINVESTMENT CORPORATION Audit Committee Meeting of the Board of Directors; Sunshine... Secretary, (202) 220-2376; [email protected] . AGENDA: I. Call to Order II. Executive Session with Internal Audit... to the Audit Committee Charter VI. Internal Audit Response with Management's Response VII. FY 2013...

78 FR 24438 - Board of Directors Audit Committee; Sunshine Act Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-25

... NEIGHBORHOOD REINVESTMENT CORPORATION Board of Directors Audit Committee; Sunshine Act Meeting... Secretary (202) 220-2376; [email protected] . AGENDA: I. CALL TO ORDER II. Executive Session with Internal Audit... Policy VI. External 3rd Party Audit Communication VII. FY 2014 Risk Assessment & Draft Internal Audit...

Psychometric properties of the AUDIT among men in Goa, India.

PubMed

Endsley, Paige; Weobong, Benedict; Nadkarni, Abhijit

2017-10-01

The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) is a 10-item screening questionnaire used to detect alcohol use disorders. The AUDIT has been validated in only two studies in India and although it has been previously used in Goa, India, it has yet to be validated in that setting. In this paper, we aim to report data on the validity of the AUDIT for the screening of AUDs among men in Goa, India. Concurrent and convergent validity of the AUDIT were assessed against the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) and World Health Organisation Disability Assessment Scale (WHODAS) for alcohol abuse, alcohol dependence, and functional status respectively through the secondary analysis of data from a community cohort of men from Goa, India. The AUDIT showed high internal reliability and acceptable criterion validity with adequate psychometric properties for the detection of alcohol abuse and dependence. However, all of the optimal cut-off points from ROC analyses were lower than the WHO recommended for identification of risk of all AUDs, with a score of 6-12 detecting alcohol abuse and 13 and higher alcohol dependence. In order to optimize the utility of the AUDIT, a lowered cut-off point for alcohol abuse and dependence is recommended for Goa, India. Further validation studies for the AUDIT should be conducted for continued validation of the tool in other parts of India. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Educational Accounting Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tidwell, Sam B.

This chapter of "Principles of School Business Management" reviews the functions, procedures, and reports with which school business officials must be familiar in order to interpret and make decisions regarding the school district's financial position. Among the accounting functions discussed are financial management, internal auditing,…

Identification of Classified Information in Unclassified DoD Systems During the Audit of Internal Controls and Data Reliability in the Deployable Disbursing System

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-02-17

Identification of Classified Information in Unclassified DoD Systems During the Audit of Internal Controls and Data Reliability in the Deployable...TITLE AND SUBTITLE Identification of Classified Information in Unclassified DoD Systems During the Audit of Internal Controls and Data Reliability...Systems During the Audit ofInternal Controls and Data Reliability in the Deployable Disbursing System (Report No. D-2009-054) Weare providing this

Effects of patient safety auditing in hospital care: results of a mixed-method evaluation (part 1).

PubMed

Hanskamp-Sebregts, Mirelle; Zegers, Marieke; Westert, Gert P; Boeijen, Wilma; Teerenstra, Steven; van Gurp, Petra J; Wollersheim, Hub

2018-06-15

To evaluate the effectiveness of internal auditing in hospital care focussed on improving patient safety. A before-and-after mixed-method evaluation study was carried out in eight departments of a university medical center in the Netherlands. Internal auditing and feedback focussed on improving patient safety. The effect of internal auditing was assessed 15 months after the audit, using linear mixed models, on the patient, professional, team and departmental levels. The measurement methods were patient record review on adverse events (AEs), surveys regarding patient experiences, safety culture and team climate, analysis of administrative hospital data (standardized mortality rate, SMR) and safety walk rounds (SWRs) to observe frontline care processes on safety. The AE rate decreased from 36.1% to 31.3% and the preventable AE rate from 5.5% to 3.6%; however, the differences before and after auditing were not statistically significant. The patient-reported experience measures regarding patient safety improved slightly over time (P < 0.001). The SMR, patient safety culture and team climate remained unchanged after the internal audit. The SWRs showed that medication safety and information security were improved (P < 0.05). Internal auditing was associated with improved patient experiences and observed safety on wards. No effects were found on adverse outcomes, safety culture and team climate 15 months after the internal audit.

76 FR 72220 - Board of Directors Audit Committee Meeting; Sunshine Act

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-22

... NEIGHBORHOOD REINVESTMENT CORPORATION Board of Directors Audit Committee Meeting; Sunshine Act... Secretary, (202) 220-2376; [email protected] . AGENDA: I. Call To Order II. Executive Session with Internal Audit Director III. Executive Session Related to Pending Litigation IV. Internal Audit Report with Management's...

7 CFR 277.17 - Audit requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

...) Purpose of audit. Audits will include, at a minimum, an examination of the systems of internal control...) Include comments on weaknesses in and noncompliance with the systems of internal control, separately... expenditure of Federal funds; (4) Internal procedures have been established to meet the objectives of...

Progressing beyond SLMTA: Are internal audits and corrective action the key drivers of quality improvement?

PubMed

Maina, Robert N; Mengo, Doris M; Mohamud, Abdikher D; Ochieng, Susan M; Milgo, Sammy K; Sexton, Connie J; Moyo, Sikhulile; Luman, Elizabeth T

2014-01-01

Kenya has implemented the Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) programme to facilitate quality improvement in medical laboratories and to support national accreditation goals. Continuous quality improvement after SLMTA completion is needed to ensure sustainability and continue progress toward accreditation. Audits were conducted by qualified, independent auditors to assess the performance of five enrolled laboratories using the Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA) checklist. End-of-programme (exit) and one year post-programme (surveillance) audits were compared for overall score, star level (from zero to five, based on scores) and scores for each of the 12 Quality System Essential (QSE) areas that make up the SLIPTA checklist. All laboratories improved from exit to surveillance audit (median improvement 38 percentage points, range 5-45 percentage points). Two laboratories improved from zero to one star, two improved from zero to three stars and one laboratory improved from three to four stars. The lowest median QSE scores at exit were: internal audit; corrective action; and occurrence management and process improvement (< 20%). Each of the 12 QSEs improved substantially at surveillance audit, with the greatest improvement in client management and customer service, internal audit and information management (≥ 50 percentage points). The two laboratories with the greatest overall improvement focused heavily on the internal audit and corrective action QSEs. Whilst all laboratories improved from exit to surveillance audit, those that focused on the internal audit and corrective action QSEs improved substantially more than those that did not; internal audits and corrective actions may have acted as catalysts, leading to improvements in other QSEs. Systematic identification of core areas and best practices to address them is a critical step toward strengthening public medical laboratories.

Progressing beyond SLMTA: Are internal audits and corrective action the key drivers of quality improvement?

PubMed Central

Mengo, Doris M.; Mohamud, Abdikher D.; Ochieng, Susan M.; Milgo, Sammy K.; Sexton, Connie J.; Moyo, Sikhulile; Luman, Elizabeth T.

2014-01-01

Background Kenya has implemented the Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) programme to facilitate quality improvement in medical laboratories and to support national accreditation goals. Continuous quality improvement after SLMTA completion is needed to ensure sustainability and continue progress toward accreditation. Methods Audits were conducted by qualified, independent auditors to assess the performance of five enrolled laboratories using the Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA) checklist. End-of-programme (exit) and one year post-programme (surveillance) audits were compared for overall score, star level (from zero to five, based on scores) and scores for each of the 12 Quality System Essential (QSE) areas that make up the SLIPTA checklist. Results All laboratories improved from exit to surveillance audit (median improvement 38 percentage points, range 5–45 percentage points). Two laboratories improved from zero to one star, two improved from zero to three stars and one laboratory improved from three to four stars. The lowest median QSE scores at exit were: internal audit; corrective action; and occurrence management and process improvement (< 20%). Each of the 12 QSEs improved substantially at surveillance audit, with the greatest improvement in client management and customer service, internal audit and information management (≥ 50 percentage points). The two laboratories with the greatest overall improvement focused heavily on the internal audit and corrective action QSEs. Conclusion Whilst all laboratories improved from exit to surveillance audit, those that focused on the internal audit and corrective action QSEs improved substantially more than those that did not; internal audits and corrective actions may have acted as catalysts, leading to improvements in other QSEs. Systematic identification of core areas and best practices to address them is a critical step toward strengthening public medical laboratories. PMID:29043193

The evolution of clinical audit as a tool for quality improvement.

PubMed

Berk, Michael; Callaly, Thomas; Hyland, Mary

2003-05-01

Clinical auditing practices are recognized universally as a useful tool in evaluating and improving the quality of care provided by a health service. External auditing is a regular activity for mental health services in Australia but internal auditing activities are conducted at the discretion of each service. This paper evaluates the effectiveness of 6 years of internal auditing activities in a mental health service. A review of the scope, audit tools, purpose, sampling and design of the internal audits and identification of the recommendations from six consecutive annual audit reports was completed. Audit recommendations were examined, as well as levels of implementation and reasons for success or failure. Fifty-seven recommendations were identified, with 35% without action, 28% implemented and 33.3% still pending or in progress. The recommendations were more likely to be implemented if they relied on activity, planning and action across a selection of service areas rather than being restricted to individual departments within a service, if they did not involve non-mental health service departments and if they were not reliant on attitudinal change. Tools used, scope and reporting formats have become more sophisticated as part of the evolutionary nature of the auditing process. Internal auditing in the Barwon Health Mental Health Service has been effective in producing change in the quality of care across the organization. A number of evolutionary changes in the audit process have improved the efficiency and effectiveness of the audit.

Academic Culture, Business Culture, and Measuring Achievement Differences: Internal Auditing Views

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roth, Benjamin S.

2012-01-01

This study explored whether university internal audit directors' views of culture and measuring achievement differences between their institutions and a business were related to how they viewed internal auditing priorities and uses. The Carnegie Classification system's 283 Doctorate-granting Universities were the target population.…

Recommended Procedures for the Internal Financial Auditing of University Libraries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurth, William H.; Zubatsky, David S.

This study develops a generalized procedure for the internal financial auditing of university libraries. It identifies critical internal control points in library operations, and develops questions to measure and evaluate fiscal operations effectiveness. Auditing data and advice were gathered from a survey of 87 members of the Association of…

[Internal audit in medical laboratory: what means of control for an effective audit process?].

PubMed

Garcia-Hejl, Carine; Chianéa, Denis; Dedome, Emmanuel; Sanmartin, Nancy; Bugier, Sarah; Linard, Cyril; Foissaud, Vincent; Vest, Philippe

2013-01-01

To prepare the French Accreditation Committee (COFRAC) visit for initial certification of our medical laboratory, our direction evaluated its quality management system (QMS) and all its technical activities. This evaluation was performed owing an internal audit. This audit was outsourced. Auditors had an expertise in audit, a whole knowledge of biological standards and were independent. Several nonconformities were identified at that time, including a lack of control of several steps of the internal audit process. Hence, necessary corrective actions were taken in order to meet the requirements of standards, in particular, the formalization of all stages, from the audit program, to the implementation, review and follow-up of the corrective actions taken, and also the implementation of the resources needed to carry out audits in a pre-established timing. To ensure an optimum control of each step, the main concepts of risk management were applied: process approach, root cause analysis, effects and criticality analysis (FMECA). After a critical analysis of our practices, this methodology allowed us to define our "internal audit" process, then to formalize it and to follow it up, with a whole documentary system.

The internal audit of clinical areas: a pilot of the internal audit methodology in a health service emergency department.

PubMed

Brown, Alison; Santilli, Mario; Scott, Belinda

2015-12-01

Governing bodies of health services need assurance that major risks to achieving the health service objectives are being controlled. Currently, the main assurance mechanisms generated within the organization are through the review of implementation of policies and procedures and review of clinical audits and quality data. The governing bodies of health services need more robust, objective data to inform their understanding of the control of clinical risks. Internal audit provides a methodological framework that provides independent and objective assurance to the governing body on the control of significant risks. The article describes the pilot of the internal audit methodology in an emergency unit in a health service. An internal auditor was partnered with a clinical expert to assess the application of clinical criteria based on best practice guidelines. The pilot of the internal audit of a clinical area was successful in identifying significant clinical risks that required further management. The application of an internal audit methodology to a clinical area is a promising mechanism to gain robust assurance at the governance level regarding the management of significant clinical risks. This approach needs further exploration and trial in a range of health care settings. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care; all rights reserved.

Internal Audit in Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmes, Alison, Ed.; Brown, Sally, Ed.

This book describes a range of examples of internal audit in higher education as part of a process of the exchange of good practice. The book recognizes well-established links with audit theory from other contexts and makes use of theoretical perspectives explored in the financial sector. The chapters are: (1) "Quality Audit Issues"…

A Brief Background of the ICA (International Communication Association) Audit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krivonos, Paul D.

This paper examines the International Communication Association (ICA) audit, the aim of which is to establish an integrated communication audit system and a multimethod approach to the auditing of the communication of an organization. Many of an organization's communication variables and concepts are examined so that strengths and weaknesses in…

Developments in environmental auditing by supreme audit institutions.

PubMed

Van Leeuwen, Sylvia

2004-02-01

At the end of the 1980s, Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) became aware of their responsibility towards the environment and environmental policy. In this article, the development of environmental auditing by SAIs during the last 10 years is presented, as well as the current state of the art. The description is based on the results of three questionnaire surveys held in 1994, 1997, and 2000 by the INTOSAI Working Group in Environmental Auditing. In most countries, the government has stipulated some form of environmental policy, and the SAI has a mandate to carry out regularity and/or performance audits. The activities of SAIs have developed substantially since 1993. Nowadays, environmental auditing is a substantial and regular part of the audit work of more than half of the SAIs. Environmental problems are often transboundary in nature. SAIs can contribute to international environmental cooperation by auditing the compliance of their national government with international environmental obligations and commitments. The INTOSAI Working Group on environmental auditing wants to enhance this type of audit and has provided guidelines for the audit process and the selection of international agreements. Moreover, cooperation between SAIs is a good method to exchange experiences and to learn from each other.

Quality Control Review of the Defense Finance and Accounting Service Internal Audit Organization

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-01

Executive documented a threat to independence because they provided direction in a nonaudit service (IR End-to-End Assessment of DFAS Texarkana Operations...effect the lack of segregation of duties and system management controls has on the DFAS Texarkana Vendor Pay and Payroll functions.” Based on our...Infrastructure Management, February 10, 2014 Performance CO12PRC010TX Columbus Audit of DFAS Texarkana Vendor Pay and Payroll, November 19, 2013

DOD Competitive Sourcing: Questions About Goals, Pace, and Risks of Key Reform Initiative.

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-02-01

internal audit , and the function being studied. To the extent existing in-house resources are limited, if resources need to be shifted to meet new...contractor support costs and $24 million for existing in-house staff—to compete 4,000 positions in a multifunction, multilocation study, at least $7,000...competitions and of personnel separation costs on their installations. Army officials, based on work by the Army Audit Agency, have expressed concern that

78 FR 15075 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-08

... outsource this function to a third party service provider other than its independent auditor. The audit committee must meet periodically with the internal auditors (or other personnel responsible for this... should also discuss with the outside auditor the responsibilities, budget and staffing of the internal...

Report on the Audit of Internal Controls Over DoD Major Suggestion Awards

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-01-22

This final report on the Audit of Major Suggestion Awards is provided for your information and use. The audit was requested by the Assistant...suggestions. If adopted, the revision could substantially increase the number of cases with awards over $10,000. The audit was made from September through...October 1991. The overall objective of the audit was to determine whether existing internal controls ensured the integrity of major suggestion awards

76 FR 23861 - Corporate Credit Unions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-29

... statements, Financial statement audit, Generally accepted auditing standards, Independent public accountant... public accountant undermines the IPA's independence. The Board is delaying the effective date of this ERM... accepted auditing standards, Independent public accountant, Internal control, Internal control framework...

Best Practices for Audit and Financial Advisory Committees Within the Department of Defense

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-12-06

oversight of an organization’s annual financial statement audit, risk management plan, internal control framework, and compliance with external...is generally responsible for providing independent oversight of an organization’s annual financial statement audit, risk management plan, internal...achieving financial management objectives and identify areas of risk or concern. 40 11.2. Systems of Internal Controls

Knowledge Acquisition and Memory Effects Involving an Expert System Designed as a Learning Tool for Internal Control Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lenard, Mary Jane

2003-01-01

The assessment of internal control is a consideration in all financial statement audits, as stressed by the Statement on Auditing Standards (SAS) No. 78. According to this statement, "the auditor should obtain an understanding of internal control sufficient to plan the audit" (Accounting Standards Board, 1995, p. 1). Therefore, an…

Developing leading indicators from OHS management audit data: Determining the measurement properties of audit data from the field.

PubMed

Robson, Lynda S; Ibrahim, Selahadin; Hogg-Johnson, Sheilah; Steenstra, Ivan A; Van Eerd, Dwayne; Amick, Benjamin C

2017-06-01

OHS management audits are one means of obtaining data that may serve as leading indicators. The measurement properties of such data are therefore important. This study used data from Workwell audit program in Ontario, a Canadian province. The audit instrument consisted of 122 items related to 17 OHS management elements. The study sought answers regarding (a) the ability of audit-based scores to predict workers' compensation claims outcomes, (b) structural characteristics of the data in relation to the organization of the audit instrument, and (c) internal consistency of items within audit elements. The sample consisted of audit and claims data from 1240 unique firms that had completed one or two OHS management audits during 2007-2010. Predictors derived from the audit results were used in multivariable negative binomial regression modeling of workers' compensation claims outcomes. Confirmatory factor analyses were used to examine the instrument's structural characteristics. Kuder-Richardson coefficients of internal consistency were calculated for each audit element. The ability of audit scores to predict subsequent claims data could not be established. Factor analysis supported the audit instrument's element-based structure. KR-20 values were high (≥0.83). The Workwell audit data display structural validity and high internal consistency, but not, to date, construct validity, since the audit scores are generally not predictive of subsequent firm claim experience. Audit scores should not be treated as leading indicators of workplace OHS performance without supporting empirical data. Analyses of the measurement properties of audit data can inform decisionmakers about the operation of an audit program, possible future directions in audit instrument development, and the appropriate use of audit data. In particular, decision-makers should be cautious in their use of audit scores as leading indicators, in the absence of supporting empirical data. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and National Safety Council. All rights reserved.

Internal audit in a microbiology laboratory.

PubMed Central

Mifsud, A J; Shafi, M S

1995-01-01

AIM--To set up a programme of internal laboratory audit in a medical microbiology laboratory. METHODS--A model of laboratory based process audit is described. Laboratory activities were examined in turn by specimen type. Standards were set using laboratory standard operating procedures; practice was observed using a purpose designed questionnaire and the data were analysed by computer; performance was assessed at laboratory audit meetings; and the audit circle was closed by re-auditing topics after an interval. RESULTS--Improvements in performance scores (objective measures) and in staff morale (subjective impression) were observed. CONCLUSIONS--This model of process audit could be applied, with amendments to take local practice into account, in any microbiology laboratory. PMID:7665701

78 FR 70964 - Sunshine Act Meeting; Audit Committee of the Board of Directors

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-27

... NEIGHBORHOOD REINVESTMENT CORPORATION Sunshine Act Meeting; Audit Committee of the Board of... with the Chief Audit Executive III. Executive Session: Chief Audit Executive Performance Review IV... Audit Reports with Management's Response VI. Internal Audit Status Reports VII. MHA/NFMC/EHLP Compliance...

[Blood transfusion audit methodology: the auditors, reference systems and audit guidelines].

PubMed

Chevrolle, F; Hadzlik, E; Arnold, J; Hergon, E

2000-12-01

The audit has become an essential aspect of the blood transfusion sector, and is a management tool that should be used judiciously. The main types of audit that can be envisaged in blood transfusion are the following: operational audit concerning a predetermined activity; systems quality audit; competence audit, combining the operational audit on a specific activity with quality management, e.g., laboratory accreditation; audit of the environmental management system; and social audit involving the organization of an activity and the management of human resources. However, the main type of audit considered in this article is the conformity audit, which in this context does not refer to internal control but to conformity with an internal guideline issued by the French National Blood Service. All audits are carried out on the basis of a predescribed method (contained in ISO 10 011). The audit is a system of investigation, evaluation and measurement, and also a means of continuous assessment and therefore improvement. The audit is based on set guidelines, but in fact consists of determining the difference between the directions given and what has actually been done. Auditing requires operational rigor and integrity, and has now become a profession in its own right.

31 CFR Appendix B to Subpart C of... - Internal Revenue Service

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... investigation, audit, or collection activity. Accordingly, individuals should contact the Internal Revenue Service employee conducting an audit or effecting the collection of tax liabilities to gain access to such... individual desires information or records not in connection with an investigation, audit, or collection...

The ICA Communication Audit: Process, Status, Critique

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldhaber, Gerald M.; Krivonos, Paul D.

1977-01-01

Explores the International Communication Association (ICA) Audit process including goals, products, instruments, audit logistics and timetable, feedback of results and follow-up, costs, current status and audits conducted to date. (ED.)

Informational analysis involving application of complex information system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciupak, Clébia; Vanti, Adolfo Alberto; Balloni, Antonio José; Espin, Rafael

The aim of the present research is performing an informal analysis for internal audit involving the application of complex information system based on fuzzy logic. The same has been applied in internal audit involving the integration of the accounting field into the information systems field. The technological advancements can provide improvements to the work performed by the internal audit. Thus we aim to find, in the complex information systems, priorities for the work of internal audit of a high importance Private Institution of Higher Education. The applied method is quali-quantitative, as from the definition of strategic linguistic variables it was possible to transform them into quantitative with the matrix intersection. By means of a case study, where data were collected via interview with the Administrative Pro-Rector, who takes part at the elaboration of the strategic planning of the institution, it was possible to infer analysis concerning points which must be prioritized at the internal audit work. We emphasize that the priorities were identified when processed in a system (of academic use). From the study we can conclude that, starting from these information systems, audit can identify priorities on its work program. Along with plans and strategic objectives of the enterprise, the internal auditor can define operational procedures to work in favor of the attainment of the objectives of the organization.

Nuclear materials control and accountability (NMC and A) auditors in the 90's

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barham, M.A.; Abbott, R.R.

1991-01-01

The increase in emphasis on the adequacy of the NMC and A internal control systems requires that management define what type of training and experience is needed by NMC and A Internal Audit Program. At Martin Marietta Energy Systems, inc. (the prime contractor for the Department of Energy at Oak Ridge, Tenn.), the Central NMC and A Manager has developed a comprehensive set of NMC and A Internal Audit policies that defines performance standards, methods of conducting audits, mechanisms for ensuring appropriate independence for NMC and A auditors, structure for standardized audit reports and working papers, and a section thatmore » addresses the development of training plans for individual NMC and A auditors. The training requirements reflect the unique combination of skills necessary to be an effective NMC and A Internal Auditor- a combination of the operational auditing skills of a Certified Internal Auditor, the accounting auditing capabilities of a Certified Public Accountant, and the specific technical knowledge base associated with nuclear materials. This paper presents a mechanism for identifying an individual training program for NMC and A auditors that considers the above requirements and the individual's long-range career goals.« less

A ’Single Audit’ Model for Federal Credit Unions.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-06-01

role of internal auditing in appraising the performance of management and the basic knowledge an internal auditor must possess. The last section of...the separate phases of a per- formance audit are explained as well as the role of the auditor in each phase. 1. Defining the Audit Objective Auditors ...Additionally, the auditor must review each investment to determine if security and liquidity requirements are maintained. (2) Planning Role . The

12 CFR 9.9 - Audit of fiduciary activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... discrete audit (by internal or external auditors) of each significant fiduciary activity (i.e., on an... system shall note the results of all discrete audits performed since the last audit report (including...

A survey. Financial accounting and internal control functions pursued by hospital boards.

PubMed

Gavin, T A

1984-09-01

Justification for a board committee's existence is its ability to devote time to issues judged to be important by the full board. This seems to have happened. Multiple committees pursue more functions than the other committee structures. Boards lacking an FA/IC committee pursue significantly fewer functions than their counterparts with committees. Substantial respondent agreement exists on those functions most and least frequently pursued, those perceived to be most and least important, and those perceived to be most and least effectively undertaken. Distinctions between committee structures and the full board, noted in the previous paragraph, hold true with respect to the importance of functions. All board structures identified reviewing the budget and comparing it to actual results as important. Committee structures are generally more inclined to address functions related to the work of the independent auditor and the effectiveness of the hospital's system and controls than are full board structures. Functions related to the internal auditor are pursued least frequently by all FA/IC board structures. The following suggestions are made to help boards pay adequate attention to and obtain objective information about the financial affairs of their hospitals. Those boards that do not have some form of an FA/IC committee should consider starting one. Evidence shows chief financial officers have been a moving force in establishing and strengthening such committees. Boards having a joint or single committee structure should consider upgrading their structure to either a single committee or multiple committees respectively. The complexity of the healthcare environment requires that more FA/IC functions be addressed by the board. The board or its FA/IC committee(s) should meet with their independent CPA's, fiscal intermediary auditors, and internal auditors. Where the hospital lacks an internal audit function a study should be undertaken to determine the feasibility of initiating such a function. In most cases, the benefits derived from an independent, properly staffed internal audit function far exceed the cost of such a function.

7 CFR 3052.510 - Audit findings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... AGRICULTURE AUDITS OF STATES, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, AND NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Auditors § 3052.510 Audit findings. (a) Audit findings reported. The auditor shall report the following as audit findings in a... programs. The auditor's determination of whether a deficiency in internal control is a reportable condition...

A Comparative Analysis of Internal Communication and Public Relations Audits. State of the Art.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dozier, David M.; Hellweg, Susan A.

A review of current literature regarding the state of the art in the conduct of internal communication and public relations audits by public relations practitioners reveals that these two related measurement activities are of considerable importance to the practice of public relations. Public relations audits are concerned with exploratory…

29 CFR 99.510 - Audit findings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Secretary of Labor AUDITS OF STATES, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, AND NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Auditors § 99.510 Audit findings. (a) Audit findings reported. The auditor shall report the following as audit findings in a... programs. The auditor's determination of whether a deficiency in internal control is a reportable condition...

The ICA Communication Audit and Perceived Communication Effectiveness Changes in 16 Audited Organizations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brooks, Keith; And Others

1979-01-01

Discusses the benefits of the International Communication Association Communication Audit as a methodology for evaluation of organizational communication processes and outcomes. An "after" survey of 16 audited organizations confirmed the audit as a valid diagnostic methodology and organization development intervention technique which…

Clinical audit teaching in record-keeping for dental undergraduates at International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

PubMed

Chong, Jun A; Chew, Jamie K Y; Ravindranath, Sneha; Pau, Allan

2014-02-01

This study investigated the impact of clinical audit training on record-keeping behavior of dental students and students' perceptions of the clinical audit training. The training was delivered to Year 4 and Year 5 undergraduates at the School of Dentistry, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It included a practical audit exercise on patient records. The results were presented by the undergraduates, and guidelines were framed from the recommendations proposed. Following this, an audit of Year 4 and Year 5 students' patient records before and after the audit training was carried out. A total of 100 records were audited against a predetermined set of criteria by two examiners. An email survey of the students was also conducted to explore their views of the audit training. Results showed statistically significant improvements in record-keeping following audit training. Responses to the email survey were analyzed qualitatively. Respondents reported that the audit training helped them to identify deficiencies in their record-keeping practice, increased their knowledge in record-keeping, and improved their record-keeping skills. Improvements in clinical audit teaching were also proposed.

[Thoughts on the Witnessed Audit in Medical Device Single Audit Program].

PubMed

Wen, Jing; Xiao, Jiangyi; Wang, Aijun

2018-02-08

Medical Device Single Audit Program is one of the key projects in International Medical Device Regulators Forum, which has much experience to be used for reference. This paper briefly describes the procedures and contents of the Witnessed Audit in Medical Device Single Audit Program. Some revelations about the work of Witnessed Audit have been discussed, for reference by the Regulatory Authorities and the Auditing Organizations.

Naval Audit Service: Effectiveness of Navy’s Internal Audit Organization is Limited.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-02-24

reports were inaccurate or incomplete in reporting audit findings. Additionally, summary reports on multilocation audits con- tained findings not reported... Audit Reports 29 Deficiencies in Multilocation Audits 30 ; Deficiencies in Supervision 32 Conclusions 34 " Recommendations 34 Agency Comments and Our...Congress, the Sec- retary of the Navy, or the general public. After multilocation audits , NAS headquarters issues summary reports which consolidate the

Safety Auditing and Assessments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goodin, James Ronald (Ronnie)

2005-01-01

Safety professionals typically do not engage in audits and independent assessments with the vigor as do our quality brethren. Taking advantage of industry and government experience conducting value added Independent Assessments or Audits benefits a safety program. Most other organizations simply call this process "internal audits." Sources of audit training are presented and compared. A relation of logic between audit techniques and mishap investigation is discussed. An example of an audit process is offered. Shortcomings and pitfalls of auditing are covered.

Safety Auditing and Assessments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodin, Ronnie

2005-12-01

Safety professionals typically do not engage in audits and independent assessments with the vigor as do our quality brethren. Taking advantage of industry and government experience conducting value added Independent Assessments or Audits benefits a safety program. Most other organizations simply call this process "internal audits." Sources of audit training are presented and compared. A relation of logic between audit techniques and mishap investigation is discussed. An example of an audit process is offered. Shortcomings and pitfalls of auditing are covered.

76 FR 20336 - Defense Audit Advisory Committee (DAAC)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-12

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Defense Audit Advisory Committee (DAAC) AGENCY... following Federal advisory committee meeting of the Defense Audit Advisory Committee will be held. DATES... management to include financial reporting processes, systems of internal controls, audit processes, and...

Making a 403(b) Checklist--and Checking It Twice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blinn, Linda Segal

2013-01-01

The prospect of an IRS 403(b) audit can be daunting, but as the old saying goes, knowing is half the battle. Understanding what to expect during the audit process and having the proper internal controls are the keys to avoiding stress. As part of a traditional IRS 403(b) plan audit, the Internal Revenue Service has requested that plan sponsors…

25 CFR 542.32 - What are the minimum internal control standards for internal audit for Tier B gaming operations?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false What are the minimum internal control standards for internal audit for Tier B gaming operations? 542.32 Section 542.32 Indians NATIONAL INDIAN GAMING COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HUMAN SERVICES MINIMUM INTERNAL CONTROL STANDARDS § 542.32 What are the minimum internal control standards for...

25 CFR 542.22 - What are the minimum internal control standards for internal audit for Tier A gaming operations?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false What are the minimum internal control standards for internal audit for Tier A gaming operations? 542.22 Section 542.22 Indians NATIONAL INDIAN GAMING COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HUMAN SERVICES MINIMUM INTERNAL CONTROL STANDARDS § 542.22 What are the minimum internal control standards for...

25 CFR 542.22 - What are the minimum internal control standards for internal audit for Tier A gaming operations?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false What are the minimum internal control standards for internal audit for Tier A gaming operations? 542.22 Section 542.22 Indians NATIONAL INDIAN GAMING COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HUMAN SERVICES MINIMUM INTERNAL CONTROL STANDARDS § 542.22 What are the minimum internal control standards for...

25 CFR 542.22 - What are the minimum internal control standards for internal audit for Tier A gaming operations?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false What are the minimum internal control standards for internal audit for Tier A gaming operations? 542.22 Section 542.22 Indians NATIONAL INDIAN GAMING COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HUMAN SERVICES MINIMUM INTERNAL CONTROL STANDARDS § 542.22 What are the minimum internal control standards for...

25 CFR 542.22 - What are the minimum internal control standards for internal audit for Tier A gaming operations?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false What are the minimum internal control standards for internal audit for Tier A gaming operations? 542.22 Section 542.22 Indians NATIONAL INDIAN GAMING COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HUMAN SERVICES MINIMUM INTERNAL CONTROL STANDARDS § 542.22 What are the minimum internal control standards for...

25 CFR 542.32 - What are the minimum internal control standards for internal audit for Tier B gaming operations?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false What are the minimum internal control standards for internal audit for Tier B gaming operations? 542.32 Section 542.32 Indians NATIONAL INDIAN GAMING COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HUMAN SERVICES MINIMUM INTERNAL CONTROL STANDARDS § 542.32 What are the minimum internal control standards for...

25 CFR 542.32 - What are the minimum internal control standards for internal audit for Tier B gaming operations?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false What are the minimum internal control standards for internal audit for Tier B gaming operations? 542.32 Section 542.32 Indians NATIONAL INDIAN GAMING COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HUMAN SERVICES MINIMUM INTERNAL CONTROL STANDARDS § 542.32 What are the minimum internal control standards for...

25 CFR 542.32 - What are the minimum internal control standards for internal audit for Tier B gaming operations?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false What are the minimum internal control standards for internal audit for Tier B gaming operations? 542.32 Section 542.32 Indians NATIONAL INDIAN GAMING COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HUMAN SERVICES MINIMUM INTERNAL CONTROL STANDARDS § 542.32 What are the minimum internal control standards for...

TU-G-BRD-06: The Imaging and Radiation Oncology Core Houston (IROC Houston) QA Center International Activities Outside North America

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Followill, D; Kry, S; Molineu, A

Purpose: To describe the extent of IROC Houston’s (formerly the RPC) QA activities and audit results for radiotherapy institutions outside of North America (NA). Methods: The IROC Houston’s QA program components were designed to audit the radiation dose calculation chain from the NIST traceable reference beam calibration, to inclusion of dosimetry parameters used to calculate tumor doses, to the delivery of the radiation dose. The QA program provided to international institutions includes: 1) remote TLD/OSLD audit of machine output, 2) credentialing for advanced technologies, and 3) review of patient treatment records. IROC Houston uses the same standards and acceptance criteriamore » for all of its audits whether for North American or international sites. Results: IROC Houston’s QA program has reached out to radiotherapy sites in 43 different countries since 2013 through their participation in clinical trials. In the past two years, 2,778 international megavoltage beam outputs were audited with OSLD/TLD. While the average IROC/Inst ratio is near unity for all sites monitored, there are international regions whose results are significantly different from the NA region. In the past 2 years, 477 and 87 IMRT H&N phantoms were irradiated at NA and international sites, respectively. Regardless of the OSLD beam audit results, the overall pass rate (87 percent) for all international sites (no region separation) is equal to the NA sites. Of the 182 international patient charts reviewed, 10.7 percent of the dose calculation points did not meet our acceptance criterion as compared to 13.6 percent for NA sites. The lower pass rate for NA sites results from a much larger brachytherapy component which has been shown to be more error prone. Conclusion: IROC Houston has expanded its QA services worldwide and continues a long history of improving radiotherapy dose delivery in many countries. Funding received for QA audit services from the Korean GOG, DAHANCA, EORTC, ICON and CMIC Group.« less

Internal Audit Service | Internal Audit Service

Science.gov Websites

Book Newsroom Newsroom News and features Press releases Photo gallery Fact sheets and brochures Media Home Contact Phone Book Fermilab at Work For Industry Jobs Interact Facebook Twitter Instagram Google

38 CFR 41.510 - Audit findings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... OF STATES, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, AND NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Auditors § 41.510 Audit findings. (a) Audit findings reported. The auditor shall report the following as audit findings in a schedule of... auditor's determination of whether a deficiency in internal control is a reportable condition for the...

22 CFR 226.26 - Non-Federal audits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Foreign Relations AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION OF ASSISTANCE AWARDS TO U.S. NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS Post-award Requirements Financial and Program Management § 226.26 Non-Federal audits... organizations (including hospitals) shall be subject to the audit requirements contained in the Single Audit Act...

32 CFR 34.16 - Audits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... independent audit is intended to ascertain the adequacy of the recipient's internal financial management... of the recipient's financial statements. However, it may be more economical in some cases to have the...; and (2) When requesting an additional audit, shall: (i) Limit the scope of such additional audit to...

32 CFR 34.16 - Audits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... independent audit is intended to ascertain the adequacy of the recipient's internal financial management... of the recipient's financial statements. However, it may be more economical in some cases to have the...; and (2) When requesting an additional audit, shall: (i) Limit the scope of such additional audit to...

76 FR 72186 - Defense Audit Advisory Committee (DAAC); Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-22

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Defense Audit Advisory Committee (DAAC); Notice of... announces the following Federal advisory committee meeting of the Defense Audit Advisory Committee (DAAC... of internal controls, audit processes, and processes for monitoring compliance with relevant laws and...

77 FR 34940 - Defense Audit Advisory Committee (DAAC); Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-12

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Defense Audit Advisory Committee (DAAC); Notice of... following Federal advisory committee meeting of the Defense Audit Advisory Committee (DAAC) will be held... reporting processes, systems of internal controls, audit processes, and processes for monitoring compliance...

30 CFR 1227.300 - What audit functions may a State perform?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false What audit functions may a State perform? 1227.300 Section 1227.300 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT... Delegated Functions § 1227.300 What audit functions may a State perform? An audit consists of an examination...

12 CFR 1235.4 - Minimum requirements of a record retention program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... appropriate to support administrative, business, external and internal audit functions, and litigation of the... for appropriate back-up and recovery of electronic records to ensure the same accuracy as the primary... records, preferably searchable, must be maintained on immutable, non-rewritable storage in a manner that...

12 CFR 1235.4 - Minimum requirements of a record retention program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... appropriate to support administrative, business, external and internal audit functions, and litigation of the... for appropriate back-up and recovery of electronic records to ensure the same accuracy as the primary... records, preferably searchable, must be maintained on immutable, non-rewritable storage in a manner that...

12 CFR 1235.4 - Minimum requirements of a record retention program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... appropriate to support administrative, business, external and internal audit functions, and litigation of the... for appropriate back-up and recovery of electronic records to ensure the same accuracy as the primary... records, preferably searchable, must be maintained on immutable, non-rewritable storage in a manner that...

Southwestern Power Administration Combined Financial Statements, 2006-2009

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2009-09-01

We have audited the accompanying combined balance sheets of the Southwestern Federal Power System (SWFPS), as of September 30, 2009, 2008, 2007, and 2006, and the related combined statements of revenues and expenses, changes in capitalization, and cash flows for the years then ended. As described in note 1(a), the combined financial statement presentation includes the hydroelectric generation functions of another Federal agency (hereinafter referred to as the generating agency), for which Southwestern Power Administration (Southwestern) markets and transmits power. These combined financial statements are the responsibility of the management of Southwestern and the generating agency. Our responsibility is tomore » express an opinion on these combined financial statements based on our audits. We conducted our audits in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the combined financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of Southwestern and the generating agency’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the combined financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall combined financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion. In our opinion, the combined financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the respective financial position of the Southwestern Federal Power System, as of September 30, 2009, 2008, 2007, and 2006, and the results of its operations and its cash flow for the years then ended, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Our audits were conducted for the purpose of forming an opinion on the 2009, 2008, 2007, and 2006 SWFPS’s combined financial statements taken as a whole. The supplementary information in the combining financial statements is presented for purposes of additional analysis and is not a required part of the basic combined financial statements. The supplementary information has been subjected to the auditing procedures applied in the audit of the basic combined financial statements and, in our opinion, is fairly stated in all material respects in relation to the basic combined financial statements taken as a whole.« less

Evaluating Internal Communication: The ICA Communication Audit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldhaber, Gerald M.

1978-01-01

The ICA Communication Audit is described in detail as an effective measurement procedure that can help an academic institution to evaluate its internal communication system. Tools, computer programs, analysis, and feedback procedures are described and illustrated. (JMF)

Using Communication Audits To Teach Organizational Communication to Students and Employees.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Craig R.; Shaw, Sandra Pride; Timmerman, C. Erik; Frank, Volker; Quinn, Laura

1999-01-01

Discusses how communication audits serve well as educational tools for both student auditors and employees of organizations. Describes how teachers need to gain access to organizations, especially through internal audit departments; negotiate the exchange of essentially free audit findings for a learning experience and research data; and secure…

Validation of Organizational Communication Audit Instruments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeWine, Sue; And Others

Based on a review of the literature, this paper examines criticisms leveled against the communication audit developed by the International Communication Association (ICA) and then offers a modified version of the audit designed to meet those criticisms. Following a brief introduction, the first section of the paper reviews criticisms of the audit,…

75 FR 68329 - Meeting of the Defense Audit Advisory Committee (DAAC)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-05

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Meeting of the Defense Audit Advisory Committee... Defense Audit Advisory Committee will be held. DATES: Monday, November 22, 2010 beginning at 3 p.m. and... of internal controls, audit processes, and processes for monitoring compliance with relevant laws and...

Expanding the Navy’s Managers Internal Control Program’s (MICP) Capability to Prepare for External Financial Audits

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-01

adequate documentation to substantiate transactions , and effective internal controls surrounding business processes along with the verification that...organization, such as its personnel, processes, and objectives. The internal auditing profession brings a composite of in-depth knowledge and best business ...with internal auditors. Organizations should keep internal auditors abreast of changes in expectations as the business evolves. Doing so helps

Improving the Business Communication Skills of Postgraduate Internal Audit Students: A South African Teaching Innovation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plant, Kato; Slippers, Jana

2015-01-01

This article reports on the introduction of a business communication course in the curriculum of postgraduate internal audit students at a higher education institution in South Africa. Internal auditors should have excellent verbal and written communication skills in performing value-adding assurance and consulting services to their engagement…

48 CFR 225.872-6 - Audit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Defense Procurement and Acquisition Policy (Contract Policy and International Contracting), ((703) 697... DEFENSE SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS FOREIGN ACQUISITION Other International Agreements and Coordination 225.872... for reciprocal “no-cost” audits of contracts and subcontracts (pre- and post-award). (b) To determine...

Critique of the Communication Audit from the Academic Researcher's Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sincoff, Michael Z.; Goyer, Robert S.

The history of the International Communication Association's Communication Audit is briefly reviewed, and possible benefits and pitfalls of the approach are discussed. Certain assumptions and methods underlying the Communicaton Audit are critiqued. (AA)

Financial statement analysis, internal controls, and audit readiness: Bestpractices for Pakistan army financial management officers

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-01

2012). Noland and Metrejean (2013) emphasize the importance of the internal control environment and cite the June 2010 case of a non -existent...NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA MBA PROFESSIONAL REPORT FINANCIAL STATEMENT ANALYSIS, INTERNAL CONTROLS , AND...FINANCIAL STATEMENT ANALYSIS, INTERNAL CONTROLS , AND AUDIT READINESS: BEST PRACTICES FOR PAKISTAN ARMY FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT OFFICERS 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 6

The Perceived Impact of Quality Audit on the Work of Academics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheng, Ming

2011-01-01

Quality audit has become the dominant means of assessing the quality of university teaching and learning. This paper addresses this international trend through the analysis of academics' perception of quality audit. It presents a new way to understand quality audit through the interpretation of how frontline academics in England perceived and…

21 CFR 1311.215 - Internal audit trail.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... ORDERS AND PRESCRIPTIONS Electronic Prescriptions § 1311.215 Internal audit trail. (a) The pharmacy... minimum, include the following: (1) Attempted unauthorized access to the pharmacy application, or successful unauthorized access to the pharmacy application where the determination of such is feasible. (2...

21 CFR 1311.215 - Internal audit trail.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... ORDERS AND PRESCRIPTIONS Electronic Prescriptions § 1311.215 Internal audit trail. (a) The pharmacy... minimum, include the following: (1) Attempted unauthorized access to the pharmacy application, or successful unauthorized access to the pharmacy application where the determination of such is feasible. (2...

21 CFR 1311.215 - Internal audit trail.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... ORDERS AND PRESCRIPTIONS Electronic Prescriptions § 1311.215 Internal audit trail. (a) The pharmacy... minimum, include the following: (1) Attempted unauthorized access to the pharmacy application, or successful unauthorized access to the pharmacy application where the determination of such is feasible. (2...

21 CFR 1311.215 - Internal audit trail.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... ORDERS AND PRESCRIPTIONS Electronic Prescriptions § 1311.215 Internal audit trail. (a) The pharmacy... minimum, include the following: (1) Attempted unauthorized access to the pharmacy application, or successful unauthorized access to the pharmacy application where the determination of such is feasible. (2...

Report: Follow-Up Audit - EPA Needs to Strengthen Internal Controls Over Retention Incentives

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report #17-P-0407, September 26, 2017. Additional actions are needed to strengthen internal controls over monitoring and to effectively resolve the cause of the prior audit findings. We question $1,605 of irregular payments.

Implementation of the qualities of radiodiagnostic: mammography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pacífico, L. C.; Magalhães, L. A. G.; Peixoto, J. G. P.; Fernandes, E.

2018-03-01

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the expanded uncertainty of the mammographic calibration process and present the result of the internal audit performed at the Laboratory of Radiological Sciences (LCR). The qualities of the mammographic beans that are references in the LCR, comprises two irradiation conditions: no-attenuated beam and attenuated beam. Both had satisfactory results, with an expanded uncertainty equals 2,1%. The internal audit was performed, and the degree of accordance with the ISO/IEC 17025 was evaluated. The result of the internal audit was satisfactory. We conclude that LCR can perform calibrations on mammography qualities for end users.

25 CFR 543.23 - What are the minimum internal control standards for audit and accounting?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... supervision, bingo cards, bingo card sales, draw, prize payout; cash and equivalent controls, technologic aids... 25 Indians 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false What are the minimum internal control standards for audit... INTERIOR HUMAN SERVICES MINIMUM INTERNAL CONTROL STANDARDS FOR CLASS II GAMING § 543.23 What are the...

25 CFR 543.23 - What are the minimum internal control standards for audit and accounting?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... supervision, bingo cards, bingo card sales, draw, prize payout; cash and equivalent controls, technologic aids... 25 Indians 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false What are the minimum internal control standards for audit... INTERIOR HUMAN SERVICES MINIMUM INTERNAL CONTROL STANDARDS FOR CLASS II GAMING § 543.23 What are the...

An Empirical Investigation of the Impact of the Anchor and Adjustment Heuristic on the Audit Judgment Process

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-01-01

Pe ~ ** . . . ’ S .- ..% - - -- - - An Empirical Investigation of the Impact of the Anchor and Adjustment Heuristic on the Audit Judgment Process A...1 Introduction ....... ............... 1 Audit Opinion Process ... ............ 2 Professional Judgment ..... ........... 5 Heuristics in the Audit Process...to evaluating the results of analytic reviews and internal control compliance tests (Felix and Kinney 1982, also Libby 1981). Decomposing the audit opinion

[Internal audit--the foundation of healthcare quality management in health care].

PubMed

Smiianov, V A

2014-01-01

The paper proved the need for internal audit as the basis for quality control of medical care in a health facility, developed the project milestones and explains what needs to be taken into account at every stage during its implementation.

22 CFR 211.5 - Obligations of cooperating sponsor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... Standards promulgated by the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions or International... provisions of this regulation. (c) Audits—(1) By nongovernmental cooperating sponsors. A nongovernmental cooperating sponsor shall arrange for periodic audits to be conducted in accordance with OMB Circular A-133...

22 CFR 211.5 - Obligations of cooperating sponsor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... Standards promulgated by the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions or International... provisions of this regulation. (c) Audits—(1) By nongovernmental cooperating sponsors. A nongovernmental cooperating sponsor shall arrange for periodic audits to be conducted in accordance with OMB Circular A-133...

22 CFR 211.5 - Obligations of cooperating sponsor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Standards promulgated by the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions or International... provisions of this regulation. (c) Audits—(1) By nongovernmental cooperating sponsors. A nongovernmental cooperating sponsor shall arrange for periodic audits to be conducted in accordance with OMB Circular A-133...

22 CFR 211.5 - Obligations of cooperating sponsor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... Standards promulgated by the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions or International... provisions of this regulation. (c) Audits—(1) By nongovernmental cooperating sponsors. A nongovernmental cooperating sponsor shall arrange for periodic audits to be conducted in accordance with OMB Circular A-133...

22 CFR 211.5 - Obligations of cooperating sponsor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... Standards promulgated by the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions or International... provisions of this regulation. (c) Audits—(1) By nongovernmental cooperating sponsors. A nongovernmental cooperating sponsor shall arrange for periodic audits to be conducted in accordance with OMB Circular A-133...

Financial Audit: Financial Reporting and Internal Controls at the Air Force Systems Command

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-01-01

As part of GAO’S audits of the Air Force’s financial management and operations for fiscal years 1988 and 1989, GAO evaluated the Air Force Systems Command’s internal accounting controls and financial reporting systems. For fiscal year 1988 and 1989, the Systems Command received about $26.7 billion and $32.4 billion, respectively, in appropriated funds. This report discusses the results of our audits of the Systems Command.

Psychometric properties of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and prevalence of alcohol use among Iranian psychiatric outpatients.

PubMed

Noorbakhsh, Simasadat; Shams, Jamal; Faghihimohamadi, Mohamadmahdi; Zahiroddin, Hanieh; Hallgren, Mats; Kallmen, Hakan

2018-01-30

Iran is a developing and Islamic country where the consumption of alcoholic beverages is banned. However, psychiatric disorders and alcohol use disorders are often co-occurring. We used the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) to estimate the prevalence of alcohol use and examined the psychometric properties of the test among psychiatric outpatients in Teheran, Iran. AUDIT was completed by 846 consecutive (sequential) patients. Descriptive statistics, internal consistency (Cronbach alpha), confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses were used to analyze the prevalence of alcohol use, reliability and construct validity. 12% of men and 1% of women were hazardous alcohol consumers. Internal reliability of the Iranian version of AUDIT was excellent. Confirmatory factor analyses showed that the construct validity and the fit of previous factor structures (1, 2 and 3 factors) to data were not good and seemingly contradicted results from the explorative principal axis factoring, which showed that a 1-factor solution explained 77% of the co-variances. We could not reproduce the suggested factor structure of AUDIT, probably due to the skewed distribution of alcohol consumption. Only 19% of men and 3% of women scored above 0 on AUDIT. This could be explained by the fact that alcohol is illegal in Iran. In conclusion the AUDIT exhibited good internal reliability when used as a single scale. The prevalence estimates according to AUDIT were somewhat higher among psychiatric patients compared to what was reported by WHO regarding the general population.

Desiderata for a Computer-Assisted Audit Tool for Clinical Data Source Verification Audits

PubMed Central

Duda, Stephany N.; Wehbe, Firas H.; Gadd, Cynthia S.

2013-01-01

Clinical data auditing often requires validating the contents of clinical research databases against source documents available in health care settings. Currently available data audit software, however, does not provide features necessary to compare the contents of such databases to source data in paper medical records. This work enumerates the primary weaknesses of using paper forms for clinical data audits and identifies the shortcomings of existing data audit software, as informed by the experiences of an audit team evaluating data quality for an international research consortium. The authors propose a set of attributes to guide the development of a computer-assisted clinical data audit tool to simplify and standardize the audit process. PMID:20841814

30 CFR 1227.300 - What audit functions may a State perform?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false What audit functions may a State perform? 1227.300 Section 1227.300 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF NATURAL RESOURCES REVENUE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR... § 1227.300 What audit functions may a State perform? An audit consists of an examination of records to...

77 FR 20871 - Audit and Financial Management Advisory (AFMAC)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-06

... Agency's financial management, including the financial reporting process, systems of internal controls... the meeting is to discuss the SBA's Financial Reporting, Audit Findings Remediation, Ongoing OIG... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Audit and Financial Management Advisory (AFMAC) AGENCY: U.S. Small...

77 FR 74834 - Office of the Secretary

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-18

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Defense Audit Advisory Committee (DAAC); Notice of... Defense announces the following Federal advisory committee meeting of the Defense Audit Advisory Committee... financial management to include financial reporting processes, systems of internal controls, audit processes...

Criteria for internal auditing.

PubMed

Holder, W W; Clay, R J

1979-01-01

An effective, inclusive internal auditing endeavor should help assure hospital managements that (1) an adequate system of internal control exists to assure the safeguarding of assets and the reliability of data produced by the financial information system, (2) uneconomic operating practices are detected promptly so they can be remedied, and (3) program results and effectiveness levels are of sufficiently high quality to demonstrate managerial competence.

48 CFR 52.216-7 - Allowable Cost and Payment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... last disclosure of internal audit reports to the Government. (J) Annual internal audit plan of...-contract cost allowability limitations, and billing limitations. (v) The Contractor shall update the billings on all contracts to reflect the final settled rates and update the schedule of cumulative direct...

Report on the Audit of Performnce and Reliability of Cobra Helicopter Rotor Blades

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-05-21

We are providing this final report for your information and use. The audit was made from January to March 1991. The audit objective was to evaluate...internal controls. The audit was made in response to concerns raised by personnel at the Sharpe Army Depot about the K747 blade’s performance, maintenance, and reliability.

Practical Comptrollership Course

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-03-01

variables that drive selection of "significant" areas. " Multilocation audits investigate specific functions. In 1985, for example, the NAS performed... audits of health care functions, and of supply departments, focusing on spare parts. These two audits were part of DoD-wide multilocation audit ...should have included more practical examples. Evaluator A questioned the inclusion of Chapter IIIE, addressing auditing , in the comptrollership course

Report on the Audit of Foreign Military Sales Trust Fund Disbursement Reporting

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-09-11

This is our final report on the Audit of Foreign Military Sales Trust Fund Disbursement Reporting, provided for your information and use. The audit was...made from August 1990 through March 1991. The overall objective of the audit was to determine whether disbursements from the Foreign Military Sales...implementation of the internal management control program required by the Federal Managers’ Financial Integrity Act (FMFIA) as it pertained to the audit objectives.

Financial Management: Extending the Financial Statements Audit Requirement of the CFO Act to Additional Federal Agencies

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-05-14

Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board has balance-sheet-only audits every 3 to 5 years, most recently for fiscal year 1997. It did not prepare fiscal...associated with the agency’s operations were the most important factors to Have had financial statements audits Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety...audits, the International Trade Commission and the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, did not have financial statements audits for fiscal year

Software Assists in Extensive Environmental Auditing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Callac, Christopher; Matherne, Charlie

2002-01-01

The Base Enivronmental Management System (BEMS) is a Web-based application program for managing and tracking audits by the Environmental Office of Stennis Space Center in conformity with standard 14001 of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO 14001). (This standard specifies requirements for an environmental-management system.) BEMS saves time by partly automating what were previously manual processes for creating audit checklists; recording and tracking audit results; issuing, tracking, and implementing corrective-action requests (CARs); tracking continuous improvements (CIs); and tracking audit results and statistics. BEMS consists on an administration module and an auditor module. As its name suggests, the administration module is used to administer the audit. It helps administrators to edit the list of audit questions; edit the list of audit locations; assign manditory questions to locations; track, approve, and edit CARs; and edit completed audits. The auditor module is used by auditors to perform audits and record audit results: It helps the auditors to create audit checklists, complete audits, view completed audits, create CARs, record and acknowledge CIs, and generate reports from audit results.

Software Assists in Extensive Environmental Auditing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Callac, Christopher; Matherne, Charlie

2003-01-01

The Base Environmental Management System (BEMS) is a Web-based application program for managing and tracking audits by the Environmental Office of Stennis Space Center in conformity with standard 14001 of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO 14001). (This standard specifies requirements for an environmental-management system.) BEMS saves time by partly automating what were previously manual processes for creating audit checklists; recording and tracking audit results; issuing, tracking, and implementing corrective-action requests (CARs); tracking continuous improvements (CIs); and tracking audit results and statistics. BEMS consists of an administration module and an auditor module. As its name suggests, the administration module is used to administer the audit. It helps administrators to edit the list of audit questions; edit the list of audit locations; assign mandatory questions to locations; track, approve, and edit CARs; and edit completed audits. The auditor module is used by auditors to perform audits and record audit results: it helps the auditors to create audit checklists, complete audits, view completed audits, create CARs, record and acknowledge CIs, and generate reports from audit results.

Software Assists in Extensive Environmental Auditing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Callac, Christopher; Matherne, Charlie; Selinsky, T.

2002-01-01

The Base Environmental Management System (BEMS) is a Web-based application program for managing and tracking audits by the Environmental Office of Stennis Space Center in conformity with standard 14001 of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO 14001). (This standard specifies requirements for an environmental-management system.) BEMS saves time by partly automating what were previously manual processes for creating audit checklists; recording and tracking audit results; issuing, tracking, and implementing corrective-action requests (CARs); tracking continuous improvements (CIs); and tracking audit results and statistics. BEMS consists of an administration module and an auditor module. As its name suggests, the administration module is used to administer the audit. It helps administrators to edit the list of audit questions; edit the list of audit locations; assign mandatory questions to locations; track, approve, and edit CARs; and edit completed audits. The auditor module is used by auditors to perform audits and record audit results: it helps the auditors to create audit checklists, complete audits, view completed audits, create CARs, record and acknowledge CIs, and generate reports from audit results.

Entrepreneurship through Strategic Planning, Management, and Evaluation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Groff, Warren H.

A process to assess a college's external environment and audit its internal environment in order to pursue options available to postsecondary education is described. Essentially the concept is one of matching opportunities in the external environment with institutional strengths as determined by an internal audit. Strategic planning must consider…

Internal Administrative Control: Its Applicability to the Marine Corps.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-06-01

activities and units, or ly regulatory and sulervisozy agencies. Ziautz contends that "internal auditing is a very effective source oil mcnitcring in many...to ccapare the perfcrmance cf a functional area with the standards set forth in the SOE, it should be determined if the SCP is 100 currezt and complies...SC 2990’ COMCABWEST El Toro CA 92709 CG Fourth MAW New Orleans LA 70146 CG MCB Camp Lejeune NC 28542 CG MCAGCC Twentynine Palms CA 92278 125

Implementation of Quality Systems in Nuclear Medicine: Why It Matters. An Outcome Analysis (Quality Management Audits in Nuclear Medicine Part III).

PubMed

Dondi, Maurizio; Paez, Diana; Torres, Leonel; Marengo, Mario; Delaloye, Angelika Bischof; Solanki, Kishor; Van Zyl Ellmann, Annare; Lobato, Enrique Estrada; Miller, Rodolfo Nunez; Giammarile, Francesco; Pascual, Thomas

2018-05-01

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) developed a comprehensive program-Quality Management Audits in Nuclear Medicine (QUANUM). This program covers all aspects of nuclear medicine practices including, but not limited to, clinical practice, management, operations, and services. The QUANUM program, which includes quality standards detailed in relevant checklists, aims at introducing a culture of comprehensive quality audit processes that are patient oriented, systematic, and outcome based. This paper will focus on the impact of the implementation of QUANUM on daily routine practices in audited centers. Thirty-seven centers, which had been externally audited by experts under IAEA auspices at least 1 year earlier, were invited to run an internal audit using the QUANUM checklists. The external audits also served as training in quality management and the use of QUANUM for the local teams, which were responsible of conducting the internal audits. Twenty-five out of the 37 centers provided their internal audit report, which was compared with the previous external audit. The program requires that auditors score each requirement within the QUANUM checklists on a scale of 0-4, where 0-2 means nonconformance and 3-4 means conformance to international regulations and standards on which QUANUM is based. Our analysis covering both general and clinical areas assessed changes on the conformance status on a binary manner and the level of conformance scores. Statistical analysis was performed using nonparametric statistical tests. The evaluation of the general checklists showed a global improvement on both the status and the levels of conformances (P < 0.01). The evaluation of the requirements by checklist also showed a significant improvement in all, with the exception of Hormones and Tumor marker determinations, where changes were not significant. Of the 25 evaluated institutions, 88% (22 of 25) and 92% (23 of 25) improved their status and levels of conformance, respectively. Fifty-five requirements, on average, increased from nonconformance to conformance status. In 8 key areas, the number of improved requirements was well above the average: Administration & Management (checklist 2); Radiation Protection & Safety (checklist 4); General Quality Assurance system (checklist 6); Imaging Equipment Quality Assurance or Quality Control (checklist 7); General Diagnostic (checklist 9); General Therapeutic (checklist 12); Radiopharmacy Level 1 (checklist 14); and Radiopharmacy Level 2 (checklist 15). Analysis of results related to clinical activities showed an overall positive impact on both the status and the level of conformance to international standards. Similar results were obtained for the most frequently performed clinical imaging and therapeutic procedures. Our study shows that the implementation of a comprehensive quality management system through the IAEA QUANUM program has a positive impact on nuclear medicine practices. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Audit in public administration’s information systems - External or internal?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drljača, D.; Latinović, B.

2017-05-01

Audit of the information system, thanks to the increased use of ICT and related cyber-crime, becomes a very important process in modern companies and institutions. It is usual to engage or outsource a third party for independent financial audit. But what about auditing of the information system of public administration institutions? This paper gives an introduction to possible aspects of information system’s audit with the aim to discuss possible answer on the question in the title.

Final Report on the Audit of the Administration of the Contract Closeout Process at the Defense Contract Management Region, Dallas

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-09-18

This is our final report on the Audit of the Administration of the Contract Closeout Process at the Defense Contract Management Region, Dallas (DCMR... audit was made from January to October 1989. The objectives of the audit were to determine the timeliness of the contract closeout process, the validity...As part of the audit , we also evaluated internal controls over the contract closeout process. As of December 31, 1988, the Contract Administration

Internal Controls for the Military Sealift Command Portion of the Transportation Business Area of the FY 1994 Defense Business Operations Fund Financial Statements

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-06-28

Secondary Reports Dilution Unit, Audit Planning and Technical Support Directorate, at (703) 604-8937 (DSN 664-8937) or FAX (703) 604-8932. Suggestions...for Future Audits To suggest ideas for or to request future audits , contact the Planning and Coordination Branch, Audit Planning and Technical...Defense OAIG-AUD (ATTN: APTS Audit Suggestions) 400 Army Navy Drive (Room 801) Arlington, Virginia 22202-2884 DoD Hotline To report fraud, waste

U.S. Government Financial Statements: Results of GAO’s Fiscal Year 1997 Audit

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-04-01

Our audit of the federal government’s consolidated financial statements and the Inspectors General (IG) audits of agencies’ financial statements have...fiscal year 1997 consolidated financial statements , (2) internal controls weaknesses, and (3) serious difficulties complying with financial systems

Audit feedback on reading performance of screening mammograms: An international comparison.

PubMed

Hofvind, S; Bennett, R L; Brisson, J; Lee, W; Pelletier, E; Flugelman, A; Geller, B

2016-09-01

Providing feedback to mammography radiologists and facilities may improve interpretive performance. We conducted a web-based survey to investigate how and why such feedback is undertaken and used in mammographic screening programmes. The survey was sent to representatives in 30 International Cancer Screening Network member countries where mammographic screening is offered. Seventeen programmes in 14 countries responded to the survey. Audit feedback was aimed at readers in 14 programmes, and facilities in 12 programmes. Monitoring quality assurance was the most common purpose of audit feedback. Screening volume, recall rate, and rate of screen-detected cancers were typically reported performance measures. Audit reports were commonly provided annually, but more frequently when target guidelines were not reached. The purpose, target audience, performance measures included, form and frequency of the audit feedback varied amongst mammographic screening programmes. These variations may provide a basis for those developing and improving such programmes. © The Author(s) 2016.

Supplementary Report on Audit of Internal Control Systems Related to the Office of the Secretary of Transportation's Financial Statements for Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-01-24

The internal controlrelated objectives for our audits of the Office of the Secretary of Transportation's (OST) Financial Statements for Fiscal Years (FY) 1994 and 1995 were to determine whether OST and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) (i) had...

The On-Line Audit Revisited: Yale University.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weldon, Albert R., Jr.; And Others

1984-01-01

Yale University's on-line examination of accounting and administrative systems is discussed. Program goals are to review financial management systems at the university to identify weaknesses in internal controls, and to fulfill all audit requirements of federal grants and contracts. After outlining the quarterly audit cycle, advantages of the…

Audit of the Bloodhound Education Programme, 2012-2013

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Straw, Suzanne; Jeffes, Jennifer; Dawson, Anneka; Lord, Pippa

2015-01-01

The National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) was commissioned by the "Bloodhound Education Programme" (BEP) to conduct an audit of its activities throughout 2012 and early 2013. The audit included: telephone consultations with a range of stakeholders; analysis of monitoring and internal evaluation data; and attendance at two…

Behavioural Constraints on Practices of Auditing in Nigeria (BCPAN)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akpomi, Margaret E.; Amesi, Joy

2009-01-01

This research was conducted to determine the behavioural constraints on practices of auditing (BCPAN) in Nigeria and to proffer strategies for making incidence of auditing (internal and external auditors) more effective. Thirty-seven administrators drawn from some public limited liability companies, private companies and tertiary institutions were…

Inspector General, DOD, Oversight of the Audit of the FY 2000 Military Retirement Fund Financial Statements

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-02-28

statements and to report on the adequacy of internal controls and compliance with laws and regulations. We contracted the audit of the FY 2000 Military...performed on the oversight of the audit of the FY 2000 Military Retirement Fund Financial Statements.

ICA Communication Audit Survey Instrument: 1977 Organizational Norms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldhaber, Gerald M.; And Others

Section one of this paper describes the history and development of the "communicaton audit," a system for assessing communication effectiveness in organizations, by the International Communication Association. Section two describes the 16 audits conducted so far and the overall demographic characteristics of the current survey data bank.…

77 FR 64374 - Petition for Waiver of Compliance

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-19

... internal safety audits to evaluate compliance with SSPP and measure its effectiveness. An annual report identifying the audits performed and any corrective action must be submitted to the New Jersey Department of... audit. In addition, NJDOT conducts a safety review a minimum of once every 3 years to evaluate the...

A survey on auditing, quality assurance systems and legal frameworks in five selected slaughterhouses in Bulawayo, south-western Zimbabwe.

PubMed

Masanganise, Kaurai E; Matope, Gift; Pfukenyi, Davies M

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the audits, quality assurance (QA) programmes and legal frameworks used in selected abattoirs in Zimbabwe and slaughterhouse workers' perceptions on their effectiveness. Data on slaughterhouse workers was gathered through a self-completed questionnaire and additional information was obtained from slaughterhouse and government records. External auditing was conducted mainly by the Department of Veterinary Public Health with little contribution from third parties. Internal auditing was restricted to export abattoirs. The checklist used on auditing lacked objective assessment criteria and respondents cited several faults in the current audit system. Most respondents (> 50.0%) knew the purposes and benefits of audit and QA inspections. All export abattoirs had QA programmes such as hazard analysis critical control point and ISO 9001 (a standard used to certify businesses' quality management systems) but their implementation varied from minimal to nil. The main regulatory defect observed was lack of requirements for a QA programme. Audit and quality assurance communications to the selected abattoirs revealed a variety of non-compliances with most respondents revealing that corrective actions to audit (84.3%) and quality assurance (92.3%) shortfalls were not done. A high percentage of respondents indicated that training on quality (76.8%) and regulations (69.8%) was critical. Thus, it is imperative that these abattoirs develop a food safety management system comprising of QA programmes, a microbial assessment scheme, regulatory compliance, standard operating procedures, internal and external auditing and training of workers.

Financial Statement Audit: U.S. Department of Education, Federal Direct Student Loan Program for the Year Ended September 30, 1994. Audit Control Number 17-48320.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Office of Inspector General (ED), Washington, DC.

An independent audit was done of the principal financial statements of the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program of the Department of Education for the year ending September 30, 1994. In planning and performing the review the auditors considered the internal control structure of the program in order to determine auditing procedures. The…

HSE auditing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Herwaarden, A.J.F. van; Sykes, R.M.

1996-12-31

Shell International Exploration and Production (SIEP) commenced a programme of Health Safety and Environmental (HSE) auditing in its Operating Companies (Opcos) in the late 1970s. Audits in the initial years focused on safety aspects with environmental and occupational aspects being introduced as the process matured. Part of the audit programme is performed by SIEP auditors, external to the Opcos. The level of SIEP-led audit activity increased linearly until the late 1980s, since when a level of around 40 Audits per year has been maintained in roughly as many companies. For the last 15 years each annual programme has included structuredmore » audits of all facets of EP operations. The frequency and duration of these audits have the principle objective of auditing all HSE critical processes of each Opco`s activity, within each five-year cycle. Durations vary from 8-10 days with a 4 person team to 18-20 days with a 6-8 person team. Each audit returns a satisfactory or unsatisfactory rating based on analysis of the effectiveness of the so-called eleven principles of Enhanced Safety Management (ESM) required to be applied throughout the Group. Independence is maintained by the SIEP audit leader, who carries ultimate responsibility for the content and wording of each report, where necessary backed-up by senior management in SIEP. These SIEP-led audits have been successful in the following areas: (1) Provision of early warning in areas where facilities integrity or HSE management was likely to be compromised. (2) Aiding the establishment of an internal HSE auditing process in many Opcos. (3) Training, through participation in audits, not only auditors, but also prospective line managers in the effective management of HSE. With the recent introduction of HSE Management Systems (HSE-MS) in many Opcos, auditing is now in the process of controlled evolution from ESM to HSE-MS based.« less

Ethics, morals, and integrity: focus at the top.

PubMed

Stango, Marty R

2006-06-01

Five questions provide a good starting point for CFOs to verify that their organizations are operating ethically: Do we have clearly outlined policies and procedures in place? How frequently does our board's membership change? Do we consistently give our board enough information to make informed decisions? What is the nature of our internal audit function? Do we have a chief compliance officer?

Performance of the internal audit department under ERP systems: empirical evidence from Taiwanese firms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsai, Wen-Hsien; Chen, Hui-Chiao; Chang, Jui-Chu; Leu, Jun-Der; Chao Chen, Der; Purbokusumo, Yuyun

2015-10-01

In this study, the performance of the internal audit department (IAD) and its contribution to a company under enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems was examined. It is anticipated that this will provide insight into the factors perceived to be crucial to a company's effectiveness. A theoretical framework was developed and tested using the sample of Taiwanese companies. Using mail survey procedures, we elicited perceptions from key internal auditors about the ERP system and auditing software, as well as their opinions concerning the IAD's effectiveness and its contribution within a company. Data were analysed using the partial least square (PLS) regression to test the hypotheses. Drawing upon a sample of Taiwanese firms, the study suggests that a firm can improve the performance of the IAD through an enterprise-wide integrated, effective ERP system and appropriate auditing software. At the same time, the performance of the IAD can also contribute significantly to the company. The results also show that investments in computer-assisted auditing techniques (CAATs) are crucial due to their tremendous effectiveness in regard to the performance of the IAD and for the contributions CAATs can make to a company.

7 CFR Appendix B to Part 3015 - OMB Circular A-128, “Audits of State and Local Governments”

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... operations. A series of audits of individual departments, agencies, and establishments for the same fiscal... regulations. a. Internal control review. In order to provide this assurance the auditor must make a study and evaluation of internal control systems used in administering Federal assistance programs. The study and...

7 CFR Appendix B to Part 3015 - OMB Circular A-128, “Audits of State and Local Governments”

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... operations. A series of audits of individual departments, agencies, and establishments for the same fiscal... regulations. a. Internal control review. In order to provide this assurance the auditor must make a study and evaluation of internal control systems used in administering Federal assistance programs. The study and...

7 CFR Appendix B to Part 3015 - OMB Circular A-128, “Audits of State and Local Governments”

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... operations. A series of audits of individual departments, agencies, and establishments for the same fiscal... regulations. a. Internal control review. In order to provide this assurance the auditor must make a study and evaluation of internal control systems used in administering Federal assistance programs. The study and...

Corrosion Prevention for Wheeled Vehicle Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-08-13

The audit objective was to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the Army’s procedures for acquiring corrosion prevention and chemical agent...resistant coatings for wheeled vehicle systems. To accomplish this objective, we reviewed corrosion controls and painting processes. The audit also...included a review of the adequacy of internal controls related to the audit objective.

76 FR 24489 - Sunshine Act Notice

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-02

... Meeting of April 7, 2011. Proposed Final Audit Report on the Service Employees International Union. Committee on Political Education (SEIU COPE) (A09-28). Audit Division Recommendation Memorandum on Freedom's...

Determinants of environmental audit frequency: the role of firm organizational structure.

PubMed

Earnhart, Dietrich; Leonard, J Mark

2013-10-15

This study empirically examines the extent of environmental management practiced by US chemical manufacturing facilities, as reflected in the number of environmental internal audits conducted annually. As its focus, this study analyzes the effects of firm-level organizational structure on facility-level environmental management practices. For this empirical analysis, the study exploits unique data from a survey distributed to all U.S. chemical manufacturing permitted to discharge wastewater in 2001; the data reflect internal audits conducted during the years 1999-2001. Empirical results reveal differences in auditing behavior based on whether facilities are owned by publicly held or non-publicly held firms, owned by U.S.-based or non-U.S.-based firms, and owned by larger or smaller firms. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparing short versions of the AUDIT in a community-based survey of young people

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The 10-item Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-10) is commonly used to monitor harmful alcohol consumption among high-risk groups, including young people. However, time and space constraints have generated interest for shortened versions. Commonly used variations are the AUDIT-C (three questions) and the Fast Alcohol Screening Test (FAST) (four questions), but their utility in screening young people in non-clinical settings has received little attention. Methods We examined the performance of established and novel shortened versions of the AUDIT in relation to the full AUDIT-10 in a community-based survey of young people (16–29 years) attending a music festival in Melbourne, Australia (January 2010). Among those reporting drinking alcohol in the previous 12 months, the following statistics were systematically assessed for all possible combinations of three or four AUDIT items and established AUDIT variations: Cronbach’s alpha (internal consistency), variance explained (R2) and Pearson’s correlation coefficient (concurrent validity). For our purposes, novel shortened AUDIT versions considered were required to represent all three AUDIT domains and include item 9 on alcohol-related injury. Results We recruited 640 participants (68% female) reporting drinking in the previous 12 months. Median AUDIT-10 score was 10 in males and 9 in females, and 127 (20%) were classified as having at least high-level alcohol problems according to WHO classification. The FAST scored consistently high across statistical measures; it explained 85.6% of variance in AUDIT-10, correlation with AUDIT-10 was 0.92, and Cronbach’s alpha was 0.66. A number of novel four-item AUDIT variations scored similarly high. Comparatively, the AUDIT-C scored substantially lower on all measures except internal consistency. Conclusions Numerous abbreviated variations of the AUDIT may be a suitable alternative to the AUDIT-10 for classifying high-level alcohol problems in a community-based population of young Australians. Four-item AUDIT variations scored more consistently high across all evaluated statistics compared to three-item combinations. Novel AUDIT versions may be more effective than many established shortened versions as an alternative screening tool to the AUDIT-10 to measure hazardous or harmful alcohol consumption in this population. PMID:23556543

KPMG Peat Marwick LLP GreatLakes Composites Consortium, Inc. Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 1995

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-06-25

The objective of a quality control review is to assure that the audit was conducted in accordance with applicable standards and meets the auditing...requirements of the OMB Circular A-133. As the cognizant agency for the Institute, we conducted a quality control review of the audit working papers. We...focused our review on the qualitative aspects of the audit : due professional care, planning, supervision, independence, quality control, internal

Digital Mapping, Charting and Geodesy Data Standardization

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-12-19

The primary objective of the audit was to evaluate DMA’s implementation of the Defense Standardization Program. Specifically, the audit determined...interoperability of digital MC&G data. The audit also evaluated DMA’s implementation of the DoD Internal Management Control Program as it pertains to DMA’S implementation of the Defense Standardization Program.

Expediting the Quest for Quality: The Role of IQAC in Academic Audit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nitonde, Rohidas

2016-01-01

Academic Audit is an important tool to control and maintain standards in academic sector. It has been found highly relevant by the experts across the world. Academic audit helps institutions to introspect and improve their quality. The present paper intends to probe into the possible role of Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) in Academic Audit…

78 FR 58589 - Final Listing of Audit and Other Reports Issued by SIGIR on Reconstruction Spending in Iraq

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-24

... Taken Action on Most Open Audit Recommendations 10/27/2011 12-003 Status of International Narcotics... Requirements for Changes in Reconstruction Activities in Iraq 4/27/2011 11-011 Quick Response Fund: Management... Data 1/28/2011 11-009 Iraqi Government Support for the Iraq International Academy 1/ 26/2011 11-007...

The Adoption of Internal Audit as a Governance Control Mechanism in Australian Public Universities--Views from the CEOs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christopher, Joe

2012-01-01

This study draws on the multi-theoretical approach to governance and the views of university chief executive officers (CEOs) to examine the extent to which internal auditing as a control mechanism is adopted in Australian public universities under an environment of change management. The findings highlight negative consequences of change and their…

76 FR 7598 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; C2 Options Exchange, Incorporated; Notice of Filing of a Proposed...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-10

... primary functions of the C2 Audit Committee are focused on (i) C2's financial statements and disclosure... Permit Holder committees. The Exchange's expectation is that C2 management will perform these functions... Audit Committee The Exchange proposes to eliminate its Audit Committee because its functions are...

AGU Committees

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Administrative Committees are responsible for those functions required for the overall performance or well-being of AGU as an organization. These committees are Audit and Legal Affairs, Budget and Finance*, Development, Nominations*, Planning, Statutes and Bylaws*, Tellers.Operating Committees are responsible for the policy direction and operational oversight of AGU's primary programs. The Operating Committees are Education and Human Resources, Fellows*, Information Technology, International Participation*, Meetings, Public Affairs, Public Information, Publications*.

Quick-Reaction Report on the Audit of Defense Base Realignment and Closure Budget Data for Naval Station Treasure Island, California

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-05-19

the audit of two projects: P-608T, Building Modifications, valued at...Island, California, to the Naval Training Center Great Lakes, Illinois. The audit also evaluated the implementation of the DoD Internal Management...related to the two projects in this report and is discussed in Report No. 94-109, Quick-Reaction Report on the Audit of Defense Base Realignment and Closure Budget Data for the Naval Training Center Great Lakes, Illinois, May 19,

KPMG Peat Marwick LLP Corporation of Mercer University Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1995

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-06-11

The objective of a quality control review is to ensure that the audit was conducted in accordance with applicable standards and meets the auditing...requirements of the OMB Circular A-133. We conducted a quality control review of the audit working papers. We focused our review on the following...qualitative aspects of the audit : due professional care, planning, supervision, independence, quality control, internal controls, substantive testing, general and specific compliance testing, and the Schedule of Federal Awards.

Report on Quality Control Review of the Raich Ende Malter & Co. LLP FY 2009 Single Audit of the Riverside Research Institute

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-07

compliance was based on a determination that 10 of the 14 compliance requirements were applicable to the Institute. However, the audit working papers...for all 14 of the compliance requirements were not adequate to support conclusions on applicability, internal control, and the audit opinion on...compliance with laws, regulations, and award provisions applicable to the R&D cluster program. In addition, the audit firm did not appropriately report an

Quality improvement for patients with hip fracture: experience from a multi-site audit.

PubMed

Freeman, C; Todd, C; Camilleri-Ferrante, C; Laxton, C; Murrell, P; Palmer, C R; Parker, M; Payne, B; Rushton, N

2002-09-01

The first East Anglian audit of hip fracture was conducted in eight hospitals during 1992. There were significant differences between hospitals in 90-day mortality, development of pressure sores, median lengths of hospital stay, and in most other process measures. Only about half the survivors recovered their pre-fracture physical function. A marked decrease in physical function (for 31%) was associated with postoperative complications. A re-audit was conducted in 1997 as part of a process of continuing quality improvement. This was an interview and record based prospective audit of process and outcome of care with 3 month follow up. Seven hospitals with trauma orthopaedic departments took part in both audits. Results from the 1992 audit and indicator standards for re-audit were circulated to all orthopaedic consultants, care of the elderly consultants, and lead audit facilitators at each hospital. Processes likely to reduce postoperative complications and improve patient outcomes at 90 days. As this was a multi-site audit, the project group had no direct power to bring about changes within individual NHS hospital trusts. Significant increases were seen in pharmaceutical thromboembolic prophylaxis (from 45% to 81%) and early mobilisation (from 56% to 70%) between 1992 and 1997. There were reduced levels of pneumonia, wound infection, pressure sores, and fatal pulmonary embolism, but no change was recorded in 3 month functional outcomes or mortality. While some hospitals had made improvements in care by 1997, others were failing to maintain their level of good practice. This highlights the need for continuous quality improvement by repeating the audit cycle in order to reach and then improve standards. Rehabilitation and long term support to improve functional outcomes are key areas for future audit and research.

Using national hip fracture registries and audit databases to develop an international perspective.

PubMed

Johansen, Antony; Golding, David; Brent, Louise; Close, Jacqueline; Gjertsen, Jan-Erik; Holt, Graeme; Hommel, Ami; Pedersen, Alma B; Röck, Niels Dieter; Thorngren, Karl-Göran

2017-10-01

Hip fracture is the commonest reason for older people to need emergency anaesthesia and surgery, and leads to prolonged dependence for many of those who survive. People with this injury are usually identified very early in their hospital care, so hip fracture is an ideal marker condition with which to audit the care offered to older people by health services around the world. We have reviewed the reports of eight national audit programmes, to examine the approach used in each, and highlight differences in case mix, management and outcomes in different countries. The national audits provide a consistent picture of typical patients - an average age of 80 years, with less than a third being men, and a third of all patients having cognitive impairment - but there was surprising variation in the type of fracture, of operation and of anaesthesia and hospital length of stay in different countries. These national audits provide a unique opportunity to compare how health care systems of different countries are responding to the same clinical challenge. This review will encourage the development and reporting of a standardised dataset to support international collaboration in healthcare audit. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DOD Financial Management: Greater Visibility Needed to Better Assess Audit Readiness for Property, Plant, and Equipment

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-01

with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and establish and maintain effective internal control over financial reporting and compliance with... Accountability Office Highlights of GAO-16-383, a report to congressional committees May 2016 DOD FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT Greater Visibility... Accounting Standards Advisory Board FIAR Financial Improvement and Audit Readiness IUS internal-use software NDAA National Defense Authorization Act

UK audit of analysis of quantitative parameters from renography data generated using a physical phantom.

PubMed

Nijran, Kuldip S; Houston, Alex S; Fleming, John S; Jarritt, Peter H; Heikkinen, Jari O; Skrypniuk, John V

2014-07-01

In this second UK audit of quantitative parameters obtained from renography, phantom simulations were used in cases in which the 'true' values could be estimated, allowing the accuracy of the parameters measured to be assessed. A renal physical phantom was used to generate a set of three phantom simulations (six kidney functions) acquired on three different gamma camera systems. A total of nine phantom simulations and three real patient studies were distributed to UK hospitals participating in the audit. Centres were asked to provide results for the following parameters: relative function and time-to-peak (whole kidney and cortical region). As with previous audits, a questionnaire collated information on methodology. Errors were assessed as the root mean square deviation from the true value. Sixty-one centres responded to the audit, with some hospitals providing multiple sets of results. Twenty-one centres provided a complete set of parameter measurements. Relative function and time-to-peak showed a reasonable degree of accuracy and precision in most UK centres. The overall average root mean squared deviation of the results for (i) the time-to-peak measurement for the whole kidney and (ii) the relative function measurement from the true value was 7.7 and 4.5%, respectively. These results showed a measure of consistency in the relative function and time-to-peak that was similar to the results reported in a previous renogram audit by our group. Analysis of audit data suggests a reasonable degree of accuracy in the quantification of renography function using relative function and time-to-peak measurements. However, it is reasonable to conclude that the objectives of the audit could not be fully realized because of the limitations of the mechanical phantom in providing true values for renal parameters.

Pilot of the Modern Army Recordkeeping System (MARKS) at Headquarters, U.S. Army Armor Center and Fort Knox, Fort Knox, Kentucky, January-December 1984.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-05-01

Clothing and Textile Materiel 341 Standardization 36 Audit 37 Financial Administration 410 Medical Services 50 Nuclear and Chemical Weapons and Materiel 55...Transaction Files 314-18 210-60b NAF Report of Audit Files 314-27 36-5a NAF Payroll Control Files 36-75a 316-01 36-2a GAO Audit Reporting Files 36-5b 316-02...ll-7a Internal Review Files 316-03 36-5c AAA Audit Reporting Files 316-15 36-5d DAS Audit Reporting Files 319-12 37-107a Commercial Account Claim

Oversight of the Air Force - What is the Audit Component and How Can Air Force Managers Deal with It Effectively?

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-05-01

This report discusses authority, mission, and responsibilities of the audit organizations that perform oversight of Air Force operations. A...the discussion of the major audit organizations. The audit oversight function is here to stay. Auditors and audit organizations can be beneficial to Air

34 CFR Appendix A to Subpart B of... - Standards for Audit of Governmental Organizations, Programs, Activities, and Functions (GAO)

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 34 Education 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Standards for Audit of Governmental Organizations... Programs Pt. 668, Subpt. B, App. A Appendix A to Subpart B of Part 668—Standards for Audit of Governmental... standard for governmental auditing is: In matters relating to the audit work, the audit organization and...

NASA Audit Follow-up Handbook

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

This NASA Audit Follow-up Handbook is issued pursuant to the requirements of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-50, Audit Follow-up, dated September 29, 1982. It sets forth policy, uniform performance standards, and procedural guidance to NASA personnel for use when considering reports issued by the Office of Inspector General (OIG), other executive branch audit organizations, the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA), and the General Accounting Office (GAO). It is intended to: specify principal roles; strengthen the procedures for management decisions (resolution) on audit findings and corrective action on audit report recommendations; emphasize the importance of monitoring agreed upon corrective actions to assure actual accomplishment; and foster the use of audit reports as effective tools of management. A flow chart depicting the NASA audit and management decision process is in Appendix A. This handbook is a controlled handbook issued in loose-leaf form and will be revised by page changes. Additional copies for internal use may be obtained through normal distribution channels.

A Novel Network Attack Audit System based on Multi-Agent Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jianping, Wang; Min, Chen; Xianwen, Wu

A network attack audit system which includes network attack audit Agent, host audit Agent and management control center audit Agent is proposed. And the improved multi-agent technology is carried out in the network attack audit Agent which has achieved satisfactory audit results. The audit system in terms of network attack is just in-depth, and with the function improvement of network attack audit Agent, different attack will be better analyzed and audit. In addition, the management control center Agent should manage and analyze audit results from AA (or HA) and audit data on time. And the history files of network packets and host log data should also be audit to find deeper violations that cannot be found in real time.

A Comparative Study of Financial Data Sources for Critical Access Hospitals: Audited Financial Statements, the Medicare Cost Report, and the Internal Revenue Service Form 990

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozmeral, Alisha Bhadelia; Reiter, Kristin L.; Holmes, George M.; Pink, George H.

2012-01-01

Purpose: Medicare Cost Reports (MCR), Internal Revenue Service Form 990s (IRS 990), and Audited Financial Statements (AFS) vary in their content, detail, purpose, timeliness, and certification. The purpose of this study was to compare selected financial data elements and characterize the extent of differences in financial data and ratios across…

Final Report on the Audit of Subcontract Prices on Firm-Fixed-Price Contracts Awarded to McDonnell Aircraft Company

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-12-03

This is our final report on the audit of Subcontract Prices on Firm-Fixed-Price Contracts Awarded to McDonnell Aircraft Company (MCAIR). The Contract Management Directorate made the audit from October 1989 through June 1990. The objective of the audit was to compare proposed and negotiated subcontract prices and determine reasons for significant variances. We also evaluated applicable internal control procedures. For a 6-month period ending December 1989, MCAIR issued 517 subcontracts valued at $679 million.

Risk of future trauma based on alcohol screening scores: A two-year prospective cohort study among US veterans

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Severe alcohol misuse as measured by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test–Consumption (AUDIT-C) is associated with increased risk of future fractures and trauma-related hospitalizations. This study examined the association between AUDIT-C scores and two-year risk of any type of trauma among US Veterans Health Administration (VHA) patients and assessed whether risk varied by age or gender. Methods Outpatients (215, 924 male and 9168 female) who returned mailed AUDIT-C questionnaires were followed for 24 months in the medical record for any International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-9) code related to trauma. The two-year prevalence of trauma was examined as a function of AUDIT-C scores, with low-level drinking (AUDIT-C 1–4) as the reference group. Men and women were examined separately, and age-stratified analyses were performed. Results Having an AUDIT-C score of 9–12 (indicating severe alcohol misuse) was associated with increased risk for trauma. Mean (SD) ages for men and women were 68.2 (11.5) and 57.2 (15.8), respectively. Age-stratified analyses showed that, for men ≤50 years, those with AUDIT-C scores ≥9 had an increased risk for trauma compared with those with AUDIT-C scores in the 1–4 range (adjusted prevalence, 25.7% versus 20.8%, respectively; OR = 1.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03–1.50). For men ≥65 years with average comorbidity and education, those with AUDIT-C scores of 5–8 (adjusted prevalence, 7.9% versus 7.4%; OR = 1.16; 95% CI, 1.02–1.31) and 9–12 (adjusted prevalence 11.1% versus 7.4%; OR = 1.68; 95% CI, 1.30–2.17) were at significantly increased risk for trauma compared with men ≥65 years in the reference group. Higher AUDIT-C scores were not associated with increased risk of trauma among women. Conclusions Men with severe alcohol misuse (AUDIT-C 9–12) demonstrate an increased risk of trauma. Men ≥65 showed an increased risk for trauma at all levels of alcohol misuse (AUDIT-C 5–8 and 9–12). These findings may be used as part of an evidence-based brief intervention for alcohol use disorders. More research is needed to understand the relationship between AUDIT-C scores and risk of trauma in women. PMID:22966411

The changing role of internal auditors in health care.

PubMed

Edwards, D E; Kusel, J; Oxner, T H

2000-08-01

Two surveys of directors of internal auditing in health care conducted in 1990 and 1998 found that healthcare internal auditors are spending proportionately more time on management and operational improvement activities and less time on traditional financial/compliance activities. The average staff size has remained relatively constant, but salaries at all levels of experience have risen. More importantly, the tenure of healthcare internal auditors has increased significantly since 1990. The profile of the healthcare internal auditing director also has changed. The director is older, more experienced, and has held the position for twice as long as was the case in 1990. On the other hand, the director is more stressed and less satisfied with compensation.

What can we learn from a decade of database audits? The Duke Clinical Research Institute experience, 1997--2006.

PubMed

Rostami, Reza; Nahm, Meredith; Pieper, Carl F

2009-04-01

Despite a pressing and well-documented need for better sharing of information on clinical trials data quality assurance methods, many research organizations remain reluctant to publish descriptions of and results from their internal auditing and quality assessment methods. We present findings from a review of a decade of internal data quality audits performed at the Duke Clinical Research Institute, a large academic research organization that conducts data management for a diverse array of clinical studies, both academic and industry-sponsored. In so doing, we hope to stimulate discussions that could benefit the wider clinical research enterprise by providing insight into methods of optimizing data collection and cleaning, ultimately helping patients and furthering essential research. We present our audit methodologies, including sampling methods, audit logistics, sample sizes, counting rules used for error rate calculations, and characteristics of audited trials. We also present database error rates as computed according to two analytical methods, which we address in detail, and discuss the advantages and drawbacks of two auditing methods used during this 10-year period. Our review of the DCRI audit program indicates that higher data quality may be achieved from a series of small audits throughout the trial rather than through a single large database audit at database lock. We found that error rates trended upward from year to year in the period characterized by traditional audits performed at database lock (1997-2000), but consistently trended downward after periodic statistical process control type audits were instituted (2001-2006). These increases in data quality were also associated with cost savings in auditing, estimated at 1000 h per year, or the efforts of one-half of a full time equivalent (FTE). Our findings are drawn from retrospective analyses and are not the result of controlled experiments, and may therefore be subject to unanticipated confounding. In addition, the scope and type of audits we examine here are specific to our institution, and our results may not be broadly generalizable. Use of statistical process control methodologies may afford advantages over more traditional auditing methods, and further research will be necessary to confirm the reliability and usability of such techniques. We believe that open and candid discussion of data quality assurance issues among academic and clinical research organizations will ultimately benefit the entire research community in the coming era of increased data sharing and re-use.

77 FR 6595 - Notice of Sunshine Act Meeting; Audit Committee of the Board of Directors

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-08

..., Assistant Corporate Secretary (202) 220-2376; [email protected] . AGENDA: I. CALL TO ORDER II. External Auditor's Presentation III. Executive Session with External Auditors IV. Executive Session with Internal Audit Director V...

Towards an integration of affiliated companies energy audit process system at P.T Astra International

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Telaga, Abdi Suryadinata; Hartanto, Indra Dwi; Audina, Debby Rizky; Prabowo, Fransiscus Dimas

2017-06-01

Environmental awareness, stringent regulation and soaring energy costs, together make energy efficiency as an important pillar for every company. Particularly, in 2020, the ministry of energy and mineral resources of Indonesia has set a target to reduce carbon emission by 26%. For that reason, companies in Indonesia have to comply with the emission target. However, there is trade-off between company's productivity and carbon emission. Therefore, the companies' productivity must be weighed against the environmental effect such as carbon emission. Nowadays, distinguish excessive energy in a company is still challenging. The company rarely has skilled person that capable to audit energy consumed in the company. Auditing energy consumption in a company is a lengthy and time consuming process. As PT Astra International (AI) have 220 affiliated companies (AFFCOs). Occasionally, direct visit to audit energy consumption in AFFCOs is inevitable. However, capability to conduct on-site energy audit was limited by the availability of PT AI energy auditors. For that reason, PT AI has developed a set of audit energy tools or Astra green energy (AGEn) tools to aid the AFFCOs auditor to be able to audit energy in their own company. Fishbone chart was developed as an analysis tool to gather root cause of audit energy problem. Following the analysis results, PT AI made an improvement by developing an AGEn web-based system. The system has capability to help AFFCOs to conduct energy audit on-site. The system was developed using prototyping methodology, object-oriented system analysis and design (OOSAD), and three-tier architecture. The implementation of system used ASP.NET, Microsoft SQL Server 2012 database, and web server IIS 8.

Financial Audit. Federal Family Education Loan Program's Financial Statements for Fiscal Years 1993 and 1992. Report to the Congress and the Secretary of Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

General Accounting Office, Washington, DC.

This report presents findings of an audit of the Principal Statements of the Department of Education's (ED) Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) and its internal controls and compliance with laws and regulations for the fiscal years ending September 30, 1993, and September 30, 1992. The audit investigated whether the Principal Statements…

The Brazilian Audit Tribunal's role in improving the federal environmental licensing process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lima, Luiz Henrique, E-mail: luizhlima@terra.com.b; Magrini, Alessandra, E-mail: ale@ppe.ufrj.b; Centro de Tecnologia - Bloco C Sala 211, Ilha do Fundao, 21949-900 - Rio de Janeiro, Caixa-Postal: 68565, RJ

This article describes the role played by the Brazilian Audit Tribunal (Tribunal de Contas da Uniao - TCU) in the external auditing of environmental management in Brazil, highlighting the findings of an operational audit conducted in 2007 of the federal environmental licensing process. Initially, it records the constitutional and legal framework of Brazilian environmental licensing, describing the powers and duties granted to federal, state and municipal institutions. In addition, it presents the responsibilities of the TCU in the environmental area, comparing these with those of other Supreme Audit Institutions (SAI) that are members of the International Organization of Supreme Auditmore » Institutions (INTOSAI). It also describes the work carried out in the operational audit of the Brazilian environmental licensing process and its main conclusions and recommendations. Finally, it draws a parallel between the findings and recommendations made in Brazil with those of academic studies and audits conducted in other countries.« less

Identifying best practices for audit committees.

PubMed

Burke, J V; Luecke, R W; Meeting, D

1996-06-01

Most healthcare organizations have an audit committee of the governing board, or a finance committee, that fulfills the audit oversight function. Financial managers play a key role in shaping the content, agency, and operation of the audit committee. The findings of a recent research study conducted by Arthur Anderson & Co., SC, into the best practices of audit committees have implications for healthcare organizations.

The ICA Communication Audit: Rationale and Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldhaber, Gerald M.

After reviewing previous research on communication in organizations, the Organizational Communication Division of the International Communication Association (ICA) decided, in 1971, to develop its own measurement system, the ICA Communication Audit. Rigorous pilot-testing, refinement, standardization, and application would allow the construction…

Suboptimal care and perinatal mortality in ten European regions: methodology and evaluation of an international audit.

PubMed

Richardus, J H; Graafmans, W C; Bergsjø, P; Lloyd, D J; Bakketeig, L S; Bannon, E M; Borkent-Polet, M; Davidson, L L; Defoort, P; Leitão, A Esparteiro; Langhoff-Roos, J; Garcia, A Moral; Papantoniou, N E; Wennergren, M; Amelink-Verburg, M P; Verloove-Vanhorick, S P; Mackenbach, J P

2003-10-01

A European concerted action (the EuroNatal study) investigated differences in perinatal mortality between countries of Europe. This report describes the methods used in the EuroNatal international audit and discusses the validity of the results. Perinatal deaths between 1993 and 1998 in regions of ten European countries were identified. The categories of death chosen for the study were singleton fetal deaths at 28 or more weeks of gestational age, all intrapartum deaths at 28 or more weeks of gestational age and neonatal deaths at 34 or more weeks of gestational age. Deaths with major congenital anomalies were excluded. An international audit panel used explicit criteria to review all cases, which were blinded for region. Subjective interpretation was used in cases of events or interventions where explicit criteria did not exist. Suboptimal factors were identified in the antenatal, intrapartum and neonatal periods, and classified as 'maternal/social', due to 'infrastructure/service organization', or due to 'professional care delivery'. The contribution of each suboptimal factor to the fatal outcome was listed and consensus was reached on a final grade using a procedure that included correspondence and plenary meetings. In all regions combined, 90% of all known or estimated cases in the selected categories were included in the audit. In total, 1619 cases of perinatal death were audited. Consensus was reached in 1543 (95%) cases. In 75% of all cases, the grade was based on explicit criteria. In the remaining cases, consensus was reached within subpanels without reference to predefined criteria. There was reasonable to good agreement between and within subpanels, and within panel members. The international audit procedure proved feasible and led to consistent results. The results that relate to suboptimal care will need to be studied in depth in order to reach conclusions about their implications for assessing the quality of perinatal care in the individual regions.

Comprehensive Auditing in Nuclear Medicine Through the International Atomic Energy Agency Quality Management Audits in Nuclear Medicine Program. Part 2: Analysis of Results.

PubMed

Dondi, Maurizio; Torres, Leonel; Marengo, Mario; Massardo, Teresa; Mishani, Eyal; Van Zyl Ellmann, Annare; Solanki, Kishor; Bischof Delaloye, Angelika; Lobato, Enrique Estrada; Miller, Rodolfo Nunez; Ordonez, Felix Barajas; Paez, Diana; Pascual, Thomas

2017-11-01

The International Atomic Energy Agency has developed a program, named Quality Management Audits in Nuclear Medicine (QUANUM), to help its Member States to check the status of their nuclear medicine practices and their adherence to international reference standards, covering all aspects of nuclear medicine, including quality assurance/quality control of instrumentation, radiopharmacy (further subdivided into levels 1, 2, and 3, according to complexity of work), radiation safety, clinical applications, as well as managerial aspects. The QUANUM program is based on both internal and external audits and, with specifically developed Excel spreadsheets, it helps assess the level of conformance (LoC) to those previously defined quality standards. According to their level of implementation, the level of conformance to requested standards; 0 (absent) up to 4 (full conformance). Items scored 0, 1, and 2 are considered non-conformance; items scored 3 and 4 are considered conformance. To assess results of the audit missions performed worldwide over the last 8 years, a retrospective analysis has been run on reports from a total of 42 audit missions in 39 centers, three of which had been re-audited. The analysis of all audit reports has shown an overall LoC of 73.9 ± 8.3% (mean ± standard deviation), ranging between 56.6% and 87.9%. The highest LoC has been found in the area of clinical services (83.7% for imaging and 87.9% for therapy), whereas the lowest levels have been found for Radiopharmacy Level 2 (56.6%); Computer Systems and Data Handling (66.6%); and Evaluation of the Quality Management System (67.6%). Prioritization of non-conformances produced a total of 1687 recommendations in the final audit report. Depending on the impact on safety and daily clinical activities, they were further classified as critical (requiring immediate action; n = 276; 16% of the total); major (requiring action in relatively short time, typically from 3 to 6 months; n = 604; 36%); whereas the remaining 807 (48%) were classified as minor, that is, to be addressed whenever possible. The greatest proportion of recommendations has been found in the category "Managerial, Organization and Documentation" (26%); "Staff Radiation Protection and Safety" (17.3%); "Radiopharmaceuticals Preparation, Dispensing and Handling" (15.8%); and "Quality Assurance/Quality Control" and "Management of Equipment and Software" (11.4%). The lowest level of recommendations belongs to the item "Human Resources" (4%). The QUANUM program proved applicable to a wide variety of institutions, from small practices to larger centers with PET/CT and cyclotrons. Clinical services rendered to patients showed a good compliance with international standards, whereas issues related to radiation protection of both staff and patients will require a higher degree of attention. This is a relevant feedback for the International Atomic Energy Agency with regard to the effective translation of safety recommendations into routine practice. Training on drafting and application of standard operating procedures should also be considered a priority. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Measuring use of electronic health record functionality using system audit information.

PubMed

Bowes, Watson A

2010-01-01

Meaningful and efficient methods for measuring Electronic Health Record (EHR) adoption and functional usage patterns have recently become important for hospitals, clinics, and health care networks in the United State due to recent government initiatives to increase EHR use. To date, surveys have been the method of choice to measure EHR adoption. This paper describes another method for measuring EHR adoption which capitalizes on audit logs, which are often common components of modern EHRs. An Audit Data Mart is described which identified EHR functionality within 836 Departments, within 22 Hospitals and 170 clinics at Intermountain Healthcare, a large integrated delivery system. The Audit Data Mart successfully identified important and differing EHR functional usage patterns. These patterns were useful in strategic planning, tracking EHR implementations, and will likely be utilized to assist in documentation of "Meaningful Use" of EHR functionality.

The ADIPS pilot National Diabetes in Pregnancy Audit Project.

PubMed

Simmons, David; Cheung, N Wah; McIntyre, H David; Flack, Jeff R; Lagstrom, Janet; Bond, Dianne; Johnson, Elizabeth; Wolmarans, Louise; Wein, Peter; Sinha, Ashim K

2007-06-01

Limited resources are available to compare outcomes of pregnancies complicated by diabetes across different centres. To compare the use of paper, stand alone and networked electronic processes for a sustainable, systematic international audit of diabetes in pregnancy care. Development of diabetes in pregnancy minimum dataset using nominal group technique, email user survey of difficulties with audit tools and collation of audit data from nine pilot sites across Australia and New Zealand. Seventy-nine defined data items were collected: 33 were for all women, nine for those with gestational diabetes (GDM) and 37 for women with pregestational diabetes. After the pilot, four new fields were requested and 18 fields had queries regarding utility or definition. A range of obstacles hampered the implementation of the audit including Medical Records Committee processes, other medical/non-medical staff not initially involved, temporary staff, multiple clinical records used by different parts of the health service, difficulty obtaining the postnatal test results and time constraints. Implementation of electronic audits in both the networked and the stand-alone settings had additional problems relating to the need to nest within pre-existing systems. Among the 496 women (45 type 1; 43 type 2; 399 GDM) across the nine centres, there were substantial differences in key quality and outcome indicators between sites. We conclude that an international, multicentre audit and benchmarking program is feasible and sustainable, but can be hampered by pre-existing processes, particularly in the initial introduction of electronic methods.

Report on the Audit of Materials Technology

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-01-25

We are providing this report on the Audit of Materials Technology for your information and use. No comments were required or received on the draft...report. The audit was made from July through September 1989. The objectives of the audit were to evaluate the missions and functions assigned to DOD

77 FR 14042 - Notice of Proposed Audit Delegation Renewal for the State of New Mexico

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-08

... of Proposed Audit Delegation Renewal for the State of New Mexico AGENCY: Office of Natural Resources... of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR) renew current delegations of audit and investigation authority... royalty management functions of conducting audits and investigations. The State requests delegation of...

Auditing as Institutional Research: A Qualitative Focus.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fetterman, David M.

1991-01-01

Internal institutional auditing can improve effectiveness and efficiency and protect an institution's assets. Many of the concepts and techniques used to analyze higher education institutions are qualitative in nature and suited to institutional research, including fiscal, operational, data-processing, investigative, management consulting,…

28 CFR 64.2 - Designated officers and employees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., perform audit functions, or perform other investigative or enforcement functions in administering the..., inspection or audit functions of the Office of Inspector General of an “establishment” or a “designated... functions; (x) Employees of the Social Security Administration assigned to Administration field offices...

28 CFR 64.2 - Designated officers and employees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., perform audit functions, or perform other investigative or enforcement functions in administering the..., inspection or audit functions of the Office of Inspector General of an “establishment” or a “designated... functions; (x) Employees of the Social Security Administration assigned to Administration field offices...

Three lines of defence model and the role of internal audit activities as the response to the global economic crisis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dragičević Radičević, T.; Stojanović Trivanović, M.; Stanojević, Lj

2017-05-01

The existing framework of corporate governance has shown a number of weaknesses, and the result was a new economic crisis at the global level. The main problems were identified as: increased risk of investors, non-transparency of information, conflict of interest between corporation subjects. European Institute of Internal Auditors in response to the strengthening the trust in information, shareholders activism, better communication, which all will lead to the reduction of risks and restore investors confidence, proposed the Model Three Lines of Defence, where the key role has internal audit.

[Standard of integration management at company level and its auditing].

PubMed

Flach, T; Hetzel, C; Mozdzanowski, M; Schian, H-M

2006-10-01

Responsibility at company level for the employment of workers with health-related problems or disabilities has increased, inter alia because of integration management at company level according to section 84 (2) of the German Social Code Book IX. Although several recommendations exist, no standard is available for auditing and certification. Such a standard could be a basis for granting premiums according to section 84 (3) of Book IX of the German Social Code. AUDIT AND CERTIFICATION: One product of the international "disability management" movement is the "Consensus Based Disability Management Audit" (CBDMA). The Audit is a systematic and independent measurement of the effectiveness of integration management at company level. CBDMA goals are to give evidence of the quality of the integration management implemented, to identify opportunities for improvement and recommend appropriate corrective and preventive action. In May 2006, the integration management of Ford-Werke GmbH Germany with about 23 900 employees was audited and certified as the first company in Europe. STANDARD OF INTEGRATION MANAGEMENT AT COMPANY LEVEL: In dialogue with corporate practitioners, the international standard of CBDMA has been adapted, completed and verified concerning its practicability. Process orientation is the key approach, and the structure is similar to DIN EN ISO 9001:2000. Its structure is as follows: (1) management-labour responsibility (goals and objectives, program planning, management-labour review), (2) management of resources (disability manager and DM team, employees' participation, cooperation with external partners, infrastructure), (3) communication (internal and external public relations), (4) case management (identifying cases, contact, situation analysis, planning actions, implementing actions and monitoring, process and outcome evaluation), (5) analysis and improvement (analysis and program evaluation), (6) documentation (manual, records).

Validating dose rate calibration of radiotherapy photon beams through IAEA/WHO postal audit dosimetry service.

PubMed

Jangda, Abdul Qadir; Hussein, Sherali

2012-05-01

In external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), the quality assurance (QA) of the radiation beam is crucial to the accurate delivery of the prescribed dose to the patient. One of the dosimetric parameters that require monitoring is the beam output, specified as the dose rate on the central axis under reference conditions. The aim of this project was to validate dose rate calibration of megavoltage photon beams using the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)/World Health Organisation (WHO) postal audit dosimetry service. Three photon beams were audited: a 6 MV beam from the low-energy linac and 6 and 18 MV beams from a dual high-energy linac. The agreement between our stated doses and the IAEA results was within 1% for the two 6 MV beams and within 2% for the 18 MV beam. The IAEA/WHO postal audit dosimetry service provides an independent verification of dose rate calibration protocol by an international facility.

Introduction of a qualitative perinatal audit at Muhimbili National Hospital, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

PubMed Central

Kidanto, Hussein L; Mogren, Ingrid; van Roosmalen, Jos; Thomas, Angela N; Massawe, Siriel N; Nystrom, Lennarth; Lindmark, Gunilla

2009-01-01

Background Perinatal death is a devastating experience for the mother and of concern in clinical practice. Regular perinatal audit may identify suboptimal care related to perinatal deaths and thus appropriate measures for its reduction. The aim of this study was to perform a qualitative perinatal audit of intrapartum and early neonatal deaths and propose means of reducing the perinatal mortality rate (PMR). Methods From 1st August, 2007 to 31st December, 2007 we conducted an audit of perinatal deaths (n = 133) with birth weight 1500 g or more at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH). The audit was done by three obstetricians, two external and one internal auditors. Each auditor independently evaluated the cases narratives. Suboptimal factors were identified in the antepartum, intrapartum and early neonatal period and classified into three levels of delay (community, infrastructure and health care). The contribution of each suboptimal factor to adverse perinatal outcome was identified and the case graded according to possible avoidability. Degree of agreement between auditors was assessed by the kappa coefficient. Results The PMR was 92 per 1000 total births. Suboptimal factors were identified in 80% of audited cases and half of suboptimal factors were found to be the likely cause of adverse perinatal outcome and were preventable. Poor foetal heart monitoring during labour was indirectly associated with over 40% of perinatal death. There was a poor to fair agreement between external and internal auditors. Conclusion There are significant areas of care that need improvement. Poor monitoring during labour was a major cause of avoidable perinatal mortality. This type of audit was a good starting point for quality assurance at MNH. Regular perinatal audits to identify avoidable causes of perinatal deaths with feed back to the staff may be a useful strategy to reduce perinatal mortality. PMID:19765312

What can we learn from a decade of database audits? The Duke Clinical Research Institute experience, 1997–2006

PubMed Central

Rostami, Reza; Nahm, Meredith; Pieper, Carl F.

2011-01-01

Background Despite a pressing and well-documented need for better sharing of information on clinical trials data quality assurance methods, many research organizations remain reluctant to publish descriptions of and results from their internal auditing and quality assessment methods. Purpose We present findings from a review of a decade of internal data quality audits performed at the Duke Clinical Research Institute, a large academic research organization that conducts data management for a diverse array of clinical studies, both academic and industry-sponsored. In so doing, we hope to stimulate discussions that could benefit the wider clinical research enterprise by providing insight into methods of optimizing data collection and cleaning, ultimately helping patients and furthering essential research. Methods We present our audit methodologies, including sampling methods, audit logistics, sample sizes, counting rules used for error rate calculations, and characteristics of audited trials. We also present database error rates as computed according to two analytical methods, which we address in detail, and discuss the advantages and drawbacks of two auditing methods used during this ten-year period. Results Our review of the DCRI audit program indicates that higher data quality may be achieved from a series of small audits throughout the trial rather than through a single large database audit at database lock. We found that error rates trended upward from year to year in the period characterized by traditional audits performed at database lock (1997–2000), but consistently trended downward after periodic statistical process control type audits were instituted (2001–2006). These increases in data quality were also associated with cost savings in auditing, estimated at 1000 hours per year, or the efforts of one-half of a full time equivalent (FTE). Limitations Our findings are drawn from retrospective analyses and are not the result of controlled experiments, and may therefore be subject to unanticipated confounding. In addition, the scope and type of audits we examine here are specific to our institution, and our results may not be broadly generalizable. Conclusions Use of statistical process control methodologies may afford advantages over more traditional auditing methods, and further research will be necessary to confirm the reliability and usability of such techniques. We believe that open and candid discussion of data quality assurance issues among academic and clinical research organizations will ultimately benefit the entire research community in the coming era of increased data sharing and re-use. PMID:19342467

Computer assisted audit techniques for UNIX (UNIX-CAATS)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Polk, W.T.

1991-12-31

Federal and DOE regulations impose specific requirements for internal controls of computer systems. These controls include adequate separation of duties and sufficient controls for access of system and data. The DOE Inspector General`s Office has the responsibility to examine internal controls, as well as efficient use of computer system resources. As a result, DOE supported NIST development of computer assisted audit techniques to examine BSD UNIX computers (UNIX-CAATS). These systems were selected due to the increasing number of UNIX workstations in use within DOE. This paper describes the design and development of these techniques, as well as the results ofmore » testing at NIST and the first audit at a DOE site. UNIX-CAATS consists of tools which examine security of passwords, file systems, and network access. In addition, a tool was developed to examine efficiency of disk utilization. Test results at NIST indicated inadequate password management, as well as weak network resource controls. File system security was considered adequate. Audit results at a DOE site indicated weak password management and inefficient disk utilization. During the audit, we also found improvements to UNIX-CAATS were needed when applied to large systems. NIST plans to enhance the techniques developed for DOE/IG in future work. This future work would leverage currently available tools, along with needed enhancements. These enhancements would enable DOE/IG to audit large systems, such as supercomputers.« less

Computer assisted audit techniques for UNIX (UNIX-CAATS)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Polk, W.T.

1991-01-01

Federal and DOE regulations impose specific requirements for internal controls of computer systems. These controls include adequate separation of duties and sufficient controls for access of system and data. The DOE Inspector General's Office has the responsibility to examine internal controls, as well as efficient use of computer system resources. As a result, DOE supported NIST development of computer assisted audit techniques to examine BSD UNIX computers (UNIX-CAATS). These systems were selected due to the increasing number of UNIX workstations in use within DOE. This paper describes the design and development of these techniques, as well as the results ofmore » testing at NIST and the first audit at a DOE site. UNIX-CAATS consists of tools which examine security of passwords, file systems, and network access. In addition, a tool was developed to examine efficiency of disk utilization. Test results at NIST indicated inadequate password management, as well as weak network resource controls. File system security was considered adequate. Audit results at a DOE site indicated weak password management and inefficient disk utilization. During the audit, we also found improvements to UNIX-CAATS were needed when applied to large systems. NIST plans to enhance the techniques developed for DOE/IG in future work. This future work would leverage currently available tools, along with needed enhancements. These enhancements would enable DOE/IG to audit large systems, such as supercomputers.« less

Enhancing compliance at Department of Defense facilities: comparison of three environmental audit tools.

PubMed

Hepler, Jeff A; Neumann, Cathy

2003-04-01

To enhance environmental compliance, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) recently developed and implemented a standardized environmental audit tool called The Environmental Assessment and Management (TEAM) Guide. Utilization of a common audit tool (TEAM Guide) throughout DOD agencies could be an effective agent of positive change. If, however, the audit tool is inappropriate, environmental compliance at DOD facilities could worsen. Furthermore, existing audit systems such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (U.S. EPA's) Generic Protocol for Conducting Environmental Audits of Federal Facilities and the International Organization for Standardization's (ISO's) Standard 14001, "Environmental Management System Audits," may be abandoned even if they offer significant advantages over TEAM Guide audit tool. Widespread use of TEAM Guide should not take place until thorough and independent evaluation has been performed. The purpose of this paper is to compare DOD's TEAM Guide audit tool with U.S. EPA's Generic Protocol for Conducting Environmental Audits of Federal Facilities and ISO 14001, in order to assess which is most appropriate and effective for DOD facilities, and in particular those operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). USACE was selected as a result of one author's recent experience as a district environmental compliance coordinator responsible for the audit mission at this agency. Specific recommendations for enhancing the quality of environmental audits at all DOD facilities also are given.

Pro: Boards Need Independent, Impartial Experts to Audit Administrative Performance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boonin, Tobyann; Neuwirth, Paul

1983-01-01

Argues that school boards should use outside "management auditors" to help assess operational effectiveness, especially in five areas: internal financial auditing, personnel and payroll, purchasing, construction and repairs, and data processing. Suggests guidelines for hiring management auditors and lists 11 firms that perform management…

48 CFR 701.602-1 - Authority of contracting officers in resolving audit recommendations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Authority of contracting officers in resolving audit recommendations. 701.602-1 Section 701.602-1 Federal Acquisition Regulations System AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT GENERAL FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION SYSTEM Career...

A risk-based auditing process for pharmaceutical manufacturers.

PubMed

Vargo, Susan; Dana, Bob; Rangavajhula, Vijaya; Rönninger, Stephan

2014-01-01

The purpose of this article is to share ideas on developing a risk-based model for the scheduling of audits (both internal and external). Audits are a key element of a manufacturer's quality system and provide an independent means of evaluating the manufacturer's or the supplier/vendor's compliance status. Suggestions for risk-based scheduling approaches are discussed in the article. Pharmaceutical manufacturers are required to establish and implement a quality system. The quality system is an organizational structure defining responsibilities, procedures, processes, and resources that the manufacturer has established to ensure quality throughout the manufacturing process. Audits are a component of the manufacturer's quality system and provide a systematic and an independent means of evaluating the manufacturer's overall quality system and compliance status. Audits are performed at defined intervals for a specified duration. The intention of the audit process is to focus on key areas within the quality system and may not cover all relevant areas during each audit. In this article, the authors provide suggestions for risk-based scheduling approaches to aid pharmaceutical manufacturers in identifying the key focus areas for an audit.

Complete internal audit of a mammography service in a reference institution for breast imaging.

PubMed

Badan, Gustavo Machado; Roveda Júnior, Décio; Ferreira, Carlos Alberto Pecci; de Noronha Junior, Ozeas Alves

2014-01-01

Undertaking of a complete audit of the service of mammography, as recommended by BI-RADS(®), in a private reference institution for breast cancer diagnosis in the city of São Paulo, SP, Brazil, and comparison of results with those recommended by the literature. Retrospective, analytical and cross-sectional study including 8,000 patients submitted to mammography in the period between April 2010 and March 2011, whose results were subjected to an internal audit. The patients were followed-up until December 2012. The radiological classification of 7,249 screening mammograms, according to BI-RADS, was the following: category 0 (1.43%), 1 (7.82%), 2 (80.76%), 3 (8.35%), 4 (1.46%), 5 (0.15%) and 6 (0.03%). The breast cancer detection ratio was 4.8 cases per 1,000 mammograms. Ductal carcinoma in situ was found in 22.8% of cases. Positive predictive values for categories 3, 4 and 5 were 1.3%, 41.3% and 100%, respectively. In the present study, the sensitivity of the method was 97.1% and specificity, 97.4%. The complete internal audit of a service of mammography is essential to evaluate the quality of such service, which reflects on an early breast cancer detection and reduction of mortality rates.

Higher Education as an International Commodity: Ensuring Quality in Partnerships.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodson, Peter J.; Thomas, Harold G.

2001-01-01

Describes how overseas collaborative activity has been particularly popular with many United Kingdom higher education institutions over the past decade, with the Quality Assurance Agency creating an audit agenda to measure the quality of such partnerships. Asserts that existing collaborative audit approaches lack cultural sensitivity and are open…

76 FR 9057 - Capital International, Inc., et al.;

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-16

... Partnership will send its Limited Partners an annual financial statement audited by independent accountants as... for federal and state income tax purposes. \\4\\ ``Audit'' will have the meaning defined in rule 1-02(d... request an exemption from the rule 17f-1(b)(4) requirement that an independent accountant periodically...

75 FR 9638 - Surface Transportation Project Delivery Pilot Program; Caltrans Audit Report

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-03

... practice on a case- by-case basis. The FHWA recommends that Caltrans develop a departmentwide, holistic corrective action management approach and system that will develop and implement an internal process review... the Pilot Program. During the on-site audit, Caltrans staff and management continued to express...

A Library Communication Audit for the Twenty-First Century

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chalmers, Mardi; Liedtka, Theresa; Bednar, Carol

2006-01-01

This article describes a case study relating to an internal communication audit conducted in a large academic library that assessed existing information channels during a period of organizational change in order to recommend improvements. A communications task force developed and administered a survey instrument and then analyzed data and reported…

A risk-based approach to scheduling audits.

PubMed

Rönninger, Stephan; Holmes, Malcolm

2009-01-01

The manufacture and supply of pharmaceutical products can be a very complex operation. Companies may purchase a wide variety of materials, from active pharmaceutical ingredients to packaging materials, from "in company" suppliers or from third parties. They may also purchase or contract a number of services such as analysis, data management, audit, among others. It is very important that these materials and services are of the requisite quality in order that patient safety and company reputation are adequately protected. Such quality requirements are ongoing throughout the product life cycle. In recent years, assurance of quality has been derived via audit of the supplier or service provider and by using periodic audits, for example, annually or at least once every 5 years. In the past, companies may have used an audit only for what they considered to be "key" materials or services and used testing on receipt, for example, as their quality assurance measure for "less important" supplies. Such approaches changed as a result of pressure from both internal sources and regulators to the time-driven audit for all suppliers and service providers. Companies recognised that eventually they would be responsible for the quality of the supplied product or service and audit, although providing only a "snapshot in time" seemed a convenient way of demonstrating that they were meeting their obligations. Problems, however, still occur with the supplied product or service and will usually be more frequent from certain suppliers. Additionally, some third-party suppliers will no longer accept routine audits from individual companies, as the overall audit load can exceed one external audit per working day. Consequently a different model is needed for assessing supplier quality. This paper presents a risk-based approach to creating an audit plan and for scheduling the frequency and depth of such audits. The approach is based on the principles and process of the Quality Risk Management guideline (ICH Q9) of the International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH). It proposes that if regulatory conditions allow, it may be possible to remove the need to conduct audits on the sole basis of time elapsed since the last audit, or at least to increase the time interval between such audits without compromising either patient safety or company reputation. The proposal is equally applicable to both large and small companies. Small companies may find it particularly useful in cases where they use a supplier that may have a monopoly position or that serves many other pharmaceutical companies. In such circumstances the supplier may be reluctant or even refuse to accept audits from some individual companies because of their low purchasing levels. A similar approach could be proposed for regulatory authorities for the scheduling of regulatory inspections.

Radiotherapy dosimetry audit: three decades of improving standards and accuracy in UK clinical practice and trials.

PubMed

Clark, Catharine H; Aird, Edwin G A; Bolton, Steve; Miles, Elizabeth A; Nisbet, Andrew; Snaith, Julia A D; Thomas, Russell A S; Venables, Karen; Thwaites, David I

2015-01-01

Dosimetry audit plays an important role in the development and safety of radiotherapy. National and large scale audits are able to set, maintain and improve standards, as well as having the potential to identify issues which may cause harm to patients. They can support implementation of complex techniques and can facilitate awareness and understanding of any issues which may exist by benchmarking centres with similar equipment. This review examines the development of dosimetry audit in the UK over the past 30 years, including the involvement of the UK in international audits. A summary of audit results is given, with an overview of methodologies employed and lessons learnt. Recent and forthcoming more complex audits are considered, with a focus on future needs including the arrival of proton therapy in the UK and other advanced techniques such as four-dimensional radiotherapy delivery and verification, stereotactic radiotherapy and MR linear accelerators. The work of the main quality assurance and auditing bodies is discussed, including how they are working together to streamline audit and to ensure that all radiotherapy centres are involved. Undertaking regular external audit motivates centres to modernize and develop techniques and provides assurance, not only that radiotherapy is planned and delivered accurately but also that the patient dose delivered is as prescribed.

Radiotherapy dosimetry audit: three decades of improving standards and accuracy in UK clinical practice and trials

PubMed Central

Aird, Edwin GA; Bolton, Steve; Miles, Elizabeth A; Nisbet, Andrew; Snaith, Julia AD; Thomas, Russell AS; Venables, Karen; Thwaites, David I

2015-01-01

Dosimetry audit plays an important role in the development and safety of radiotherapy. National and large scale audits are able to set, maintain and improve standards, as well as having the potential to identify issues which may cause harm to patients. They can support implementation of complex techniques and can facilitate awareness and understanding of any issues which may exist by benchmarking centres with similar equipment. This review examines the development of dosimetry audit in the UK over the past 30 years, including the involvement of the UK in international audits. A summary of audit results is given, with an overview of methodologies employed and lessons learnt. Recent and forthcoming more complex audits are considered, with a focus on future needs including the arrival of proton therapy in the UK and other advanced techniques such as four-dimensional radiotherapy delivery and verification, stereotactic radiotherapy and MR linear accelerators. The work of the main quality assurance and auditing bodies is discussed, including how they are working together to streamline audit and to ensure that all radiotherapy centres are involved. Undertaking regular external audit motivates centres to modernize and develop techniques and provides assurance, not only that radiotherapy is planned and delivered accurately but also that the patient dose delivered is as prescribed. PMID:26329469

A direct observation method for auditing large urban centers using stratified sampling, mobile GIS technology and virtual environments.

PubMed

Lafontaine, Sean J V; Sawada, M; Kristjansson, Elizabeth

2017-02-16

With the expansion and growth of research on neighbourhood characteristics, there is an increased need for direct observational field audits. Herein, we introduce a novel direct observational audit method and systematic social observation instrument (SSOI) for efficiently assessing neighbourhood aesthetics over large urban areas. Our audit method uses spatial random sampling stratified by residential zoning and incorporates both mobile geographic information systems technology and virtual environments. The reliability of our method was tested in two ways: first, in 15 Ottawa neighbourhoods, we compared results at audited locations over two subsequent years, and second; we audited every residential block (167 blocks) in one neighbourhood and compared the distribution of SSOI aesthetics index scores with results from the randomly audited locations. Finally, we present interrater reliability and consistency results on all observed items. The observed neighbourhood average aesthetics index score estimated from four or five stratified random audit locations is sufficient to characterize the average neighbourhood aesthetics. The SSOI was internally consistent and demonstrated good to excellent interrater reliability. At the neighbourhood level, aesthetics is positively related to SES and physical activity and negatively correlated with BMI. The proposed approach to direct neighbourhood auditing performs sufficiently and has the advantage of financial and temporal efficiency when auditing a large city.

Wartime Expansion Capacity of Military Hospitals in Conus

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-02-27

the Audit of Wartime Expansion Capacity of Military Hospitals in CONUS for your information and use. Comments on a draft of this report were considered in preparing this final report. We made the audit from May through September 1989, at the request of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs) because of a Program Decision Memorandum directed...facilities during wartime. We did not assess the adequacy of internal controls applicable to the audit objectives because reported bed capacities and...mobilization expansion

48 CFR 809.406-1 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

.... (3) Whether the contractor conducted internal and external audits as appropriate. (4) Whether the... contractor conducted periodic reviews of company business practices, procedures, policies, and internal...

Measuring Data Quality Through a Source Data Verification Audit in a Clinical Research Setting.

PubMed

Houston, Lauren; Probst, Yasmine; Humphries, Allison

2015-01-01

Health data has long been scrutinised in relation to data quality and integrity problems. Currently, no internationally accepted or "gold standard" method exists measuring data quality and error rates within datasets. We conducted a source data verification (SDV) audit on a prospective clinical trial dataset. An audit plan was applied to conduct 100% manual verification checks on a 10% random sample of participant files. A quality assurance rule was developed, whereby if >5% of data variables were incorrect a second 10% random sample would be extracted from the trial data set. Error was coded: correct, incorrect (valid or invalid), not recorded or not entered. Audit-1 had a total error of 33% and audit-2 36%. The physiological section was the only audit section to have <5% error. Data not recorded to case report forms had the greatest impact on error calculations. A significant association (p=0.00) was found between audit-1 and audit-2 and whether or not data was deemed correct or incorrect. Our study developed a straightforward method to perform a SDV audit. An audit rule was identified and error coding was implemented. Findings demonstrate that monitoring data quality by a SDV audit can identify data quality and integrity issues within clinical research settings allowing quality improvement to be made. The authors suggest this approach be implemented for future research.

Alaska Power Administration combined financial statements, schedules and supplemental reports, September 30, 1995 and 1994

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-12-31

This report presents the results of the independent certified public accountant`s audit of the Department of Energy`s Alaska Power Administration`s (Alaska) financial statements as of September 30, 1995. The auditors have expressed an unqualified opinion on the 1995 statements. Their reports on Alaska`s internal control structure and on compliance with laws and regulations are also provided. The Alaska Power Administration operates and maintains two hydroelectric projects that include five generator units, three power tunnels and penstocks, and over 88 miles of transmission line. Additional information about Alaska Power Administration is provided in the notes to the financial statements. The 1995more » financial statement audit was made under the provisions of the Inspector General Act (5 U.S.C. App.), as amended, the Chief Financial Officers (CFO) Act (31 U.S.C. 1500), and Office of Management and Budget implementing guidance to the CFO Act. The auditor`s work was conducted in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. To fulfill the audit responsibilities, the authors contracted with the independent public accounting firm of KPMG Peat Marwick (KPMG) to conduct the audit for us, subject to review. The auditor`s report on Alaska`s internal control structure disclosed no reportable conditions that could have a material effect on the financial statements. The auditor also considered the overview and performance measure data for completeness and material consistency with the basic financial statements, as noted in the internal control report. The auditor`s report on compliance with laws and regulations disclosed no instances of noncompliance by Alaska.« less

Time to audit.

PubMed

Smyth, L G; Martin, Z; Hall, B; Collins, D; Mealy, K

2012-09-01

Public and political pressures are increasing on doctors and in particular surgeons to demonstrate competence assurance. While surgical audit is an integral part of surgical practice, its implementation and delivery at a national level in Ireland is poorly developed. Limits to successful audit systems relate to lack of funding and administrative support. In Wexford General Hospital, we have a comprehensive audit system which is based on the Lothian Surgical Audit system. We wished to analyse the amount of time required by the Consultant, NCHDs and clerical staff on one surgical team to run a successful audit system. Data were collected over a calendar month. This included time spent coding and typing endoscopy procedures, coding and typing operative procedures, and typing and signing discharge letters. The total amount of time spent to run the audit system for one Consultant surgeon for one calendar month was 5,168 min or 86.1 h. Greater than 50% of this time related to work performed by administrative staff. Only the intern and administrative staff spent more than 5% of their working week attending to work related to the audit. An integrated comprehensive audit system requires a very little time input by Consultant surgeons. Greater than 90% of the workload in running the audit was performed by the junior house doctors and administrative staff. The main financial implications for national audit implementation would relate to software and administrative staff recruitment. Implementation of the European Working Time Directive in Ireland may limit the time available for NCHD's to participate in clinical audit.

Environmental auditing: Theory and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, Dixon; Wilson, Melvin J.

1994-07-01

The environmental audit has become a regular part of corporate environmental management in Canada and is also gaining recognition in the public sector. A 1991 survey of 75 private sector companies across Canada revealed that 76% (57/75) had established environmental auditing programs. A similar survey of 19 federal, provincial, and municipal government departments revealed that 11% (2/19) had established such programs. The information gained from environmental audits can be used to facilitate and enhance environmental management from the single facility level to the national and international levels. This paper is divided into two sections: section one examines environmental audits at the facility/company level and discusses environmental audit characteristics, trends, and driving forces not commonly found in the available literature. Important conclusions are: that wherever possible, an action plan to correct the identified problems should be an integral part of an audit, and therefore there should be a close working relationship between auditors, managers, and employees, and that the first audits will generally be more difficult, time consuming, and expensive than subsequent audits. Section two looks at environmental audits in the broader context and discusses the relationship between environmental audits and three other environmental information gathering/analysis tools: environmental impact assessments, state of the environment reports, and new systems of national accounts. The argument is made that the information collected by environmental audits and environmental impact assessments at the facility/company level can be used as the bases for regional and national state of the environment reports and new systems of national accounts.

76 FR 17973 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; C2 Options Exchange, Incorporated; Order Approving Proposed Rule...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-31

... office of the Vice Chairman.\\5\\ The primary function of the Vice Chairman's office was to facilitate... Permit Holder committees.\\6\\ The Exchange believes that C2 management is able to perform these functions... eliminate its Audit Committee because its functions are duplicative of the functions performed by the Audit...

Research and audit in effective health services.

PubMed

Thomas, B

This article explores the role of research and audit in the pursuit of effective health services, the differences between the audit and research function, the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to evaluating a service and the impact of an evidence-based approach on patients.

A Proposed Supplemental Teaching Model for Enhancing Students' Understanding of Sarbanes Oxley

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Specht, James; Kagan, Albert; Maanum, Scott D.

2009-01-01

The Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 brought about major changes in how accounting firms conduct audits of publicly traded companies. Corporate officials have additional responsibilities in the areas of internal controls and financial reports. In addition there is a new organization responsible for established auditing standards for publicly traded…

77 FR 23305 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; New York Stock Exchange LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-18

... Organizations Report to the Order Audit Trail System Information Barriers Put Into Place by the Member... Rule 5320 to require that member organizations report to the Order Audit Trail System (``OATS... implements and uses an effective system of internal controls--such as appropriate information barriers--that...

Nineteenth-Century World's Fairs as Accountability Systems: Scopic Systems, Audit Practices and Educational Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sobe, Noah W.; Boven, David T.

2014-01-01

Late-19th century World's Fairs constitute an important chapter in the history of educational accountability. International expositions allowed for educational systems and practices to be "audited" by lay and expert audiences. In this article we examine how World's Fair exhibitors sought to make visible educational practices and…

State University of New York Maritime College: Selected Financial Management Practices.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Office of the Comptroller, Albany. Div. of Management Audit.

This report presents audit findings of the financial management practices at the State University of New York (SUNY) Maritime College, which trains students to become licensed officers in the U.S. Merchant Marines. Specifically, the audit examined whether SUNY Maritime maintains an adequate internal control environment and adequate internal…

Report on Audit for the Year Ended June 30, 2000.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kucharski, Walter J.

This report, from the Auditor of Public Accounts of the Commonwealth of Virginia, discusses an audit of the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) balance sheet as of June 30, 2000. The auditors considered internal controls over financial reporting and tested compliance with certain provisions of laws, regulations, contracts, and grants in…

76 FR 20731 - RINO International Corporation; Order of Suspension of Trading

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-13

..., because the company has failed to disclose that: (i) The outside law firm and forensic accountants hired by the audit committee to investigate allegations of financial fraud at the company resigned on or...; (ii) the chairman of its audit committee resigned on March 31, 2011; and (iii) the company's remaining...

40 CFR Appendix A to Part 31 - Audit Requirements for State and Local Government Recipients

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... operations. A series of audits of individual departments, agencies, and establishments for the same fiscal... assurance the auditor must make a study and evaluation of internal control systems used in administering Federal assistance programs. The study and evaluation must be made whether or not the auditor intends to...

40 CFR Appendix A to Part 31 - Audit Requirements for State and Local Government Recipients

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... operations. A series of audits of individual departments, agencies, and establishments for the same fiscal... assurance the auditor must make a study and evaluation of internal control systems used in administering Federal assistance programs. The study and evaluation must be made whether or not the auditor intends to...

40 CFR Appendix A to Part 31 - Audit Requirements for State and Local Government Recipients

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... operations. A series of audits of individual departments, agencies, and establishments for the same fiscal... assurance the auditor must make a study and evaluation of internal control systems used in administering Federal assistance programs. The study and evaluation must be made whether or not the auditor intends to...

40 CFR Appendix A to Part 31 - Audit Requirements for State and Local Government Recipients

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... operations. A series of audits of individual departments, agencies, and establishments for the same fiscal... assurance the auditor must make a study and evaluation of internal control systems used in administering Federal assistance programs. The study and evaluation must be made whether or not the auditor intends to...

40 CFR Appendix A to Part 31 - Audit Requirements for State and Local Government Recipients

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... operations. A series of audits of individual departments, agencies, and establishments for the same fiscal... assurance the auditor must make a study and evaluation of internal control systems used in administering Federal assistance programs. The study and evaluation must be made whether or not the auditor intends to...

41 CFR 105-55.018 - Exemptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... under, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (26 U.S.C. 1 et seq.); the Social Security Act (42... arising from the audit of transportation accounts pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 3726 will be determined, collected.... 3726 (see 41 CFR part 101-41, administered by the Director, Office of Transportation Audits) and are...

41 CFR 105-55.018 - Exemptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... under, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (26 U.S.C. 1 et seq.); the Social Security Act (42... arising from the audit of transportation accounts pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 3726 will be determined, collected.... 3726 (see 41 CFR part 101-41, administered by the Director, Office of Transportation Audits) and are...

Environmental Audit of the Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1992-02-01

This document contains the findings identified during the Environmental Audit of the Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML), conducted from December 2 to 13, 1991. The Audit included the EML facility located in a fifth-floor General Services Administration (GSA) office building located in New York City, and a remote environmental monitoring station located in Chester, New Jersey. The scope of this Environmental Audit was comprehensive, covering all areas of environmental activities and waste management operations, with the exception of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which is the responsibility of the DOE Headquarters Office of NEPA Oversight. Compliance with applicable Federal, state,more » and local requirements; applicable DOE Orders; and internal facility requirements was addressed.« less

[Integrate the surgical hand disinfection as a quality indicator in an operating room of urology].

PubMed

Francois, M; Girard, R; Mauranne, C C; Ruffion, A; Terrier, J E

2017-12-01

The surgical hand disinfection by friction (SDF) helps to reduce the risk of surgical site infections. For this purpose and in order to promote good compliance to quality care, the urology service of Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud achieved a continuous internal audit to improve the quality of the SDF. An internal audit executed by the medical students of urology was established in 2013. The study population was all operators, instrumentalists and operating aids of urology operating room (OR). Each student realized 5-10 random observations, of all types of professionals. The criteria measured by the audit were criteria for friction. The evolution of indicators was positive. Particularly, the increasing duration of the first and second friction was statistically significant during follow-up (P=0.001). The total duration of friction shows a similar trend for all professionals. The surgical hand disinfection by friction in the urology OR of the Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud has gradually improved over the iterative audits. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

42 CFR 137.22 - May the Secretary consider uncorrected significant and material audit exceptions identified...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... and material audit exceptions identified regarding centralized financial and administrative functions... Tribes for Participation in Self-Governance Planning Phase § 137.22 May the Secretary consider uncorrected significant and material audit exceptions identified regarding centralized financial and...

76 FR 17974 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated; Order Approving...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-31

...\\ Historically, the Vice Chairman's primary function was to facilitate communication between the Exchange and its... proposes to amend its Bylaws to eliminate its Audit Committee because its functions are duplicative of the functions performed by the Audit Committee of its parent company, CBOE Holdings, Inc. (``CBOE Holdings...

Intrathecal baclofen therapy in paediatrics: a study protocol for an Australian multicentre, 10-year prospective audit

PubMed Central

Stewart, Kirsty; Hutana, Gavin; Kentish, Megan

2017-01-01

Introduction Increasing clinical use of Intrathecal baclofen (ITB) in Australian tertiary paediatric hospitals, along with the need for standardised assessment and reporting of adverse events, saw the formation of the Australian Paediatric ITB Research Group (APIRG). APIRG developed a National ITB Audit tool designed to capture clinical outcomes and adverse events data for all Australian children and adolescents receiving ITB therapy. Methods and analysis The Australian ITB Audit is a 10 year, longitudinal, prospective, clinical audit collecting all adverse events and assessment data across body functions and structure, participation and activity level domains of the ICF. Data will be collected at baseline, 6 and 12 months with ongoing capture of all adverse event data. This is the first Australian study that aims to capture clinical and adverse event data from a complete population of children with neurological impairment receiving a specific intervention between 2011 and 2021. This multi-centre study will inform ITB clinical practice in children and adolescents, direct patient selection, record and aid decision making regarding adverse events and investigate the impact of ITB therapy on family and patient quality of life. Ethics and dissemination This project was approved by the individual Human Research Ethics committees at the six Australian tertiary hospitals involved in the study. Results will be published in various peer reviewed journals and presented at national and international conferences. Trial registration number ACTRN 12610000323022; Pre-results. PMID:28637739

Psychometric Properties of Brief Screening Tests for Alcohol Use Disorders during Pregnancy in Argentina.

PubMed

López, Mariana Beatriz; Lichtenberger, Aldana; Conde, Karina; Cremonte, Mariana

2017-07-01

Background  Considering the physical, mental and behavioral problems related to fetal alcohol exposure, prenatal clinical guides suggest a brief evaluation of alcohol consumption during pregnancy to detect alcohol intake and to adjust interventions, if required. Even if any alcohol use should be considered risky during pregnancy, identifying women with alcohol use disorders is important because they could need a more specific intervention than simple advice to abstain. Most screening tests have been developed and validated in male populations and focused on the long-term consequences of heavy alcohol use, so they might be inappropriate to assess consumption in pregnant women. Objective  To analyze the internal reliability and validity of the alcohol screening instruments Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test - Consumption (AUDIT-C), Tolerance, Worried, Eye-Opener, Amnesia and Cut-Down (TWEAK), Rapid Alcohol Problems Screen - Quantity Frequency (RAPS-QF) and Tolerance, Annoyed, Cut-Down and Eye-Opener (T-ACE) to identify alcohol use disorders in pregnant women. Methods  A total of 641 puerperal women were personally interviewed during the 48 hours after delivery. The receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves and the sensitivity and specificity of each instrument using different cut-off points were analyzed. Results  All instruments showed areas under the ROC curves above 0.80. Larger areas were found for the TWEAK and the AUDIT. The TWEAK, the T-ACE and the AUDIT-C showed higher sensitivity, while the AUDIT and the RAPS-QF showed higher specificity. Reliability (internal consistency) was low for all instruments, improving when optimal cut-off points were used, especially for the AUDIT, the AUDIT-C and the RAPS-QF. Conclusions  In other cultural contexts, studies have concluded that T-ACE and TWEAK are the best instruments to assess pregnant women. In contrast, our results evidenced the low reliability of those instruments and a better performance of the AUDIT in this population. Thieme Revinter Publicações Ltda Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Comprehensive Auditing in Nuclear Medicine Through the International Atomic Energy Agency Quality Management Audits in Nuclear Medicine (QUANUM) Program. Part 1: the QUANUM Program and Methodology.

PubMed

Dondi, Maurizio; Torres, Leonel; Marengo, Mario; Massardo, Teresa; Mishani, Eyal; Van Zyl Ellmann, Annare; Solanki, Kishor; Bischof Delaloye, Angelika; Lobato, Enrique Estrada; Miller, Rodolfo Nunez; Paez, Diana; Pascual, Thomas

2017-11-01

An effective management system that integrates quality management is essential for a modern nuclear medicine practice. The Nuclear Medicine and Diagnostic Imaging Section of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has the mission of supporting nuclear medicine practice in low- and middle-income countries and of helping them introduce it in their health-care system, when not yet present. The experience gathered over several years has shown diversified levels of development and varying degrees of quality of practice, among others because of limited professional networking and limited or no opportunities for exchange of experiences. Those findings triggered the development of a program named Quality Management Audits in Nuclear Medicine (QUANUM), aimed at improving the standards of NM practice in low- and middle-income countries to internationally accepted standards through the introduction of a culture of quality management and systematic auditing programs. QUANUM takes into account the diversity of nuclear medicine services around the world and multidisciplinary contributions to the practice. Those contributions include clinical, technical, radiopharmaceutical, and medical physics procedures. Aspects of radiation safety and patient protection are also integral to the process. Such an approach ensures consistency in providing safe services of superior quality to patients. The level of conformance is assessed using standards based on publications of the IAEA and the International Commission on Radiological Protection, and guidelines from scientific societies such as Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) and European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM). Following QUANUM guidelines and by means of a specific assessment tool developed by the IAEA, auditors, both internal and external, will be able to evaluate the level of conformance. Nonconformances will then be prioritized and recommendations will be provided during an exit briefing. The same tool could then be applied to assess any improvement after corrective actions are taken. This is the first comprehensive audit program in nuclear medicine that helps evaluate managerial aspects, safety of patients and workers, clinical practice, and radiopharmacy, and, above all, keeps them under control all together, with the intention of continuous improvement. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

75 FR 80947 - Conflict Minerals

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-23

... require any issuer for which conflict minerals are necessary to the functionality or production of a... measures would include, but would not be limited to, an independent private sector audit of the issuer's... obtained an independent private sector audit of its report, provide the audit report, and make its reports...

[Nursing audit as a professional marketing strategy].

PubMed

Costa, Maria Suêuda; Forte, Benedita Pessoa; Alves, Maria Dalva Santos; Viana, Jamille Forte; Oriá, Mônica Oliveira Batista

2004-01-01

This study relates an audit experience with an interdisciplinary team in public health services at Fortaleza-CE and aims to describe the functional dimension of these audit actions and the its importance for nursing; to define a model with a professional marketing strategy for the nurse. Theoretical bases of contemporary Administration were used to converge with the audit practice experiences. One proposes a new audit nursing strategy in favor of the professional significance, because the nurse currently conducts actions with a scientific marketing identity, but at the unconscious level.

The Effect of Software Features on Software Adoption and Training in the Audit Profession

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Hyo-Jeong

2012-01-01

Although software has been studied with technology adoption and training research, the study of specific software features for professional groups has been limited. To address this gap, I researched the impact of software features of varying complexity on internal audit (IA) professionals. Two studies along with the development of training…

77 FR 23303 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-18

... the Order Audit Trail System Information Barriers Put Into Place by the ETP Holder in Reliance on... report to the Order Audit Trail System (``OATS'') information barriers put into place by the ETP Holder... uses an effective system of internal controls--such as appropriate information barriers--that operate...

FY 2012 Audit Plan

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-01

September 30, 2012 and 2011 Objective: Determine whether KPMG complied, in all material respects, with U.S. generally accepted government auditing...reported the same 13 material internal control weaknesses as the previous year. These pervasive and longstanding financial management issues...Defense Contract Management Agency’s Investigation and Control of Nonconforming Materials (D2011-D000CD-0264.000) Objective: Examine the Defense

Streamlining the Acquisition Process: A DCAA Field-Grade Perspective

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-01

Initial Capabilities Document IFRS International Financial Reporting Standards IPT Integrated Product Team IRR Independent Reference Review...the responsibilities, programmed focus, strategic plan and recent events impacting the organization. B. DEFENSE CONTRACT AUDIT AGENCY 1. DCAA...material misstatements, whether caused by error or fraud. The type of audit requested by the contracting officer will directly impact both the

SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Morrisville: Selected Financial Management Practices.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Office of the Comptroller, Albany. Div. of Management Audit.

This audit report of the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Agriculture and Technology at Morrisville addresses the question of whether the college management has established an effective system of internal control over its revenue, equipment, and student work-study payroll. The audit makes a number of observations and conclusions.…

21 CFR Appendix A to Part 1403 - OMB Circular A-128, “Audits of State and Local Governments”

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... operations. A series of audits of individual departments, agencies, and establishments for the same fiscal... assurance the auditor must make a study and evaluation of internal control systems used in administering Federal assistance programs. The study and evaluation must be made whether or not the auditor intends to...

21 CFR Appendix A to Part 1403 - OMB Circular A-128, “Audits of State and Local Governments”

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... operations. A series of audits of individual departments, agencies, and establishments for the same fiscal... assurance the auditor must make a study and evaluation of internal control systems used in administering Federal assistance programs. The study and evaluation must be made whether or not the auditor intends to...

21 CFR Appendix A to Part 1403 - OMB Circular A-128, “Audits of State and Local Governments”

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... operations. A series of audits of individual departments, agencies, and establishments for the same fiscal... assurance the auditor must make a study and evaluation of internal control systems used in administering Federal assistance programs. The study and evaluation must be made whether or not the auditor intends to...

21 CFR Appendix A to Part 1403 - OMB Circular A-128, “Audits of State and Local Governments”

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... operations. A series of audits of individual departments, agencies, and establishments for the same fiscal... assurance the auditor must make a study and evaluation of internal control systems used in administering Federal assistance programs. The study and evaluation must be made whether or not the auditor intends to...

21 CFR Appendix A to Part 1403 - OMB Circular A-128, “Audits of State and Local Governments”

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... operations. A series of audits of individual departments, agencies, and establishments for the same fiscal... assurance the auditor must make a study and evaluation of internal control systems used in administering Federal assistance programs. The study and evaluation must be made whether or not the auditor intends to...

NRRI summary of New York Public Service Commission: Staff investigation of Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-12-31

In June 1995, the New York Public Service Commission (NYPSC) released a Staff investigation of Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. (O&R). The primary focus of the Staffs investigation was the Corporate Policy and External Affairs Department, a restricted disbursements account, the Internal Auditing Department, and O&R officer malfeasance. The Staffs` investigation uncovered widespread, alleged instances of lax internal controls, unethical and illegal actions, and lavish officer behavior. In addition, the Staff investigated O&R`s internal control and purchasing functions. The Staff proposed a series of recommendations to improve the Company`s internal control, purchasing, ethical, climate and addressed the issue of amore » New York ratepayer reimbursement. The Staffs findings and recommendations were presented in the form of a report, entitled Staff Investigation of Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. This article summarizes the Report.« less

Flexible Audit Trailing in Interactive Courseware.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Judd, Terry; Kennedy, Gregor

This paper reports on the development and implementation of a flexible audit trail system comprising a library of auditing functions that can be embedded into interactive courseware and customized to the requirements of researchers and developers. A series of essential criteria considered critical to the development of a robust, flexible audit…

78 FR 19246 - Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-29

... the system have been updated to include use in law enforcement, audits and oversight activities, and..., organization, or individual for the purpose of performing audit or oversight operations as authorized by law, but only such information as is necessary and relevant to such audit or oversight function. (4...

Clinical audit of leg ulceration prevalence in a community area: a case study of good practice.

PubMed

Hindley, Jenny

2014-09-01

This article presents the findings of an audit on venous leg ulceration prevalence in a community area as a framework for discussing the concept and importance of audit as a tool to inform practice and as a means to benchmark care against national or international standards. It is hoped that the discussed audit will practically demonstrate how such procedures can be implemented in practice for those who have not yet undertaken it, as well as highlighting the unexpected extra benefits of this type of qualitative data collection that can often unexpectedly inform practice and influence change. Audit can be used to measure, monitor and disseminate evidence-based practice across community localities, facilitating the identification of learning needs and the instigation of clinical change, thereby prioritising patient needs by ensuring safety through the benchmarking of clinical practice.

Casemix Funding Optimisation: Working Together to Make the Most of Every Episode.

PubMed

Uzkuraitis, Carly; Hastings, Karen; Torney, Belinda

2010-10-01

Eastern Health, a large public Victorian Healthcare network, conducted a WIES optimisation audit across the casemix-funded sites for separations in the 2009/2010 financial year. The audit was conducted using existing staff resources and resulted in a significant increase in casemix funding at a minimal cost. The audit showcased the skill set of existing staff and resulted in enormous benefits to the coding and casemix team by demonstrating the value of the combination of skills that makes clinical coders unique. The development of an internal web-based application allowed accurate and timely reporting of the audit results, providing the basis for a restructure of the coding and casemix service, along with approval for additional staffing resources and inclusion of a regular auditing program to focus on the creation of high quality data for research, health services management and financial reimbursement.

42 CFR 455.232 - Medicaid integrity audit program contractor functions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Medicaid integrity audit program contractor functions. 455.232 Section 455.232 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS PROGRAM INTEGRITY: MEDICAID Medicaid...

42 CFR 455.232 - Medicaid integrity audit program contractor functions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Medicaid integrity audit program contractor functions. 455.232 Section 455.232 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS PROGRAM INTEGRITY: MEDICAID Medicaid...

42 CFR 455.232 - Medicaid integrity audit program contractor functions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Medicaid integrity audit program contractor functions. 455.232 Section 455.232 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS PROGRAM INTEGRITY: MEDICAID Medicaid...

42 CFR 455.232 - Medicaid integrity audit program contractor functions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Medicaid integrity audit program contractor functions. 455.232 Section 455.232 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS PROGRAM INTEGRITY: MEDICAID Medicaid...

Long-term stability of GOES-8 and -9 attitude control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carr, James L.

1996-10-01

An independent audit of the in-orbit behavior of the GOES-8 and GOES-9 satellites has been conducted for the NASA/GSFC. This audit utilized star and landmark observations from the GOES imager to determine long-term histories for spacecraft attitude, orbital position, and instrument internal misalignments. The paper presents results from this audit. Long-term drifts are found in the attitude histories, whereas the misalignment histories are shown to be diurnally stable. The GOES image navigation and registration system is designed to compensate for instrument internal misalignments, and both the diurnally repeatable and drift components of the attitude. Correlations between GOES-8 and GOES-9 long-term roll and pitch drifts implicate the Earth sensor as the origin of these observed drifts. This results clearly demonstrates the enhanced registration stability to be obtained with stellar inertial attitude determination replacing or supplementing Earth sensor control on future GOES missions.

Brent Olson - Director, Office of Internal Audit | NREL

Science.gov Websites

improve the effectiveness and efficiency of governance, risk management, and control processes. Using this the Treadway Commission's 2013 Internal Control Framework, Standards for Internal Control in the additional certifications from IIA including Certified Internal Auditor (CIA); Certification in Control Self

Piloting laboratory quality system management in six health facilities in Nigeria.

PubMed

Mbah, Henry; Ojo, Emmanuel; Ameh, James; Musuluma, Humphrey; Negedu-Momoh, Olubunmi Ruth; Jegede, Feyisayo; Ojo, Olufunmilayo; Uwakwe, Nkem; Ochei, Kingsley; Dada, Michael; Udah, Donald; Chiegil, Robert; Torpey, Kwasi

2014-01-01

Achieving accreditation in laboratories is a challenge in Nigeria like in most African countries. Nigeria adopted the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa Stepwise Laboratory (Quality) Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (WHO/AFRO- SLIPTA) in 2010. We report on FHI360 effort and progress in piloting WHO-AFRO recognition and accreditation preparedness in six health facility laboratories in five different states of Nigeria. Laboratory assessments were conducted at baseline, follow up and exit using the WHO/AFRO- SLIPTA checklist. From the total percentage score obtained, the quality status of laboratories were classified using a zero to five star rating, based on the WHO/AFRO quality improvement stepwise approach. Major interventions include advocacy, capacity building, mentorship and quality improvement projects. At baseline audit, two of the laboratories attained 1- star while the remaining four were at 0- star. At follow up audit one lab was at 1- star, two at 3-star and three at 4-star. At exit audit, four labs were at 4- star, one at 3-star and one at 2-star rating. One laboratory dropped a 'star' at exit audit, while others consistently improved. The two weakest elements at baseline; internal audit (4%) and occurrence/incidence management (15%) improved significantly, with an exit score of 76% and 81% respectively. The elements facility and safety was the major strength across board throughout the audit exercise. This effort resulted in measurable and positive impact on the laboratories. We recommend further improvement towards a formal international accreditation status and scale up of WHO/AFRO- SLIPTA implementation in Nigeria.

Screening for alcohol use disorders and at-risk drinking in the general population: psychometric performance of three questionnaires.

PubMed

Rumpf, Hans-Jürgen; Hapke, Ulfert; Meyer, Christian; John, Ulrich

2002-01-01

Most screening questionnaires are developed in clinical settings and there are few data on their performance in the general population. This study provides data on the area under the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve, sensitivity, specificity, and internal consistency of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), the consumption questions of the AUDIT (AUDIT-C) and the Lübeck Alcohol Dependence and Abuse Screening Test (LAST) among current drinkers (n = 3551) of a general population sample in northern Germany. Alcohol dependence and misuse according to DSM-IV and at-risk drinking served as gold standards to assess sensitivity and specificity and were assessed with the Munich-Composite Diagnostic Interview (M-CIDI). AUDIT and LAST showed insufficient sensitivity for at-risk drinking and alcohol misuse using standard cut-off scores, but satisfactory detection rates for alcohol dependence. The AUDIT-C showed low specificity in all criterion groups with standard cut-off. Adjusted cut-points are recommended. Among a subsample of individuals with previous general hospital admission in the last year, all questionnaires showed higher internal consistency suggesting lower reliability in non-clinical samples. In logistic regression analyses, having had a hospital admission increased the sensitivity in detecting any criterion group of the LAST, and the number of recent general practice visits increased the sensitivity of the AUDIT in detecting alcohol misuse. Women showed lower scores and larger areas under the ROC curves. It is concluded that setting specific instruments (e.g. primary care or general population) or adjusted cut-offs should be used.

Report on International Education Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ministry of Advanced Education, 2005

2005-01-01

The Ministry of Advanced Education (Ministry) provides overall funding and policy direction for British Columbia's public post-secondary education system. The Student and Strategic Services Division, Ministry of Advanced Education requested Internal Audit & Advisory Services to conduct a review of the international education programs at…

Development of a brachytherapy audit checklist tool.

PubMed

Prisciandaro, Joann; Hadley, Scott; Jolly, Shruti; Lee, Choonik; Roberson, Peter; Roberts, Donald; Ritter, Timothy

2015-01-01

To develop a brachytherapy audit checklist that could be used to prepare for Nuclear Regulatory Commission or agreement state inspections, to aid in readiness for a practice accreditation visit, or to be used as an annual internal audit tool. Six board-certified medical physicists and one radiation oncologist conducted a thorough review of brachytherapy-related literature and practice guidelines published by professional organizations and federal regulations. The team members worked at two facilities that are part of a large, academic health care center. Checklist items were given a score based on their judged importance. Four clinical sites performed an audit of their program using the checklist. The sites were asked to score each item based on a defined severity scale for their noncompliance, and final audit scores were tallied by summing the products of importance score and severity score for each item. The final audit checklist, which is available online, contains 83 items. The audit scores from the beta sites ranged from 17 to 71 (out of 690) and identified a total of 7-16 noncompliance items. The total time to conduct the audit ranged from 1.5 to 5 hours. A comprehensive audit checklist was developed which can be implemented by any facility that wishes to perform a program audit in support of their own brachytherapy program. The checklist is designed to allow users to identify areas of noncompliance and to prioritize how these items are addressed to minimize deviations from nationally-recognized standards. Copyright © 2015 American Brachytherapy Society. All rights reserved.

A comprehensive survey of government auditors' self-efficacy and professional development for improving audit quality.

PubMed

Lee, Shue-Ching; Su, Jau-Ming; Tsai, Sang-Bing; Lu, Tzu-Li; Dong, Weiwei

2016-01-01

Government audit authorities supervise the implementation of government budgets and evaluate the use of administrative resources to ensure that funding is used wisely, economically, and effectively. A quality audit involves reviewing policies according to international standards and perspectives, and provides insight, predictions, and warnings to related organizations. Such practice can reflect the effectiveness of a government. Professional development and self-efficacy have strong influence upon the performance of auditors. To further understand the factors that may enhance their performance and to ultimately provide practical recommendations for the audit authorities, we have surveyed about 50 % of all the governmental auditors in Taiwan using the stratified random sampling method. The result showed that any auditing experience and professionalization can positively influence the professional awareness. Also, acquired knowledge and skillset of an auditor can effectively improve ones professional judgment. We also found that professional development (including organizational culture and training opportunities) and self-efficacy (including profession and experience as well as trends and performance) may significantly impact audit quality. We concluded that to retain auditors, audit authorities must develop an attractive future outlook emphasizing feedback and learning within an organization. Our study provides a workable management guidelines for strengthening the professional development and self-efficacy of audit authorities in Taiwan.

Quality assurance and the need to evaluate interventions and audit programme outcomes.

PubMed

Zhao, Min; Vaartjes, Ilonca; Klipstein-Grobusch, Kerstin; Kotseva, Kornelia; Jennings, Catriona; Grobbee, Diederick E; Graham, Ian

2017-06-01

Evidence-based clinical guidelines provide standards for the provision of healthcare. However, these guidelines have been poorly implemented in daily practice. Clinical audit is a quality improvement tool to promote quality of care in daily practice and to improve outcomes through the systematic review of care delivery and implementation of changes. A major priority in the management of subjects with cardiovascular disease (CVD) management is secondary prevention by controlling cardiovascular risk factors and providing appropriate medical treatment. Clinical audits can be applied to monitor modifiable risk factors and evaluate quality improvements of CVD management in daily practice. Existing clinical audits have provided an overview of the burden of risk factors in subjects with CVD and reflect real-world risk factor recording and management. However, consistent and representative data from clinic audits are still insufficient to fully monitor quality improvement of CVD management. Data are lacking in particular from low- and middle-income countries, limiting the evaluation of CVD management quality by clinical audit projects in many settings. To support the development of clinical standards, monitor daily practice performance, and improve quality of care in CVD management at national and international levels, more widespread clinical audits are warranted.

Multicentre dose audit for clinical trials of radiation therapy in Asia

PubMed Central

Fukuda, Shigekazu; Fukumura, Akifumi; Nakamura, Yuzuru-Kutsutani; Jianping, Cao; Cho, Chul-Koo; Supriana, Nana; Dung, To Anh; Calaguas, Miriam Joy; Devi, C.R. Beena; Chansilpa, Yaowalak; Banu, Parvin Akhter; Riaz, Masooma; Esentayeva, Surya; Kato, Shingo; Karasawa, Kumiko; Tsujii, Hirohiko

2017-01-01

Abstract A dose audit of 16 facilities in 11 countries has been performed within the framework of the Forum for Nuclear Cooperation in Asia (FNCA) quality assurance program. The quality of radiation dosimetry varies because of the large variation in radiation therapy among the participating countries. One of the most important aspects of international multicentre clinical trials is uniformity of absolute dose between centres. The National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS) in Japan has conducted a dose audit of participating countries since 2006 by using radiophotoluminescent glass dosimeters (RGDs). RGDs have been successfully applied to a domestic postal dose audit in Japan. The authors used the same audit system to perform a dose audit of the FNCA countries. The average and standard deviation of the relative deviation between the measured and intended dose among 46 beams was 0.4% and 1.5% (k = 1), respectively. This is an excellent level of uniformity for the multicountry data. However, of the 46 beams measured, a single beam exceeded the permitted tolerance level of ±5%. We investigated the cause for this and solved the problem. This event highlights the importance of external audits in radiation therapy. PMID:27864507

Independent Auditors Report on the Examination of DoD Execution of Afghanistan National Army Trust Fund Donations to the Afghanistan Security Forces Fund

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-07-31

conducted this attestation engagement in accordance with examination engagement standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public...Accountants and with generally accepted government auditing standards. We appreciate the courtesies extended to the staff. Please direct questions to me at...2015-154 Contents Audit Opinion __________________________________________________________________________1 Internal Controls

State University of New York College at Old Westbury: Selected Financial Management Practices. Report 95-S-52.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Office of the Comptroller, Albany. Div. of Management Audit.

This audit report of State University of New York College at Old Westbury (OW) examined internal controls over cash, accounts receivable, student accounts, payroll checks, equipment and computer systems and whether these controls provided adequate safeguards and accurate records. The study audited the period April 1, 1993 through February 28, 1995…

Defense Logistical Support Contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan: Issues for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-20

Services Committee on April 14, 2010. The bill was amended by the HASC on April 21, 2010, discharged by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee...Afghanistan; • Section 852 calls for the Army Audit Agency, the Navy Audit Services, and the Air Force Audit Agency to each conduct a comprehensive audit of...security functions in areas of combat operations and are involved in the discharge of a weapon or other active, non-lethal countermeasures; and

Defense Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan: Issues and Options for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-02-19

Afghanistan; • Section 852 calls for the Army Audit Agency, the Navy Audit Services, and the Air Force Audit Agency to each conduct a comprehensive audit of...perform security functions in areas of combat operations and are involved in the discharge of a weapon or other active, non-lethal countermeasures; and...strengthen the government’s hand in dealing with industry. As an example, Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winter and Chief of Naval Operations Adm

A New Tool for Quality: The Internal Audit.

PubMed

Haycock, Camille; Schandl, Annette

As health care systems aspire to improve the quality and value for the consumers they serve, quality outcomes must be at the forefront of this value equation. As organizations implement evidence-based practices, electronic records to standardize processes, and quality improvement initiatives, many tactics are deployed to accelerate improvement and care outcomes. This article describes how one organization utilized a formal clinical audit process to identify gaps and/or barriers that may be contributing to underperforming measures and outcomes. This partnership between quality and audit can be a powerful tool and produce insights that can be scaled across a large health care system.

49 CFR 1.15 - OST Structure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Office of Audit Relations, (2) The Office of Human Resource Management, (3) The Office of Hearings, (4... Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs, which includes: (i) The Office of International Transportation and Trade, (ii) The Office of International Aviation, and (iii) The Office of Aviation Analysis...

49 CFR 1.15 - OST Structure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Office of Audit Relations, (2) The Office of Human Resource Management, (3) The Office of Hearings, (4... Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs, which includes: (i) The Office of International Transportation and Trade, (ii) The Office of International Aviation, and (iii) The Office of Aviation Analysis...

49 CFR 1.15 - OST Structure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Office of Audit Relations, (2) The Office of Human Resource Management, (3) The Office of Hearings, (4... Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs, which includes: (i) The Office of International Transportation and Trade, (ii) The Office of International Aviation, and (iii) The Office of Aviation Analysis...

Causes and temporal changes in nationally collected stillbirth audit data in high-resource settings.

PubMed

Norris, Tom; Manktelow, Bradley N; Smith, Lucy K; Draper, Elizabeth S

2017-06-01

Few high-income countries have an active national programme of stillbirth audit. From the three national programmes identified (UK, New Zealand, and the Netherlands) steady declines in annual stillbirth rates have been observed over the audit period between 1993 and 2014. Unexplained stillbirth remains the largest group in the classification of stillbirths, with a decline in intrapartum-related stillbirths, which could represent improvements in intrapartum care. All three national audits of stillbirths suggest that up to half of all reviewed stillbirths have elements of care that failed to follow standards and guidance. Variation in the classification of stillbirth, cause of death and frequency of risk factor groups limit our ability to draw meaningful conclusions as to the true scale of the burden and the changing epidemiology of stillbirths in high-income countries. International standardization of these would facilitate direct comparisons between countries. The observed declines in stillbirth rates over the period of perinatal audit, a possible consequence of recommendations for improved antenatal care, should serve to incentivise other countries to implement similar audit programmes. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Internal Audit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuhn, Robert H.

1981-01-01

Internal control comprises the plan of organization and all the coordinate methods and measures adopted within a school system to safeguard its assets, check the reliability of its accounting data, promote operational efficiency, and encourage adherence to prescribed policies. (Author)

Detecting, reporting, and analysis of priority diseases for routine public health surveillance in Liberia.

PubMed

Frimpong, Joseph Asamoah; Amo-Addae, Maame Pokuah; Adewuyi, Peter Adebayo; Hall, Casey Daniel; Park, Meeyoung Mattie; Nagbe, Thomas Knue

2017-01-01

Public health officials depend on timely, complete, and accurate surveillance data for decision making. The quality of data generated from surveillance is highly dependent on external and internal factors which may either impede or enhance surveillance activities. One way of identifying challenges affecting the quality of data generated is to conduct a data quality audit. This case study, based on an audit conducted by residents of the Liberia Frontline Field Epidemiology Training Program, was designed to be a classroom simulation of a data quality audit in a health facility. It is suited to enforce theoretical lectures in surveillance data quality and auditing. The target group is public health trainees, who should be able to complete this exercise in approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Managing Productivity.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-01-01

could be a small construction , management firm, where project managers keep track of all phases and evolutions of contracts by hand. An obvious polution ...overview of productivity measurement. This idea can be expanded much further with the concept of productivity audits . Productivity auditing is a...comprehensive procedure, not unlike traditional audit practices which monitors and evaluates organizational practices to determine whether functional units

Management and Operations Auditing: A Business Oriented Management Structure For a Unified School District.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conway, Ernest J.; And Others

An operations audit was conducted for a school district. The purpose of the audit was to determine the organization of the central office and reorganize its structure and staff as appropriate to clearly define goals and objectives, specify roles and responsibilities, eliminate wasted or duplicated efforts, and functionally define operational work…

Toward an HRD Auditing Protocol: Assessing HRD Risk Management Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clardy, Alan

2004-01-01

Even though HRD-related programs and activities carry risks that should be monitored and assessed, there is little literature on how auditing applies to the HRD function; the existing literature on the topic defines HRD auditing in widely different ways. The nature of risk for organizational process is discussed, followed by a review of the…

Intrathecal baclofen therapy in paediatrics: a study protocol for an Australian multicentre, 10-year prospective audit.

PubMed

Stewart, Kirsty; Hutana, Gavin; Kentish, Megan

2017-06-21

Increasing clinical use of Intrathecal baclofen (ITB) in Australian tertiary paediatric hospitals, along with the need for standardised assessment and reporting of adverse events, saw the formation of the Australian Paediatric ITB Research Group (APIRG). APIRG developed a National ITB Audit tool designed to capture clinical outcomes and adverse events data for all Australian children and adolescents receiving ITB therapy. The Australian ITB Audit is a 10 year, longitudinal, prospective, clinical audit collecting all adverse events and assessment data across body functions and structure, participation and activity level domains of the ICF. Data will be collected at baseline, 6 and 12 months with ongoing capture of all adverse event data. This is the first Australian study that aims to capture clinical and adverse event data from a complete population of children with neurological impairment receiving a specific intervention between 2011 and 2021. This multi-centre study will inform ITB clinical practice in children and adolescents, direct patient selection, record and aid decision making regarding adverse events and investigate the impact of ITB therapy on family and patient quality of life. This project was approved by the individual Human Research Ethics committees at the six Australian tertiary hospitals involved in the study. Results will be published in various peer reviewed journals and presented at national and international conferences. ACTRN 12610000323022; Pre-results. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Fourth consensus of the International Society for Premenstrual Disorders (ISPMD): auditable standards for diagnosis and management of premenstrual disorder.

PubMed

Ismaili, Elgerta; Walsh, Sally; O'Brien, Patrick Michael Shaughn; Bäckström, Torbjorn; Brown, Candace; Dennerstein, Lorraine; Eriksson, Elias; Freeman, Ellen W; Ismail, Khaled M K; Panay, Nicholas; Pearlstein, Teri; Rapkin, Andrea; Steiner, Meir; Studd, John; Sundström-Paromma, Inger; Endicott, Jean; Epperson, C Neill; Halbreich, Uriel; Reid, Robert; Rubinow, David; Schmidt, Peter; Yonkers, Kimberley

2016-12-01

Whilst professional bodies such as the Royal College and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have well-established standards for audit of management for most gynaecology disorders, such standards for premenstrual disorders (PMDs) have yet to be developed. The International Society of Premenstrual Disorders (ISPMD) has already published three consensus papers on PMDs covering areas that include definition, classification/quantification, clinical trial design and management (American College Obstetricians and Gynecologists 2011; Brown et al. in Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2:CD001396, 2009; Dickerson et al. in Am Fam Physician 67(8):1743-1752, 2003). In this fourth consensus of ISPMD, we aim to create a set of auditable standards for the clinical management of PMDs. All members of the original ISPMD consensus group were invited to submit one or more auditable standards to be eligible in the inclusion of the consensus. Ninety-five percent of members (18/19) responded with at least one auditable standard. A total of 66 auditable standards were received, which were returned to all group members who then ranked the standards in order of priority, before the results were collated. Proposed standards related to the diagnosis of PMDs identified the importance of obtaining an accurate history, that a symptom diary should be kept for 2 months prior to diagnosis and that symptom reporting demonstrates symptoms in the premenstrual phase of the menstrual cycle and relieved by menstruation. Regarding treatment, the most important standards were the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) as a first line treatment, an evidence-based approach to treatment and that SSRI side effects are properly explained to patients. A set of comprehensive standards to be used in the diagnosis and treatment of PMD has been established, for which PMD management can be audited against for standardised and improved care.

Audit and internal quality control in immunohistochemistry

PubMed Central

Maxwell, P; McCluggage, W

2000-01-01

Aims—Although positive and negative controls are performed and checked in surgical pathology cases undergoing immunohistochemistry, internal quality control procedures for immunohistochemistry are not well described. This study, comprising a retrospective audit, aims to describe a method of internal quality control for immunohistochemistry. A scoring system that allows comparison between cases is described. Methods—Two positive tissue controls for each month over a three year period (1996–1998) of the 10 antibodies used most frequently were evaluated. All test cases undergoing immunohistochemistry in the months of April in this three year period were also studied. When the test case was completely negative for a given antibody, the corresponding positive tissue control from that day was examined. A marking system was devised whereby each immunohistochemical slide was assessed out of a possible score of 8 to take account of staining intensity, uniformity, specificity, background, and counterstaining. Using this scoring system, cases were classified as showing optimal (7–8), borderline (5–6), or unacceptable (0–4) staining. Results—Most positive tissue controls showed either optimal or borderline staining with the exception of neurone specific enolase (NSE), where most slides were unacceptable or borderline as a result of a combination of low intensity, poor specificity, and excessive background staining. All test cases showed either optimal or borderline staining with the exception of a single case stained for NSE, which was unacceptable. Conclusions—This retrospective audit shows that immunohistochemically stained slides can be assessed using this scoring system. With most antibodies, acceptable staining was achieved in most cases. However, there were problems with staining for NSE, which needs to be reviewed. Laboratories should use a system such as this to evaluate which antibodies regularly result in poor staining so that they can be excluded from panels. Routine evaluation of immunohistochemical staining should become part of everyday internal quality control procedures. Key Words: immunohistochemistry • audit • internal quality control PMID:11265178

DOD Financial Management: Improvement Needed in DOD Components’ Implementation of Audit Readiness Effort

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-01

DOD Financial Management Abbreviations AFB Air Force Base COSO Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway... Management and mismanagement.11 All of DOD’s programs on GAO’s High- Risk List relate to its business operations, including systems and processes... Management maintains audit readiness through risk -based periodic testing of internal controls utilizing the OMB Circular No. A-123, Appendix A

Comparing Resident Self-Report to Chart Audits for Quality Improvement Projects: Accurate Reflection or Cherry-Picking?

PubMed Central

Kuperman, Ethan F.; Tobin, Kristen; Kraschnewski, Jennifer L.

2014-01-01

Background Resident engagement in quality improvement is a requirement for graduate medical education, but the optimal means of instruction and evaluation of resident progress remain unknown. Objective To determine the accuracy of self-reported chart audits in measuring resident adherence to primary care clinical practice guidelines. Methods During the 2010–2011 academic year, second- and third-year internal medicine residents at a single, university hospital–based program performed chart audits on 10 patients from their primary care clinic to determine adherence to 16 US Preventive Services Task Force primary care guidelines. We compared residents' responses to independent audits of randomly selected patient charts by a single external reviewer. Results Self-reported data were collected by 18 second-year and 15 third-year residents for 330 patients. Independently, 70 patient charts were randomly selected for review by an external auditor. Overall guideline compliance was significantly higher on self-reported audits compared to external audits (82% versus 68%, P < .001). Of 16 guidelines, external audits found significantly lower rates of adherence for 5 (tetanus vaccination, osteoporosis screening, colon cancer screening, cholesterol screening, and obesity screening). Chlamydia screening was more common in audited charts than in self-reported data. Although third-year residents self-reported higher guideline adherence than second-year residents (86% versus 78%, P < .001), external audits for third-year residents found lower overall adherence (64% versus 72%, P  =  .040). Conclusions Residents' self-reported chart audits may significantly overestimate guideline adherence. Increased supervision and independent review appear necessary to accurately evaluate resident performance. PMID:26140117

Comparing Resident Self-Report to Chart Audits for Quality Improvement Projects: Accurate Reflection or Cherry-Picking?

PubMed

Kuperman, Ethan F; Tobin, Kristen; Kraschnewski, Jennifer L

2014-12-01

Resident engagement in quality improvement is a requirement for graduate medical education, but the optimal means of instruction and evaluation of resident progress remain unknown. To determine the accuracy of self-reported chart audits in measuring resident adherence to primary care clinical practice guidelines. During the 2010-2011 academic year, second- and third-year internal medicine residents at a single, university hospital-based program performed chart audits on 10 patients from their primary care clinic to determine adherence to 16 US Preventive Services Task Force primary care guidelines. We compared residents' responses to independent audits of randomly selected patient charts by a single external reviewer. Self-reported data were collected by 18 second-year and 15 third-year residents for 330 patients. Independently, 70 patient charts were randomly selected for review by an external auditor. Overall guideline compliance was significantly higher on self-reported audits compared to external audits (82% versus 68%, P < .001). Of 16 guidelines, external audits found significantly lower rates of adherence for 5 (tetanus vaccination, osteoporosis screening, colon cancer screening, cholesterol screening, and obesity screening). Chlamydia screening was more common in audited charts than in self-reported data. Although third-year residents self-reported higher guideline adherence than second-year residents (86% versus 78%, P < .001), external audits for third-year residents found lower overall adherence (64% versus 72%, P  =  .040). Residents' self-reported chart audits may significantly overestimate guideline adherence. Increased supervision and independent review appear necessary to accurately evaluate resident performance.

Auditing chronic disease care: Does it make a difference?

PubMed

Essel, Vivien; van Vuuren, Unita; De Sa, Angela; Govender, Srini; Murie, Katie; Schlemmer, Arina; Gunst, Colette; Namane, Mosedi; Boulle, Andrew; de Vries, Elma

2015-06-26

An integrated audit tool was developed for five chronic diseases, namely diabetes, hypertension, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and epilepsy. Annual audits have been done in the Western Cape Metro district since 2009. The year 2012 was the first year that all six districts in South Africa's Western Cape Province participated in the audit process. To determine whether clinical audits improve chronic disease care in health districts over time. Western Cape Province, South Africa. Internal audits were conducted of primary healthcare facility processes and equipment availability as well as a folder review of 10 folders per chronic condition per facility. Random systematic sampling was used to select the 10 folders for the folder review. Combined data for all facilities gave a provincial overview and allowed for comparison between districts. Analysis was done comparing districts that have been participating in the audit process from 2009 to 2010 ('2012 old') to districts that started auditing recently ('2012 new'). The number of facilities audited has steadily increased from 29 in 2009 to 129 in 2012. Improvements between different years have been modest, and the overall provincial average seemed worse in 2012 compared to 2011. However, there was an improvement in the '2012 old' districts compared to the '2012 new' districts for both the facility audit and the folder review, including for eight clinical indicators, with '2012 new' districts being less likely to record clinical processes (OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.21-0.31). These findings are an indication of the value of audits to improve care processes over the long term. It is hoped that this improvement will lead to improved patient outcomes.

Auditing chronic disease care: Does it make a difference?

PubMed Central

van Vuuren, Unita; De Sa, Angela; Govender, Srini; Murie, Katie; Schlemmer, Arina; Gunst, Colette; Namane, Mosedi; Boulle, Andrew; de Vries, Elma

2015-01-01

Background An integrated audit tool was developed for five chronic diseases, namely diabetes, hypertension, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and epilepsy. Annual audits have been done in the Western Cape Metro district since 2009. The year 2012 was the first year that all six districts in South Africa's Western Cape Province participated in the audit process. Aim To determine whether clinical audits improve chronic disease care in health districts over time. Setting Western Cape Province, South Africa. Methods Internal audits were conducted of primary healthcare facility processes and equipment availability as well as a folder review of 10 folders per chronic condition per facility. Random systematic sampling was used to select the 10 folders for the folder review. Combined data for all facilities gave a provincial overview and allowed for comparison between districts. Analysis was done comparing districts that have been participating in the audit process from 2009 to 2010 (‘2012 old’) to districts that started auditing recently (‘2012 new’). Results The number of facilities audited has steadily increased from 29 in 2009 to 129 in 2012. Improvements between different years have been modest, and the overall provincial average seemed worse in 2012 compared to 2011. However, there was an improvement in the ‘2012 old’ districts compared to the ‘2012 new’ districts for both the facility audit and the folder review, including for eight clinical indicators, with ‘2012 new’ districts being less likely to record clinical processes (OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.21–0.31). Conclusion These findings are an indication of the value of audits to improve care processes over the long term. It is hoped that this improvement will lead to improved patient outcomes. PMID:26245615

Quality control and assurance in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation data registries in Japan and other countries.

PubMed

Kuwatsuka, Yachiyo

2016-01-01

Observational studies from national and international registries with large volumes of patients are commonly performed to identify superior strategies for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Major international and national stem cell transplant registries collect outcome data using electronic data capture systems, and a systematic study support process has been developed. Statistical support for studies is available from some major international registries, and international and national registries also mutually collaborate to promote stem cell transplant outcome studies and transplant-related activities. Transplant registries additionally take measures to improve data quality to further improve the quality of outcome studies by utilizing data capture systems and manual data management. Data auditing can potentially even further improve data quality; however, human and budgetary resources can be limiting factors in system construction and audits of the Japanese transplant registry are not currently performed.

Strategies for increasing house staff management of cholesterol with inpatients.

PubMed

Boekeloo, B O; Becker, D M; Levine, D M; Belitsos, P C; Pearson, T A

1990-01-01

This study tested the effectiveness of two conceptually different chart audit-based approaches to modifying physicians' clinical practices to conform with quality-assurance standards. The objective was to increase intern utilization of cholesterol management opportunities in the inpatient setting. Using a clinical trial study design, 29 internal medicine interns were randomly assigned to four intervention groups identified by the intervention they received: control, reminder checklists (checklists), patient-specific feedback (feedback), or both interventions (combined). Over a nine-month period, intern management of high blood cholesterol levels in internal medicine inpatients (n = 459) was monitored by postdischarge chart audit. During both a baseline and subsequent intervention period, interns documented significantly more cholesterol management for inpatients with coronary artery disease (CAD) than without CAD. During baseline, 27.3%, 24.3%, 21.7%, 12.4%, 5.4%, and 2.7% of all inpatient charts had intern documentation concerning a low-fat hospital diet, cholesterol history, screening blood cholesterol level assessment, follow-up lipid profile, nutritionist consult, and preventive cardiology consult, respectively. The feedback intervention significantly increased overall intern-documented cholesterol management among inpatients with CAD. The checklists significantly decreased overall intern-documented cholesterol management. Feedback appears to be an effective approach to increasing intern cholesterol management in inpatients.

Meta-audit of laboratory ISO accreditation inspections: measuring the old emperor's clothes.

PubMed

Wilson, Ian G; Smye, Michael; Wallace, Ian J C

2016-02-01

Accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025 is required for EC official food control and veterinary laboratories by Regulation (EC) No. 882/2004. Measurements in hospital laboratories and clinics are increasingly accredited to ISO/IEC 15189. Both of these management standards arose from command and control military standards for factory inspection during World War II. They rely on auditing of compliance and have not been validated internally as assessment bodies require of those they accredit. Neither have they been validated to criteria outside their own ideology such as the Cochrane principles of evidence-based medicine which might establish whether any benefit exceeds their cost. We undertook a retrospective meta-audit over 14 years of internal and external laboratory audits that checked compliance with ISO 17025 in a public health laboratory. Most noncompliances arose solely from clauses in the standard and would not affect users. No effect was likely from 91% of these. Fewer than 1% of noncompliances were likely to have consequences for the validity of results or quality of service. The ISO system of compliance auditing has the performance characteristics of a poor screening test. It adds substantially to costs and generates more noise (false positives) than informative signal. Ethical use of resources indicates that management standards should not be used unless proven to deliver the efficacy, effectiveness, and value required of modern healthcare interventions. © 2015 The Authors. MicrobiologyOpen published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Methodology of Systems' Development for the Internal Audit: The Case of the SME

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gountaras, George

2009-08-01

Recent changes in regulations of the most important institutions and Enterprises of USA, UK and Greece due to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 are modified the vision about the enterprises activities' inspection. This article investigates the role of the applied instruments in the successful realization of internal audit in the Small and Medium Enterprises in Greece. The hindered development of this kind of enterprises related to the intensive market competition is taken in consideration. The most important analyzed factors are the operations effectiveness and efficiency, the reliability of economic statements, and the adaptation to the legal frame of business development.

Project Cerberus: tobacco industry strategy to create an alternative to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

PubMed

Mamudu, Hadii M; Hammond, Ross; Glantz, Stanton A

2008-09-01

Between 1999 and 2001, British American Tobacco, Philip Morris, and Japan Tobacco International executed Project Cerberus to develop a global voluntary regulatory regime as an alternative to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). They aimed to develop a global voluntary regulatory code to be overseen by an independent audit body and to focus attention on youth smoking prevention. The International Tobacco Products Marketing Standards announced in September 2001, however, did not have the independent audit body. Although the companies did not stop the FCTC, they continue to promote the International Tobacco Products Marketing Standards youth smoking prevention as an alternative to the FCTC. Public health civil society groups should help policymakers and governments understand the importance of not working with the tobacco industry.

Project Cerberus: Tobacco Industry Strategy to Create an Alternative to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

PubMed Central

Mamudu, Hadii M.; Hammond, Ross; Glantz, Stanton A.

2008-01-01

Between 1999 and 2001, British American Tobacco, Philip Morris, and Japan Tobacco International executed Project Cerberus to develop a global voluntary regulatory regime as an alternative to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). They aimed to develop a global voluntary regulatory code to be overseen by an independent audit body and to focus attention on youth smoking prevention. The International Tobacco Products Marketing Standards announced in September 2001, however, did not have the independent audit body. Although the companies did not stop the FCTC, they continue to promote the International Tobacco Products Marketing Standards youth smoking prevention as an alternative to the FCTC. Public health civil society groups should help policymakers and governments understand the importance of not working with the tobacco industry. PMID:18633079

Audit of the internal controls over the processing of oil overcharge refunds

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1992-03-31

This report is on internal controls over the processing of oil overcharge refunds. The Office of Hearings and Appeals administers the distribution of refunds to parties that were overcharged during the period of petroleum price controls. The refund process was initiated in 1979. As of September 30, 1991, Hearings and Appeals had received over 200,000 applications for refunds. It had granted refunds with a total value of more than 600 million on about 160,000 applications, with 26,636 applications pending. The objectie of the audit was to evaluate the adequacy of Hearings and Appeals' internal controls over refund practices and procedures,more » specifically those used to ensure that claims approved were complete, systematically processed, and properly distributed.« less

Audit of the internal controls over the processing of oil overcharge refunds

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1992-03-31

This report is on internal controls over the processing of oil overcharge refunds. The Office of Hearings and Appeals administers the distribution of refunds to parties that were overcharged during the period of petroleum price controls. The refund process was initiated in 1979. As of September 30, 1991, Hearings and Appeals had received over 200,000 applications for refunds. It had granted refunds with a total value of more than 600 million on about 160,000 applications, with 26,636 applications pending. The objectie of the audit was to evaluate the adequacy of Hearings and Appeals` internal controls over refund practices and procedures,more » specifically those used to ensure that claims approved were complete, systematically processed, and properly distributed.« less

Nationwide prospective audit of pancreatic surgery: design, accuracy, and outcomes of the Dutch Pancreatic Cancer Audit.

PubMed

van Rijssen, L Bengt; Koerkamp, Bas G; Zwart, Maurice J; Bonsing, Bert A; Bosscha, Koop; van Dam, Ronald M; van Eijck, Casper H; Gerhards, Michael F; van der Harst, Erwin; de Hingh, Ignace H; de Jong, Koert P; Kazemier, Geert; Klaase, Joost; van Laarhoven, Cornelis J; Molenaar, I Quintus; Patijn, Gijs A; Rupert, Coen G; van Santvoort, Hjalmar C; Scheepers, Joris J; van der Schelling, George P; Busch, Olivier R; Besselink, Marc G

2017-10-01

Auditing is an important tool to identify practice variation and 'best practices'. The Dutch Pancreatic Cancer Audit is mandatory in all 18 Dutch centers for pancreatic surgery. Performance indicators and case-mix factors were identified by a PubMed search for randomized controlled trials (RCT's) and large series in pancreatic surgery. In addition, data dictionaries of two national audits, three institutional databases, and the Dutch national cancer registry were evaluated. Morbidity, mortality, and length of stay were analyzed of all pancreatic resections registered during the first two audit years. Case ascertainment was cross-checked with the Dutch healthcare inspectorate and key-variables validated in all centers. Sixteen RCT's and three large series were found. Sixteen indicators and 20 case-mix factors were included in the audit. During 2014-2015, 1785 pancreatic resections were registered including 1345 pancreatoduodenectomies. Overall in-hospital mortality was 3.6%. Following pancreatoduodenectomy, mortality was 4.1%, Clavien-Dindo grade ≥ III morbidity was 29.9%, median (IQR) length of stay 12 (9-18) days, and readmission rate 16.0%. In total 97.2% of >40,000 variables validated were consistent with the medical charts. The Dutch Pancreatic Cancer Audit, with high quality data, reports good outcomes of pancreatic surgery on a national level. Copyright © 2017 International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Results from an audit feedback strategy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in-hospital care: a joint analysis from the AUDIPOC and European COPD audit studies.

PubMed

Lopez-Campos, Jose Luis; Asensio-Cruz, M Isabel; Castro-Acosta, Ady; Calero, Carmen; Pozo-Rodriguez, Francisco

2014-01-01

Clinical audits have emerged as a potential tool to summarize the clinical performance of healthcare over a specified period of time. However, the effectiveness of audit and feedback has shown inconsistent results and the impact of audit and feedback on clinical performance has not been evaluated for COPD exacerbations. In the present study, we analyzed the results of two consecutive nationwide clinical audits performed in Spain to evaluate both the in-hospital clinical care provided and the feedback strategy. The present study is an analysis of two clinical audits performed in Spain that evaluated the clinical care provided to COPD patients who were admitted to the hospital for a COPD exacerbation. The first audit was performed from November-December 2008. The feedback strategy consisted of personalized reports for each participant center, the presentation and discussion of the results at regional, national and international meetings and the creation of health-care quality standards for COPD. The second audit was part of a European study during January and February 2011. The impact of the feedback strategy was evaluated in term of clinical care provided and in-hospital survival. A total of 94 centers participated in the two audits, recruiting 8,143 admissions (audit 1∶3,493 and audit 2∶4,650). The initially provided clinical care was reasonably acceptable even though there was considerable variability. Several diagnostic and therapeutic procedures improved in the second audit. Although the differences were significant, the degree of improvement was small to moderate. We found no impact on in-hospital mortality. The present study describes COPD hospital care in Spanish hospitals and evaluates the impact of peer-benchmarked, individually written and group-oral feedback strategy on the clinical outcomes for treating COPD exacerbations. It describes small to moderate improvements in the clinical care provided to COPD patients with no impact on in-hospital mortality.

Testing the methodology for dosimetry audit of heterogeneity corrections and small MLC-shaped fields: Results of IAEA multi-center studies

PubMed Central

Izewska, Joanna; Wesolowska, Paulina; Azangwe, Godfrey; Followill, David S.; Thwaites, David I.; Arib, Mehenna; Stefanic, Amalia; Viegas, Claudio; Suming, Luo; Ekendahl, Daniela; Bulski, Wojciech; Georg, Dietmar

2016-01-01

Abstract The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has a long tradition of supporting development of methodologies for national networks providing quality audits in radiotherapy. A series of co-ordinated research projects (CRPs) has been conducted by the IAEA since 1995 assisting national external audit groups developing national audit programs. The CRP ‘Development of Quality Audits for Radiotherapy Dosimetry for Complex Treatment Techniques’ was conducted in 2009–2012 as an extension of previously developed audit programs. Material and methods. The CRP work described in this paper focused on developing and testing two steps of dosimetry audit: verification of heterogeneity corrections, and treatment planning system (TPS) modeling of small MLC fields, which are important for the initial stages of complex radiation treatments, such as IMRT. The project involved development of a new solid slab phantom with heterogeneities containing special measurement inserts for thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD) and radiochromic films. The phantom and the audit methodology has been developed at the IAEA and tested in multi-center studies involving the CRP participants. Results. The results of multi-center testing of methodology for two steps of dosimetry audit show that the design of audit procedures is adequate and the methodology is feasible for meeting the audit objectives. A total of 97% TLD results in heterogeneity situations obtained in the study were within 3% and all results within 5% agreement with the TPS predicted doses. In contrast, only 64% small beam profiles were within 3 mm agreement between the TPS calculated and film measured doses. Film dosimetry results have highlighted some limitations in TPS modeling of small beam profiles in the direction of MLC leave movements. Discussion. Through multi-center testing, any challenges or difficulties in the proposed audit methodology were identified, and the methodology improved. Using the experience of these studies, the participants could incorporate the auditing procedures in their national programs. PMID:26934916

Testing the methodology for dosimetry audit of heterogeneity corrections and small MLC-shaped fields: Results of IAEA multi-center studies.

PubMed

Izewska, Joanna; Wesolowska, Paulina; Azangwe, Godfrey; Followill, David S; Thwaites, David I; Arib, Mehenna; Stefanic, Amalia; Viegas, Claudio; Suming, Luo; Ekendahl, Daniela; Bulski, Wojciech; Georg, Dietmar

2016-07-01

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has a long tradition of supporting development of methodologies for national networks providing quality audits in radiotherapy. A series of co-ordinated research projects (CRPs) has been conducted by the IAEA since 1995 assisting national external audit groups developing national audit programs. The CRP 'Development of Quality Audits for Radiotherapy Dosimetry for Complex Treatment Techniques' was conducted in 2009-2012 as an extension of previously developed audit programs. The CRP work described in this paper focused on developing and testing two steps of dosimetry audit: verification of heterogeneity corrections, and treatment planning system (TPS) modeling of small MLC fields, which are important for the initial stages of complex radiation treatments, such as IMRT. The project involved development of a new solid slab phantom with heterogeneities containing special measurement inserts for thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD) and radiochromic films. The phantom and the audit methodology has been developed at the IAEA and tested in multi-center studies involving the CRP participants. The results of multi-center testing of methodology for two steps of dosimetry audit show that the design of audit procedures is adequate and the methodology is feasible for meeting the audit objectives. A total of 97% TLD results in heterogeneity situations obtained in the study were within 3% and all results within 5% agreement with the TPS predicted doses. In contrast, only 64% small beam profiles were within 3 mm agreement between the TPS calculated and film measured doses. Film dosimetry results have highlighted some limitations in TPS modeling of small beam profiles in the direction of MLC leave movements. Through multi-center testing, any challenges or difficulties in the proposed audit methodology were identified, and the methodology improved. Using the experience of these studies, the participants could incorporate the auditing procedures in their national programs.

Development and Usefulness of a District Health Systems Tool for Performance Improvement in Essential Public Health Functions in Botswana and Mozambique.

PubMed

Bishai, David; Sherry, Melissa; Pereira, Claudia C; Chicumbe, Sergio; Mbofana, Francisco; Boore, Amy; Smith, Monica; Nhambi, Leonel; Borse, Nagesh N

2016-01-01

This study describes the development of a self-audit tool for public health and the associated methodology for implementing a district health system self-audit tool that can provide quantitative data on how district governments perceive their performance of the essential public health functions. Development began with a consensus-building process to engage Ministry of Health and provincial health officers in Mozambique and Botswana. We then worked with lists of relevant public health functions as determined by these stakeholders to adapt a self-audit tool describing essential public health functions to each country's health system. We then piloted the tool across districts in both countries and conducted interviews with district health personnel to determine health workers' perception of the usefulness of the approach. Country stakeholders were able to develop consensus around 11 essential public health functions that were relevant in each country. Pilots of the self-audit tool enabled the tool to be effectively shortened. Pilots also disclosed a tendency to upcode during self-audits that was checked by group deliberation. Convening sessions at the district enabled better attendance and representative deliberation. Instant feedback from the audit was a feature that 100% of pilot respondents found most useful. The development of metrics that provide feedback on public health performance can be used as an aid in the self-assessment of health system performance at the district level. Measurements of practice can open the door to future applications for practice improvement and research into the determinants and consequences of better public health practice. The current tool can be assessed for its usefulness to district health managers in improving their public health practice. The tool can also be used by the Ministry of Health or external donors in the African region for monitoring the district-level performance of the essential public health functions.

Development and Usefulness of a District Health Systems Tool for Performance Improvement in Essential Public Health Functions in Botswana and Mozambique

PubMed Central

Bishai, David; Sherry, Melissa; Pereira, Claudia C.; Chicumbe, Sergio; Mbofana, Francisco; Boore, Amy; Smith, Monica; Nhambi, Leonel; Borse, Nagesh N.

2018-01-01

Introduction This study describes the development of a self-audit tool for public health and the associated methodology for implementing a district health system self-audit tool that can provide quantitative data on how district governments perceive their own performance of the essential public health functions. Methods Development began with a consensus building process to engage Ministry of Health and provincial health officers in Mozambique and Botswana. We then worked with lists of relevant public health functions as determined by these stakeholders to adapt a self-audit tool describing essential public health functions to each country’s health system. We then piloted the tool across districts in both countries and conducted interviews with district health personnel to determine health workers’ perception of the usefulness of the approach. Results Country stakeholders were able to develop consensus around eleven essential public health functions that were relevant in each country. Pilots of the self-audit tool enabled the tool to be effectively shortened. Pilots also disclosed a tendency to up code during self-audits that was checked by group deliberation. Convening sessions at the district enabled better attendance and representative deliberation. Instant feedback from the audit was a feature that 100% of pilot respondents found most useful. Conclusions The development of metrics that provide feedback on public health performance can be used as an aid in the self-assessment of health system performance at the district level. Measurements of practice can open the door to future applications for practice improvement and research into the determinants and consequences of better public health practice. The current tool can be assessed for its usefulness to district health managers in improving their public health practice. The tool can also be used by ministry of health or external donors in the African region for monitoring the district level performance of the essential public health functions. PMID:27682727

77 FR 33950 - Prudential Management and Operations Standards

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-08

... by guideline. 12 U.S.C. 4513b. Those 10 areas relate to: Adequacy of internal controls and information systems; adequacy and independence of the internal audit systems; management of interest rate risk... Join Bank Letter at 7-8. 4. Standard 1 (Internal Controls and Information Systems) \\22\\ \\22\\ The Joint...

Findings From a Nursing Care Audit Based on the Nursing Process: A Descriptive Study.

PubMed

Poortaghi, Sarieh; Salsali, Mahvash; Ebadi, Abbas; Rahnavard, Zahra; Maleki, Farzaneh

2015-09-01

Although using the nursing process improves nursing care quality, few studies have evaluated nursing performance in accordance with nursing process steps either nationally or internationally. This study aimed to audit nursing care based on a nursing process model. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study in which a nursing audit checklist was designed and validated for assessing nurses' compliance with nursing process. A total of 300 nurses from various clinical settings of Tehran university of medical sciences were selected. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including frequencies, Pearson correlation coefficient and independent samples t-tests. The compliance rate of nursing process indicators was 79.71 ± 0.87. Mean compliance scores did not significantly differ by education level and gender. However, overall compliance scores were correlated with nurses' age (r = 0.26, P = 0.001) and work experience (r = 0.273, P = 0.001). Nursing process indicators can be used to audit nursing care. Such audits can be used as quality assurance tools.

25 CFR 542.42 - What are the minimum internal control standards for internal audit for Tier C gaming operations?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... reconciliation process; (ii) Pull tabs, including but not limited to, statistical records, winner verification... 25 Indians 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false What are the minimum internal control standards for... COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HUMAN SERVICES MINIMUM INTERNAL CONTROL STANDARDS § 542.42 What are...

A review of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), AUDIT-C, and USAUDIT for screening in the United States: Past issues and future directions.

PubMed

Higgins-Biddle, John C; Babor, Thomas F

2018-05-03

The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends that clinicians screen all adults for alcohol misuse and provide brief counseling to those engaged in risky or hazardous drinking. The World Health Organization's (WHO's) Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) is the most widely tested instrument for screening in primary health care. This paper describes the structural and functional features of the AUDIT and methodological problems with the validation of the alcohol consumption questions (AUDIT-C). The content, scoring, and rationale for a new version of the AUDIT (called the USAUDIT), adapted to US standard drink size and hazardous drinking guidelines, is presented. Narrative review focusing on the consumption elements of the AUDIT. Four studies of the AUDIT-C are reviewed and evaluated. The AUDIT has been used extensively in many countries without making the changes in the first three consumption questions recommended in the AUDIT User's Manual. As a consequence, the original WHO version is not compatible with US guidelines and AUDIT scores are not comparable with those obtained in countries that have different drink sizes, consumption units, and safe drinking limits. Clinical and Scientific Significance. The USAUDIT has adapted the WHO AUDIT to a 14 g standard drink, and US low-risk drinking guidelines. These changes provide greater accuracy in measuring alcohol consumption than the AUDIT-C.

Multicentre dose audit for clinical trials of radiation therapy in Asia.

PubMed

Mizuno, Hideyuki; Fukuda, Shigekazu; Fukumura, Akifumi; Nakamura, Yuzuru-Kutsutani; Jianping, Cao; Cho, Chul-Koo; Supriana, Nana; Dung, To Anh; Calaguas, Miriam Joy; Devi, C R Beena; Chansilpa, Yaowalak; Banu, Parvin Akhter; Riaz, Masooma; Esentayeva, Surya; Kato, Shingo; Karasawa, Kumiko; Tsujii, Hirohiko

2017-05-01

A dose audit of 16 facilities in 11 countries has been performed within the framework of the Forum for Nuclear Cooperation in Asia (FNCA) quality assurance program. The quality of radiation dosimetry varies because of the large variation in radiation therapy among the participating countries. One of the most important aspects of international multicentre clinical trials is uniformity of absolute dose between centres. The National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS) in Japan has conducted a dose audit of participating countries since 2006 by using radiophotoluminescent glass dosimeters (RGDs). RGDs have been successfully applied to a domestic postal dose audit in Japan. The authors used the same audit system to perform a dose audit of the FNCA countries. The average and standard deviation of the relative deviation between the measured and intended dose among 46 beams was 0.4% and 1.5% (k = 1), respectively. This is an excellent level of uniformity for the multicountry data. However, of the 46 beams measured, a single beam exceeded the permitted tolerance level of ±5%. We investigated the cause for this and solved the problem. This event highlights the importance of external audits in radiation therapy. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japan Radiation Research Society and Japanese Society for Radiation Oncology.

Spasmodic dysphonia: a seven-year audit of dose titration and demographics in the Indian population.

PubMed

Nerurkar, N K; Banu, T P

2014-07-01

This study aimed to evaluate the demographics of spasmodic dysphonia in the Indian population and to analyse the optimum dose titration of botulinum toxin type A in this group. A comparative analysis with international studies was also performed. The study involved a retrospective analysis and audit of botulinum toxin type A dose titration in spasmodic dysphonia patients who visited our voice clinic between January 2005 and January 2012. The average total therapeutic dose required for patients with adductor spasmodic dysphonia was 4.2 U per patient per vocal fold (total 8.4 U per patient), and for patients with abductor spasmodic dysphonia, it was 4.6 U per patient. Our audit revealed that 80 per cent of the spasmodic dysphonia patients were male, which contrasts dramatically with international studies, wherein around 80 per cent of spasmodic dysphonia patients were female. Our study also revealed a higher dose titration of botulinum toxin for the Indian spasmodic dysphonia population in both adductor and abductor spasmodic dysphonia cases.

Audit filters for improving processes of care and clinical outcomes in trauma systems.

PubMed

Evans, Christopher; Howes, Daniel; Pickett, William; Dagnone, Luigi

2009-10-07

Traumatic injuries represent a considerable public health burden with significant personal and societal costs. The care of the severely injured patient in a trauma system progresses along a continuum that includes numerous interventions being provided by a multidisciplinary group of healthcare personnel. Despite the recent emphasis on quality of care in medicine, there has been little research to direct trauma clinicians and administrators on how optimally to monitor and improve upon the quality of care delivered within a trauma system. Audit filters are one mechanism for improving quality of care and are defined as specific clinical processes or outcomes of care that, when they occur, represent unfavorable deviations from an established norm and which prompt review and feedback. Although audit filters are widely utilized for performance improvement in trauma systems they have not been subjected to systematic review of their effectiveness. To determine the effectiveness of using audit filters for improving processes of care and clinical outcomes in trauma systems. Our search strategy included an electronic search of the Cochrane Injuries Group Specialized Register, the Cochrane EPOC Group Specialized Register, CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library 2008, Issue 4), MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and ISI Web of Science: (SCI-EXPANDED and CPCI-S). We handsearched the Journal of Trauma, Injury, Annals of Emergency Medicine, Academic Emergency Medicine, and Injury Prevention. We searched two clinical trial registries: 1) The World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and, 2) Clinical Trials.gov. We also contacted content experts for further articles. The most recent electronic search was completed in December 2008 and the handsearch was completed up to February 2009. We searched for randomized controlled trials, controlled clinical trials, controlled before-and-after studies, and interrupted time series studies that used audit filters as an intervention for improving processes of care, morbidity, or mortality for severely injured patients. Two authors independently screened the search results, applied inclusion criteria, and extracted data. There were no studies identified that met the inclusion criteria for this review. We were unable to identify any studies of sufficient methodological quality to draw conclusions regarding the effectiveness of audit filters as a performance improvement intervention in trauma systems. Future research using rigorous study designs should focus on the relative effectiveness of audit filters in comparison to alternative quality improvement strategies at improving processes of care, functional outcomes, and mortality for injured patients.

Marketing audit reveals holes and opportunities.

PubMed

Pearson, E

1990-07-01

The marketing department is an essential function of the hospital. But do you know if your marketing efforts are meeting your institution's objectives? An audit of the department is as essential as any other part of the marketing plan. The author tells you "how" and "why" you should seek the services of an auditor to examine your marketing function.

Reference dosimeter system of the iaea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehta, Kishor; Girzikowsky, Reinhard

1995-09-01

Quality assurance programmes must be in operation at radiation processing facilities to satisfy national and international Standards. Since dosimetry has a vital function in these QA programmes, it is imperative that the dosimetry systems in use at these facilities are well calibrated with a traceability to a Primary Standard Dosimetry Laboratory. As a service to the Member States, the International Atomic Energy Agency operates the International Dose Assurance Service (IDAS) to assist in this process. The transfer standard dosimetry system that is used for this service is based on ESR spectrometry. The paper describes the activities undertaken at the IAEA Dosimetry Laboratory to establish the QA programme for its reference dosimetry system. There are four key elements of such a programme: quality assurance manual; calibration that is traceable to a Primary Standard Dosimetry Laboratory; a clear and detailed statement of uncertainty in the dose measurement; and, periodic quality audit.

The Linguistic and the Contextual in Applied Genre Analysis: The Case of the Company Audit Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flowerdew, John; Wan, Alina

2010-01-01

By means of an analysis of the genre of the audit report, this study highlights the respective roles of linguistic and contextual analysis in genre analysis, if the results are to be of maximum use in ESP course design. On the one hand, based on a corpus of current and authentic written auditors' reports produced in a large international Hong Kong…

Effects of auditing patient safety in hospital care: design of a mixed-method evaluation

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Auditing of patient safety aims at early detection of risks of adverse events and is intended to encourage the continuous improvement of patient safety. The auditing should be an independent, objective assurance and consulting system. Auditing helps an organisation accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluating and improving the effectiveness of risk management, control, and governance. Audits are broadly conducted in hospitals, but little is known about their effects on the behaviour of healthcare professionals and patient safety outcomes. This study was initiated to evaluate the effects of patient safety auditing in hospital care and to explore the processes and mechanisms underlying these effects. Methods and design Our study aims to evaluate an audit system to monitor and improve patient safety in a hospital setting. We are using a mixed-method evaluation with a before-and-after study design in eight departments of one university hospital in the period October 2011–July 2014. We measure several outcomes 3 months before the audit and 15 months after the audit. The primary outcomes are adverse events and complications. The secondary outcomes are experiences of patients, the standardised mortality ratio, prolonged hospital stay, patient safety culture, and team climate. We use medical record reviews, questionnaires, hospital administrative data, and observations to assess the outcomes. A process evaluation will be used to find out which components of internal auditing determine the effects. Discussion We report a study protocol of an effect and process evaluation to determine whether auditing improves patient safety in hospital care. Because auditing is a complex intervention targeted on several levels, we are using a combination of methods to collect qualitative and quantitative data about patient safety at the patient, professional, and department levels. This study is relevant for hospitals that want to early detect unsafe care and improve patient safety continuously. Trial registration Netherlands Trial Register (NTR): NTR3343 PMID:23800253

Effects of auditing patient safety in hospital care: design of a mixed-method evaluation.

PubMed

Hanskamp-Sebregts, Mirelle; Zegers, Marieke; Boeijen, Wilma; Westert, Gert P; van Gurp, Petra J; Wollersheim, Hub

2013-06-22

Auditing of patient safety aims at early detection of risks of adverse events and is intended to encourage the continuous improvement of patient safety. The auditing should be an independent, objective assurance and consulting system. Auditing helps an organisation accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluating and improving the effectiveness of risk management, control, and governance. Audits are broadly conducted in hospitals, but little is known about their effects on the behaviour of healthcare professionals and patient safety outcomes. This study was initiated to evaluate the effects of patient safety auditing in hospital care and to explore the processes and mechanisms underlying these effects. Our study aims to evaluate an audit system to monitor and improve patient safety in a hospital setting. We are using a mixed-method evaluation with a before-and-after study design in eight departments of one university hospital in the period October 2011-July 2014. We measure several outcomes 3 months before the audit and 15 months after the audit. The primary outcomes are adverse events and complications. The secondary outcomes are experiences of patients, the standardised mortality ratio, prolonged hospital stay, patient safety culture, and team climate. We use medical record reviews, questionnaires, hospital administrative data, and observations to assess the outcomes. A process evaluation will be used to find out which components of internal auditing determine the effects. We report a study protocol of an effect and process evaluation to determine whether auditing improves patient safety in hospital care. Because auditing is a complex intervention targeted on several levels, we are using a combination of methods to collect qualitative and quantitative data about patient safety at the patient, professional, and department levels. This study is relevant for hospitals that want to early detect unsafe care and improve patient safety continuously. Netherlands Trial Register (NTR): NTR3343.

Dosimetric inter-institutional comparison in European radiotherapy centres: Results of IAEA supported treatment planning system audit.

PubMed

Gershkevitsh, Eduard; Pesznyak, Csilla; Petrovic, Borislava; Grezdo, Joseph; Chelminski, Krzysztof; do Carmo Lopes, Maria; Izewska, Joanna; Van Dyk, Jacob

2014-05-01

One of the newer audit modalities operated by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) involves audits of treatment planning systems (TPS) in radiotherapy. The main focus of the audit is the dosimetry verification of the delivery of a radiation treatment plan for three-dimensional (3D) conformal radiotherapy using high energy photon beams. The audit has been carried out in eight European countries - Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Serbia, Slovakia, Poland and Portugal. The corresponding results are presented. The TPS audit reviews the dosimetry, treatment planning and radiotherapy delivery processes using the 'end-to-end' approach, i.e. following the pathway similar to that of the patient, through imaging, treatment planning and dose delivery. The audit is implemented at the national level with IAEA assistance. The national counterparts conduct the TPS audit at local radiotherapy centres through on-site visits. TPS calculated doses are compared with ion chamber measurements performed in an anthropomorphic phantom for eight test cases per algorithm/beam. A set of pre-defined agreement criteria is used to analyse the performance of TPSs. TPS audit was carried out in 60 radiotherapy centres. In total, 190 data sets (combination of algorithm and beam quality) have been collected and reviewed. Dosimetry problems requiring interventions were discovered in about 10% of datasets. In addition, suboptimal beam modelling in TPSs was discovered in a number of cases. The TPS audit project using the IAEA methodology has verified the treatment planning system calculations for 3D conformal radiotherapy in a group of radiotherapy centres in Europe. It contributed to achieving better understanding of the performance of TPSs and helped to resolve issues related to imaging, dosimetry and treatment planning.

Validation of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test in university students: AUDIT and AUDIT-C.

PubMed

García Carretero, Miguel Ángel; Novalbos Ruiz, José Pedro; Martínez Delgado, José Manuel; O'Ferrall González, Cristina

2016-03-02

The aim of this study was to determine the psychometric properties of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT and AUDIT-C) in order to detect problems related to the consumption of alcohol in the university population. The sample consisted of 1309 students.A Weekly Alcohol Consumption Diary was used as a gold standard; Cronbach's Alpha, the Kappa index, Spearman's correlation coefficient and exploratory factor analysis were applied for diagnostic reliability and validity, with ROC curves used to establish the different cut-off points. Binge Drinking (BD) episodes were found in 3.9% of men and 4.0% of women with otherwise low-risk drinking patterns. AUDIT identified 20.1% as high-risk drinkers and 6.4% as drinkers with physical-psychological problems and probable alcohol dependence.Cronbach's alpha of 0.75 demonstrates good internal consistency. The best cut-off points for high-risk drinking students were 8 for males and 6 for females. As for problem drinkers and probable ADS, 13 was the best cut-off point for both sexes. In relation to AUDIT-C, 5 and 4 were the best cut-off points for males and females with high-risk patterns, respectively. The criterion validity of AUDIT and AUDIT-C to detect binge drinking episodes was found to have a moderate K value. The results obtained show that AUDIT has good psychometric properties to detect early alcohol abuse disorders in university students; however, it is recommended that the cut-off point be reduced to 8 in men. AUDIT-C improves its predictive value by raising the cut-off point by one unit. Items 2 and 3 should be reviewed to increase its predictive value for BD.

Comparison of AIHA ISO 9001-based occupational health and safety management system guidance document with a manufacturer's occupational health and safety assessment instrument.

PubMed

Dyjack, D T; Levine, S P; Holtshouser, J L; Schork, M A

1998-06-01

Numerous manufacturing and service organizations have integrated or are considering integration of their respective occupational health and safety management and audit systems into the International Organization for Standardization-based (ISO) audit-driven Quality Management Systems (ISO 9000) or Environmental Management Systems (ISO 14000) models. Companies considering one of these options will likely need to identify and evaluate several key factors before embarking on such efforts. The purpose of this article is to identify and address the key factors through a case study approach. Qualitative and quantitative comparisons of the key features of the American Industrial Hygiene Association ISO-9001 harmonized Occupational Health and Safety Management System with The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. management and audit system were conducted. The comparisons showed that the two management systems and their respective audit protocols, although structured differently, were not substantially statistically dissimilar in content. The authors recommend that future studies continue to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of various audit protocols. Ideally, these studies would identify those audit outcome measures that can be reliably correlated with health and safety performance.

Prescription Opioids

MedlinePlus

... also often involve benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines are central nervous system depressants used to sedate, ... Health, National Prescription Audit (NPATM). Cited in internal document: Preliminary Update on ...

Gestalt Revisited: Spin-Offs and Assessment in International University Co-Operation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denman, Brian D.

2004-01-01

International university co-operation is in a constant state of metamorphosis. Its future rests upon extraneous forces such as globalization and internationalization and also upon those who make policy decisions. Many international university organizations are auditing their programs and initiatives to such a degree that the cost effectiveness of…

A methodology for TLD postal dosimetry audit of high-energy radiotherapy photon beams in non-reference conditions.

PubMed

Izewska, Joanna; Georg, Dietmar; Bera, Pranabes; Thwaites, David; Arib, Mehenna; Saravi, Margarita; Sergieva, Katia; Li, Kaibao; Yip, Fernando Garcia; Mahant, Ashok Kumar; Bulski, Wojciech

2007-07-01

A strategy for national TLD audit programmes has been developed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). It involves progression through three sequential dosimetry audit steps. The first step audits are for the beam output in reference conditions for high-energy photon beams. The second step audits are for the dose in reference and non-reference conditions on the beam axis for photon and electron beams. The third step audits involve measurements of the dose in reference, and non-reference conditions off-axis for open and wedged symmetric and asymmetric fields for photon beams. Through a co-ordinated research project the IAEA developed the methodology to extend the scope of national TLD auditing activities to more complex audit measurements for regular fields. Based on the IAEA standard TLD holder for high-energy photon beams, a TLD holder was developed with horizontal arm to enable measurements 5cm off the central axis. Basic correction factors were determined for the holder in the energy range between Co-60 and 25MV photon beams. New procedures were developed for the TLD irradiation in hospitals. The off-axis measurement methodology for photon beams was tested in a multi-national pilot study. The statistical distribution of dosimetric parameters (off-axis ratios for open and wedge beam profiles, output factors, wedge transmission factors) checked in 146 measurements was 0.999+/-0.012. The methodology of TLD audits in non-reference conditions with a modified IAEA TLD holder has been shown to be feasible.

25 CFR 542.22 - What are the minimum internal control standards for internal audit for Tier A gaming operations?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... but not limited to, bingo card control, payout procedures, and cash reconciliation process; (ii) Pull... 25 Indians 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false What are the minimum internal control standards for... COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HUMAN SERVICES MINIMUM INTERNAL CONTROL STANDARDS § 542.22 What are...

25 CFR 542.32 - What are the minimum internal control standards for internal audit for Tier B gaming operations?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... but not limited to, bingo card control, payout procedures, and cash reconciliation process; (ii) Pull... 25 Indians 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false What are the minimum internal control standards for... COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HUMAN SERVICES MINIMUM INTERNAL CONTROL STANDARDS § 542.32 What are...

Use of diagnostic information submitted to the United Kingdom Central Cardiac Audit Database: development of categorisation and allocation algorithms.

PubMed

Brown, Kate L; Crowe, Sonya; Pagel, Christina; Bull, Catherine; Muthialu, Nagarajan; Gibbs, John; Cunningham, David; Utley, Martin; Tsang, Victor T; Franklin, Rodney

2013-08-01

To categorise records according to primary cardiac diagnosis in the United Kingdom Central Cardiac Audit Database in order to add this information to a risk adjustment model for paediatric cardiac surgery. Codes from the International Paediatric Congenital Cardiac Code were mapped to recognisable primary cardiac diagnosis groupings, allocated using a hierarchy and less refined diagnosis groups, based on the number of functional ventricles and presence of aortic obstruction. A National Clinical Audit Database. Patients Children undergoing cardiac interventions: the proportions for each diagnosis scheme are presented for 13,551 first patient surgical episodes since 2004. In Scheme 1, the most prevalent diagnoses nationally were ventricular septal defect (13%), patent ductus arteriosus (10.4%), and tetralogy of Fallot (9.5%). In Scheme 2, the prevalence of a biventricular heart without aortic obstruction was 64.2% and with aortic obstruction was 14.1%; the prevalence of a functionally univentricular heart without aortic obstruction was 4.3% and with aortic obstruction was 4.7%; the prevalence of unknown (ambiguous) number of ventricles was 8.4%; and the prevalence of acquired heart disease only was 2.2%. Diagnostic groups added to procedural information: of the 17% of all operations classed as "not a specific procedure", 97.1% had a diagnosis identified in Scheme 1 and 97.2% in Scheme 2. Diagnostic information adds to surgical procedural data when the complexity of case mix is analysed in a national database. These diagnostic categorisation schemes may be used for future investigation of the frequency of conditions and evaluation of long-term outcome over a series of procedures.

Accuracy of a smartphone to test laryngoscope's light and an audit to our laryngoscopes using an ISO standard.

PubMed

Machado, Diogo Alcino de Abreu Ribeiro Carvalho; Esteves, Dina da Assunção Azevedo; Branca, Pedro Manuel Araújo de Sousa

Laryngoscope is a key tool in anesthetic practice. Direct laryngoscopy is a crucial moment and inadequate laryngoscope's light can lead to catastrophic consequences. From our experience laryngoscope's light is assessed in a subjective manner and we believe a more precise evaluation should be used. Our objective is to compare the accuracy of a smartphone compared to a lux meter. Secondly we audited our Operating Room laryngoscopes. We designed a pragmatic study, using as primary outcome the accuracy of a smartphone compared to the lux meter. Further we audited with both the lux meter and the smartphone all laryngoscopes and blades ready to use in our Operating Rooms, using the International Standard form the International Organization for Standardization. For primary outcome we found no significant difference between devices. Our audit showed that only 2 in 48 laryngoscopes complied with the ISO norm. When comparing the measurements between the lux meter and the smartphone we found no significant difference. Ideally every laryngoscope should perform as required. We believe all laryngoscopes should have a practical but reliable and objective test prior to its utilization. Our results suggest the smartphone was accurate enough to be used as a lux meter to test laryngoscope's light. Audit results showing only 4% comply with the ISO standard are consistent with other studies. The tested smartphone has enough accuracy to perform light measurement in laryngoscopes. We believe this is a step further to perform an objective routine check to laryngoscope's light. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda.

[Validation of the AUDIT test for identifying risk consumption and alcohol use disorders in women].

PubMed

Pérula de Torres, L A; Fernández-García, J A; Arias-Vega, R; Muriel-Palomino, M; Márquez-Rebollo, E; Ruiz-Moral, R

2005-11-30

To validate the AUDIT test for identifying women with excess alcohol consumption and/or dependency syndrome (DS). Descriptive study to validate a test. Two primary care centres and a county drug-dependency centre. 414 women from 18 to 75 recruited at the clinic. Interventions. Social and personal details were obtained through personal interview, their alcohol consumption was quantified and the AUDIT and MALT questionnaires were filled in. Then the semi-structured SCAN interview was conducted (gold standard; DSM-IV and CIE-10 criteria), and analyses were requested (GGT, GOT, GPT, VCM). 186 patients were given a follow-up appointment three-four weeks later (retest). Intra-observer reliability was evaluated with the Kappa index, internal consistency with Cronbach s alpha, and the validity of criteria with indexes of sensitivity and specificity, predictive values and probability quotients. To evaluate the diagnostic performance of the test and the most effective cut-off point, a ROC analysis was run. 11.4% (95% CI, 8.98-13.81) were diagnosed with alcohol abuse (0.5%) or DS (10.9%). The Kappa coefficients of the AUDIT items ranged between 0.685 and 0.795 (P<.001). Internal reliability, with Cronbach s alpha, was 0.932 (95% CI, 0.921-0.941). Test sensitivity was 89.6% (95% CI,76.11-96.02) and specificity was 95.07% (95% CI, 92.18-96.97). The most effective cut-off point was at 6 points. The AUDIT is a questionnaire with good psycho-measurement properties. It is reliable and valid for the detection of risk consumption and DS in women.

Medicare changes create accounting, reporting, and auditing problems. Task Force on Federal Health Care Legislation, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

PubMed

1984-11-01

Hospital auditors and financial officers must adjust and react to the changing financial healthcare environment brought about by PPS. A close review of accounting systems, reporting methods, auditing procedures, and internal control systems should be made to determine that assets are safe-guarded and financial information is presented in conformity with GAAP. This article identified new problems and suggested solutions. Old tasks may no longer be necessary. For example, retroactive adjustments are not as important as they used to be. Estimates for capital and outpatient costs may continue to be required, but elaborate cost-finding techniques may no longer be necessary to estimate retroactive adjustments for reimbursable items. We recommend that prior to beginning an audit of a hospital's financial statements, each hospital's financial officers and its auditors discuss the possible accounting, reporting, and auditing implications as a result of PPS.

DCAA Audits: Widespread Problems with Audit Quality Require Significant Reform

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-01

is included in appendix III. DOD contract management continues to be a high- risk area for the government.17 With hundreds of billions of taxpayer...Defense Contract Management : DOD’s Lack of Adherence to Key Contracting Principles on Iraq Oil Contract Put Government Interests at Risk , GAO-07-839...in the Federal Government68 require federal agency managers to identify and assess relevant risks the agency faces from external and internal

Developing and implementing a computerized nursing quality control system in a tertiary general medical center in Israel.

PubMed

Kagan, Ilya; Cohen, Rachel; Fish, Miri; Mezare, Henia Perry

2014-01-01

This article describes the development and implementation of the Nursing Quality Indicators Scale and a quality control system for hospital nursing care, which allows universal access to all external and internal audit results, thus ensuring complete data transparency. Standardized indicators make departments' performance comparable. Key to the new system is nurses' self-audit and responsibility for making quality improvements at the ward level.

Defense Contract Audit Agency Audits of Contractor Compliance with Cost Accounting Standards

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-01-11

20301-1900. The identity of each writer and caller is fully protected. Acronyms ACO CAM CAS CO DCAA DCMC DFARS FAR FAO FMIS GAAP GAAS...Accounting Principles ( GAAP ) and accounting methods accepted for income tax purposes by the Internal Revenue Service. The purpose of GAAP is to report cost...information for financial statement purposes GAAP was developed primarily for stockholder use and protection, not to control expenditures on

Application of an Operational Audit Model in a Not For Profit Hospital

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-12-01

Advisor David R. Whipple, Chairman Department of Administrative Sciences ii AIITRCT This thesis has examined various problems facing the not- for...the interviewee and more closely gauge the validity of the comments. ( Fetterman , 1986) As the auditor sifts through bits and pieces of conversations... Fetterman , D.M., "Operational Auditing: A Cultural Approach," The Internal Auditor, April 1986, pp. 48-54. Fisher, J., How to Manage a Nonprofit

Measurement invariance of the alcohol use disorders identification test: Establishing its factor structure in different settings and across gender.

PubMed

Moehring, Anne; Krause, Kristian; Guertler, Diana; Bischof, Gallus; Hapke, Ulfert; Freyer-Adam, Jennis; Baumann, Sophie; Batra, Anil; Rumpf, Hans-Juergen; Ulbricht, Sabina; John, Ulrich; Meyer, Christian

2018-05-31

The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) is an internationally well-established screening tool for the assessment of hazardous and harmful alcohol consumption. To be valid for group comparisons, the AUDIT should measure the same latent construct with the same structure across groups. This is determined by measurement invariance. So far, measurement invariance of the AUDIT has rarely been investigated. We analyzed measurement invariance across gender and samples from different settings (i.e., inpatients from general hospital, patients from general medical practices, general population). A sample of n = 28,345 participants from general hospitals, general medical practices and the general population was provided from six studies. First, we used Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to establish the factorial structure of the AUDIT by comparing a single-factor model to a two-factor model for each group. Next, Multiple Group CFA was used to investigate measurement invariance. The two-factor structure was shown to be preferable for all groups. Furthermore, strict measurement invariance was established across all groups for the AUDIT. A two-factor structure for the AUDIT is preferred. Nevertheless, the one-factor structure also showed a good fit to the data. The findings support the AUDIT as a psychometrically valid and reliable screening instrument. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessing adherence to the evidence base in the management of poststroke dysphagia.

PubMed

Burton, Christopher; Pennington, Lindsay; Roddam, Hazel; Russell, Ian; Russell, Daphne; Krawczyk, Karen; Smith, Hilary A

2006-01-01

To evaluate the reliability and responsiveness to change of an audit tool to assess adherence to evidence of effectiveness in the speech and language therapy (SLT) management of poststroke dysphagia. The tool was used to review SLT practice as part of a randomized study of different education strategies. Medical records were audited before and after delivery of the trial intervention. Seventeen SLT departments in the north-west of England participated in the study. The assessment tool was used to assess the medical records of 753 patients before and 717 patients after delivery of the trial intervention across the 17 departments. A target of 10 records per department per month was sought, using systematic sampling with a random start. Inter- and intra-rater reliability were explored, together with the tool's internal consistency and responsiveness to change. The assessment tool had high face validity, although internal consistency was low (ra = 0.37). Composite scores on the tool were however responsive to differences between SLT departments. Both inter- and intra-rater reliability ranged from 'substantial' to 'near perfect' across all items. The audit tool has high face validity and measurement reliability. The use of a composite adherence score should, however, proceed with caution as internal consistency is low.

Findings From a Nursing Care Audit Based on the Nursing Process: A Descriptive Study

PubMed Central

Poortaghi, Sarieh; Salsali, Mahvash; Ebadi, Abbas; Rahnavard, Zahra; Maleki, Farzaneh

2015-01-01

Background: Although using the nursing process improves nursing care quality, few studies have evaluated nursing performance in accordance with nursing process steps either nationally or internationally. Objectives: This study aimed to audit nursing care based on a nursing process model. Patients and Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study in which a nursing audit checklist was designed and validated for assessing nurses’ compliance with nursing process. A total of 300 nurses from various clinical settings of Tehran university of medical sciences were selected. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including frequencies, Pearson correlation coefficient and independent samples t-tests. Results: The compliance rate of nursing process indicators was 79.71 ± 0.87. Mean compliance scores did not significantly differ by education level and gender. However, overall compliance scores were correlated with nurses’ age (r = 0.26, P = 0.001) and work experience (r = 0.273, P = 0.001). Conclusions: Nursing process indicators can be used to audit nursing care. Such audits can be used as quality assurance tools. PMID:26576448

'Screening audit' as a quality assurance tool in good clinical practice compliant research environments.

PubMed

Park, Sinyoung; Nam, Chung Mo; Park, Sejung; Noh, Yang Hee; Ahn, Cho Rong; Yu, Wan Sun; Kim, Bo Kyung; Kim, Seung Min; Kim, Jin Seok; Rha, Sun Young

2018-04-25

With the growing amount of clinical research, regulations and research ethics are becoming more stringent. This trend introduces a need for quality assurance measures for ensuring adherence to research ethics and human research protection beyond Institutional Review Board approval. Audits, one of the most effective tools for assessing quality assurance, are measures used to evaluate Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and protocol compliance in clinical research. However, they are laborious, time consuming, and require expertise. Therefore, we developed a simple auditing process (a screening audit) and evaluated its feasibility and effectiveness. The screening audit was developed using a routine audit checklist based on the Severance Hospital's Human Research Protection Program policies and procedures. The measure includes 20 questions, and results are summarized in five categories of audit findings. We analyzed 462 studies that were reviewed by the Severance Hospital Human Research Protection Center between 2013 and 2017. We retrospectively analyzed research characteristics, reply rate, audit findings, associated factors and post-screening audit compliance, etc. RESULTS: Investigator reply rates gradually increased, except for the first year (73% → 26% → 53% → 49% → 55%). The studies were graded as "critical," "major," "minor," and "not a finding" (11.9, 39.0, 42.9, and 6.3%, respectively), based on findings and number of deficiencies. The auditors' decisions showed fair agreement with weighted kappa values of 0.316, 0.339, and 0.373. Low-risk level studies, single center studies, and non-phase clinical research showed more prevalent frequencies of being "major" or "critical" (p = 0.002, < 0.0001, < 0.0001, respectively). Inappropriateness of documents, failure to obtain informed consent, inappropriateness of informed consent process, and failure to protect participants' personal information were associated with higher audit grade (p < 0.0001, p = 0.0001, p < 0.0001, p = 0.003). We were able to observe critical GCP violations in the routine internal audit results of post-screening audit compliance checks in "non-responding" and "critical" studies upon applying the screening audit. Our screening audit is a simple and effective way to assess overall GCP compliance by institutions and to ensure medical ethics. The tool also provides useful selection criteria for conducting routine audits.

76 FR 27156 - Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant Proposals; Teacher Exchange...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-10

... fluidity and synergy. The international teachers gain an in-depth understanding of U.S. schools... implementation at host universities and schools. International teachers in the U.S. for a semester audit two... 2013 to visit the home schools of selected international teacher alumni, to develop lesson plans on...

77 FR 65937 - Advisory Council to the Internal Revenue Service; Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-31

... Continuing to Balance Compliance and Tax Enforcement, Streamling the Audit Process, Managing Knowledge in the Issue Practice Groups and International Practice Networks, How Lien Withdrawal Processing should be made...) (Form 1040), Increase BMF Electronic Filing, Guidance Respecting Obligations of Tax Practitioner Under...

Quality improvement in New Zealand healthcare. Part 3: achieving effective care through clinical audit.

PubMed

Seddon, Mary; Buchanan, John

2006-08-04

In this third article in the Series on quality improvement, we examine the effectiveness of dimension of healthcare quality. To satisfy this dimension, two equally important facets must be attended to. First the best available evidence must be sought through research, and second that evidence must be applied--this second function is the domain of quality improvement activities generally and clinical audit in particular. Clinical audit is one of the main tools to establish whether the best evidence is being used in practice, as it compares actual practice to a standard of practice. Clinical audit identifies any gaps between what is done and what should be done, and rectifies any deficiencies in the actual processes of care. In this article, the steps involved in a clinical audit, how it is different to research, and the question of whether clinical audit requires ethical approval are explored.

Development and reliability of an audit tool to assess the school physical activity environment across 12 countries

PubMed Central

Broyles, S T; Drazba, K T; Church, T S; Chaput, J-P; Fogelholm, M; Hu, G; Kuriyan, R; Kurpad, A; Lambert, E V; Maher, C; Maia, J; Matsudo, V; Olds, T; Onywera, V; Sarmiento, O L; Standage, M; Tremblay, M S; Tudor-Locke, C; Zhao, P; Katzmarzyk, P T

2015-01-01

Objectives: Schools are an important setting to enable and promote physical activity. Researchers have created a variety of tools to perform objective environmental assessments (or ‘audits') of other settings, such as neighborhoods and parks; yet, methods to assess the school physical activity environment are less common. The purpose of this study is to describe the approach used to objectively measure the school physical activity environment across 12 countries representing all inhabited continents, and to report on the reliability and feasibility of this methodology across these diverse settings. Methods: The International Study of Childhood Obesity, Lifestyle and the Environment (ISCOLE) school audit tool (ISAT) data collection required an in-depth training (including field practice and certification) and was facilitated by various supporting materials. Certified data collectors used the ISAT to assess the environment of all schools enrolled in ISCOLE. Sites completed a reliability audit (simultaneous audits by two independent, certified data collectors) for a minimum of two schools or at least 5% of their school sample. Item-level agreement between data collectors was assessed with both the kappa statistic and percent agreement. Inter-rater reliability of school summary scores was measured using the intraclass correlation coefficient. Results: Across the 12 sites, 256 schools participated in ISCOLE. Reliability audits were conducted at 53 schools (20.7% of the sample). For the assessed environmental features, inter-rater reliability (kappa) ranged from 0.37 to 0.96; 18 items (42%) were assessed with almost perfect reliability (κ=0.80–0.96), and a further 24 items (56%) were assessed with substantial reliability (κ=0.61–0.79). Likewise, scores that summarized a school's support for physical activity were highly reliable, with the exception of scores assessing aesthetics and perceived suitability of the school grounds for sport, informal games and general play. Conclusions: This study suggests that the ISAT can be used to conduct reliable objective audits of the school physical activity environment across diverse, international school settings. PMID:27152183

Renal function monitoring in patients prescribed dabigatran in the Compass Health Primary Health Organisation: a quality improvement audit.

PubMed

McBain, Lynn; Kyle, Anna

2018-03-09

To assess annual renal function monitoring and clinical indications for use in patients prescribed dabigatran. A quality improvement activity included all patients in the Compass Health Primary Health Organisation (PHO) prescribed dabigatran. Information recorded: demographics; indication for use; daily dose; height; weight; serum creatinine; and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). The first audit occurred during July 2013 - May 2014, the second during May 2014 - October 2016. Across the PHO, all patients prescribed dabigatran were reviewed: 941 patients and 1,564 respectively. At the time of the second pass audit, renal function monitoring improved from 88% to 90%, and 96% were prescribed dabigatran for an approved indication. Results showed a continuing high level of renal function monitoring across the PHO in 90% of patients prescribed dabigatran. Practitioners were reminded to use creatinine clearance as a marker of renal function. Dabigatran was prescribed for an approved indication in 96% of patients. Our results are in line with recommended best practice and clinical guidelines.

Audits of oncology units - an effective and pragmatic approach.

PubMed

Abratt, Raymond Pierre; Eedes, David; Bailey, Belinda; Salmon, Chris; Govender, Yogi; Oelofse, Ivan; Burger, Henriette

2017-05-24

Audits of oncology units are part of all quality-assurance programmes. However, they do not always come across as pragmatic and helpful to staff. To report on the results of an online survey on the usefulness and impact of an audit process for oncology units. Staff in oncology units who were part of the audit process completed the audit self-assessment form for the unit. This was followed by a visit to each unit by an assessor, and then subsequent personal contact, usually via telephone. The audit self-assessment document listed quality-assurance measures or items in the physical and functional areas of the oncology unit. There were a total of 153 items included in the audit. The online survey took place in October 2016. The invitation to participate was sent to 59 oncology units at which staff members had completed the audit process. The online survey was completed by 54 (41%) of the 132 potential respondents. The online survey found that the audit was very or extremely useful in maintaining personal professional standards in 89% of responses. The audit process and feedback was rated as very or extremely satisfactory in 80% and 81%, respectively. The self-assessment audit document was scored by survey respondents as very or extremely practical in 63% of responses. The feedback on the audit was that it was very or extremely helpful in formulating improvement plans in oncology units in 82% of responses. Major and minor changes that occurred as a result of the audit process were reported as 8% and 88%, respectively. The survey findings show that the audit process and its self- assessment document meet the aims of being helpful and pragmatic.

Comparative dosimetry study of three UK centres implementing total skin electron treatment through external audit.

PubMed

Misson-Yates, S; Gonzalez, R; McGovern, M; Greener, A

2015-05-01

This article describes the external audit measurements conducted in two UK centres implementing total skin electron beam therapy (TSEBT) and the results obtained. Measurements of output, energy, beam flatness and symmetry at a standard distance (95 or 100 cm SSD) were performed using a parallel plate chamber in solid water. Similarly, output and energy measurements were also performed at the treatment plane for single and dual fields. Clinical simulations were carried out using thermoluminescent dosemeters (TLDs) and Gafchromic® film (International Specialty Products, Wayne, NJ) on an anthropomorphic phantom. Extended distance measurements confirmed that local values for the beam dosimetry at Centres A and B were within 2% for outputs and 1-mm agreement of the expected depth at which the dose is 50% of the maximum for the depth-dose curve in water (R50,D) value. Clinical simulation using TLDs) showed an agreement of -1.6% and -6.7% compared with the expected mean trunk dose for each centre, respectively, and a variation within 10% (±1 standard deviation) across the trunk. The film results confirmed that the delivery of the treatment technique at each audited centre complies with the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer recommendations. This audit methodology has proven to be a successful way to confirm the agreement of dosimetric parameters for TSEBT treatments at both audited centres and could serve as the basis for an audit template to be used by other audit groups. TSEBT audits are not established in the UK owing to a limited number of centres carrying out the treatment technique. This article describes the audits performed at two UK centres prior to their clinical implementation.

Comparative dosimetry study of three UK centres implementing total skin electron treatment through external audit

PubMed Central

Gonzalez, R; McGovern, M; Greener, A

2015-01-01

Objective: This article describes the external audit measurements conducted in two UK centres implementing total skin electron beam therapy (TSEBT) and the results obtained. Methods: Measurements of output, energy, beam flatness and symmetry at a standard distance (95 or 100 cm SSD) were performed using a parallel plate chamber in solid water. Similarly, output and energy measurements were also performed at the treatment plane for single and dual fields. Clinical simulations were carried out using thermoluminescent dosemeters (TLDs) and Gafchromic® film (International Specialty Products, Wayne, NJ) on an anthropomorphic phantom. Results: Extended distance measurements confirmed that local values for the beam dosimetry at Centres A and B were within 2% for outputs and 1-mm agreement of the expected depth at which the dose is 50% of the maximum for the depth–dose curve in water (R50,D) value. Clinical simulation using TLDs) showed an agreement of −1.6% and −6.7% compared with the expected mean trunk dose for each centre, respectively, and a variation within 10% (±1 standard deviation) across the trunk. The film results confirmed that the delivery of the treatment technique at each audited centre complies with the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer recommendations. Conclusion: This audit methodology has proven to be a successful way to confirm the agreement of dosimetric parameters for TSEBT treatments at both audited centres and could serve as the basis for an audit template to be used by other audit groups. Advances in knowledge: TSEBT audits are not established in the UK owing to a limited number of centres carrying out the treatment technique. This article describes the audits performed at two UK centres prior to their clinical implementation. PMID:25761213

Prevention of falls in acute hospital settings: a multi-site audit and best practice implementation project.

PubMed

Stephenson, Matthew; Mcarthur, Alexa; Giles, Kristy; Lockwood, Craig; Aromataris, Edoardo; Pearson, Alan

2016-02-01

To assess falls prevention practices in Australian hospitals and implement interventions to promote best practice. A multi-site audit using eight evidence-based audit criteria. Following a baseline audit, barriers to compliance were identified and targeted. Two follow-up audit cycles assessed the sustainability of practice change. Nine acute care hospitals around Australia, including a mix of public and private. One medical ward and one surgical ward from each hospital were involved. A clinical leader from each hospital, trained in evidence implementation, conducted the audits and implementation strategies in their setting. Multi-component falls prevention interventions were utilized, designed to target specific barriers to compliance identified at each hospital. Common interventions involved staff and patient education. Percentage compliance with falls prevention audit criteria and change in compliance between baseline and follow-up audits. Fall rate data were also analysed. Mean overall compliance at baseline across all hospitals was 50.4% (range 30.8-76.6%). At the first follow-up, this had increased to 74.5% (range 59.4-87.4%), which was sustained at the second follow-up (74.1%, range 48.6-84.4%). There were no statistically significant differences between compliance rates in medical versus surgical wards or in private versus public hospitals. Despite sustained practice improvement, reported fall rates remained unchanged. The focus on staff education possibly led to improved reporting of falls, which may explain the apparent lack of effect on fall rates. Clinical audit and feedback is an effective strategy to promote quality improvement in falls prevention practices in acute hospital settings. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care; all rights reserved.

The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test for Consumption (AUDIT-C) is more useful than pre-existing laboratory tests for predicting hazardous drinking: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Fujii, Hideki; Nishimoto, Naoki; Yamaguchi, Seiko; Kurai, Osamu; Miyano, Masato; Ueda, Wataru; Oba, Hiroko; Aoki, Tetsuya; Kawada, Norifumi; Okawa, Kiyotaka

2016-05-10

It is important to screen for alcohol consumption and drinking customs in a standardized manner. The aim of this study was 1) to investigate whether the AUDIT score is useful for predicting hazardous drinking using optimal cutoff scores and 2) to use multivariate analysis to evaluate whether the AUDIT score was more useful than pre-existing laboratory tests for predicting hazardous drinking. A cross-sectional study using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was conducted in 334 outpatients who consulted our internal medicine department. The patients completed self-reported questionnaires and underwent a diagnostic interview, physical examination, and laboratory testing. Forty (23 %) male patients reported daily alcohol consumption ≥ 40 g, and 16 (10 %) female patients reported consumption ≥ 20 g. The optimal cutoff values of hazardous drinking were calculated using a 10-fold cross validation, resulting in an optimal AUDIT score cutoff of 8.2, with a sensitivity of 95.5 %, specificity of 87.0 %, false positive rate of 13.0 %, false negative rate of 4.5 %, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.97. Multivariate analysis revealed that the most popular short version of the AUDIT consisting solely of its three consumption items (AUDIT-C) and patient sex were significantly associated with hazardous drinking. The aspartate transaminase (AST)/alanine transaminase (ALT) ratio and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) were weakly significant. This study showed that the AUDIT score and particularly the AUDIT-C score were more useful than the AST/ALT ratio and MCV for predicting hazardous drinking.

Audit Cultures and Quality Assurance Mechanisms in England: A Study of Their Perceived Impact on the Work of Academics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheng, Ming

2010-01-01

Proponents of the concept of the audit culture in UK higher education argue that from the late 1990s onward audit functioned as a form of power control and had a profound effect on academics and their work. Such arguments continued to be made into the early 2000s. Since then, however, the level of external scrutiny surrounding UK academics'…

Quality consciousness...auditing for HIPAA Privacy Compliance.

PubMed

LePar, Kathleen

2004-01-01

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy deadline has passed. Now it is essential to comply with the regulations. The stakes are high; therefore, a HIPAA Privacy Compliance Program must be part of an organization's quality initiatives. This article provides guidelines for the challenges of continual program improvement, successful cultural change, and effective monitoring of the existing program. Healthcare organizations will attain compliance goals through internal audits on the processes, policies, and training efforts of their HIPAA program.

Research ethics committee auditing: the experience of a university hospital.

PubMed

Marchetti, Daniela; Spagnolo, Angelico; Cicerone, Marina; Cascini, Fidelia; La Monaca, Giuseppe; Spagnolo, Antonio G

2013-09-01

The authors report the first Italian experience of a research ethics committee (REC) audit focused on the evaluation of the REC's compliance with standard operating procedures, requirements in insurance coverage, informed consent, protection of privacy and confidentiality, predictable risks/harms, selection of subjects, withdrawal criteria and other issues, such as advertisement details and justification of placebo. The internal audit was conducted over a two-year period (March 2009-February 2011) divided into quarters to better value the influence of the new insurance coverage regulation that came into effect in March 2010 (Ministerial Decree of 14 July, 2009) and expand the requirements to safeguard participants in clinical drug trials including other critical items as information and consent and the risks to benefits ratio. Out of a total of 639 REC's opinions and research studies, 316 were reviewed. Regarding the insurance policy requirements, Auditor/REC non-compliance occurred only in one case. The highest number of Auditor/REC non-compliance was in regard to information and consent, which should have incurred a suspended decision rather than a favorable opinion. This internal audit shows the importance and the difficulty of the review process. For this reason, specific courses for members of the research ethics committee and for those who aspire to become auditors will be provided. There may also be efforts to improve the standard operating procedures already in place.

Development and application of an integrated indoor air quality audit to an international hotel building in Taiwan.

PubMed

Kuo, Nae-Wen; Chiang, Hsin-Chen; Chiang, Che-Ming

2008-12-01

Indoor air quality (IAQ) has begun to surface as an important issue that affects the comfort and health of people; however, there is little research concerned about the IAQ monitoring of hotels up to now. Hotels are designed to provide comfortable spaces for guests. However, most complaints related to uncomfortable thermal environment and inadequate indoor air quality appear. In addition, microbial pollution can affect the health of tourists such as the Legionnaire's disease and SARS problems. This study is aimed to establish the comprehensive IAQ audit approach for hotel buildings with portable equipment, and one five-star international hotel in Taiwan was selected to exam this integrated approach. Finally, four major problems are identified after the comprehensive IAQ audit. They are: (1) low room temperature (21.8 degrees C), (2) insufficient air exchange rate (<1.5 h(-1)), (3) formaldehyde contamination (>0.02 ppm), and (4) the microbial pollution (total bacteria: 2,624-3,799 CFU/m(3)). The high level of formaldehyde may be due to the emission from the detergent and cleaning agents used for housekeeping.

Combining ISO/IEC 17025:2005 and European Commission Decision 2002/657 audit requirements: a practical way forward.

PubMed

Kay, Jack F

2012-08-01

Laboratories involved in the analyses of veterinary drug residues are under increasing pressure to demonstrate that they produce meaningful and reliable data. Quality assurance and quality control systems are implemented in laboratories to provide evidence of this and these are subject to external assessment to ensure that they are effective. Audits to ISO/IEC 17025:2005, an internationally accepted standard, and subsequent accreditation provide laboratories and their customers with a degree of assurance that the laboratories are operating in control and the data they report can be relied on. However, national or regional authorities may place additional requirements on laboratories to ensure quality data are reported. For example, in the European Union, all official control laboratories involved in veterinary drug residue analyses must also meet the requirements of European Commission Decision 2002/657/EC which sets performance criteria for analytical methods used in this area and these are subject to additional audits by national or regional authorities. All audits place considerable time and resource demands on laboratories and this paper discusses the burden audits place on laboratories and describes a UK initiative to combine these audits to the benefit of both the regulatory authority and the laboratory. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

22 CFR 203.8 - IPVO annual documentation requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Section 203.8 Foreign Relations AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT REGISTRATION OF PRIVATE VOLUNTARY... activities for the same year as the audit, including a list of board members; (3) International Executive... amendments, if applicable, to its articles of incorporation, charter, or bylaws and any changes in the tax...

ISO 9000: The Librarian's Role.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dobson, Chris; Ernst, Carolyn

1999-01-01

Describes the special library's role in implementing ISO 9000 (i.e., a series of international quality-assurance standards developed by the International Organization of Standards). Topics discussed include document and data control, keeping the standards current, documentation of procedures, the ISO 9000 audit, and benefits for the library. (MES)

Business Management System Support Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parikh, Jay

2008-01-01

The purpose of this research project was to develop a searchable database compiled with internal and external audit findings/observations. The data will correspond to the findings and observations from the date of Center-wide implementation of the ISO 9001-2000 standard to the present (2003-2008). It was derived and extracted from several sources and was in multiple formats. Once extracted, categorization of the findings/observations would be possible. The final data was mapped to the ISO 9001-2000 standard with the understanding that it will be displayed graphically. The data will be used to verify trends, associate risks, and establish timelines to identify strengths and weaknesses to determine areas of improvement in the Kennedy Space Center Business Management System Internal Audit Program.

Simulating and stimulating performance: introducing distributed simulation to enhance musical learning and performance.

PubMed

Williamon, Aaron; Aufegger, Lisa; Eiholzer, Hubert

2014-01-01

Musicians typically rehearse far away from their audiences and in practice rooms that differ significantly from the concert venues in which they aspire to perform. Due to the high costs and inaccessibility of such venues, much current international music training lacks repeated exposure to realistic performance situations, with students learning all too late (or not at all) how to manage performance stress and the demands of their audiences. Virtual environments have been shown to be an effective training tool in the fields of medicine and sport, offering practitioners access to real-life performance scenarios but with lower risk of negative evaluation and outcomes. The aim of this research was to design and test the efficacy of simulated performance environments in which conditions of "real" performance could be recreated. Advanced violin students (n = 11) were recruited to perform in two simulations: a solo recital with a small virtual audience and an audition situation with three "expert" virtual judges. Each simulation contained back-stage and on-stage areas, life-sized interactive virtual observers, and pre- and post-performance protocols designed to match those found at leading international performance venues. Participants completed a questionnaire on their experiences of using the simulations. Results show that both simulated environments offered realistic experience of performance contexts and were rated particularly useful for developing performance skills. For a subset of 7 violinists, state anxiety and electrocardiographic data were collected during the simulated audition and an actual audition with real judges. Results display comparable levels of reported state anxiety and patterns of heart rate variability in both situations, suggesting that responses to the simulated audition closely approximate those of a real audition. The findings are discussed in relation to their implications, both generalizable and individual-specific, for performance training.

Simulating and stimulating performance: introducing distributed simulation to enhance musical learning and performance

PubMed Central

Williamon, Aaron; Aufegger, Lisa; Eiholzer, Hubert

2014-01-01

Musicians typically rehearse far away from their audiences and in practice rooms that differ significantly from the concert venues in which they aspire to perform. Due to the high costs and inaccessibility of such venues, much current international music training lacks repeated exposure to realistic performance situations, with students learning all too late (or not at all) how to manage performance stress and the demands of their audiences. Virtual environments have been shown to be an effective training tool in the fields of medicine and sport, offering practitioners access to real-life performance scenarios but with lower risk of negative evaluation and outcomes. The aim of this research was to design and test the efficacy of simulated performance environments in which conditions of “real” performance could be recreated. Advanced violin students (n = 11) were recruited to perform in two simulations: a solo recital with a small virtual audience and an audition situation with three “expert” virtual judges. Each simulation contained back-stage and on-stage areas, life-sized interactive virtual observers, and pre- and post-performance protocols designed to match those found at leading international performance venues. Participants completed a questionnaire on their experiences of using the simulations. Results show that both simulated environments offered realistic experience of performance contexts and were rated particularly useful for developing performance skills. For a subset of 7 violinists, state anxiety and electrocardiographic data were collected during the simulated audition and an actual audition with real judges. Results display comparable levels of reported state anxiety and patterns of heart rate variability in both situations, suggesting that responses to the simulated audition closely approximate those of a real audition. The findings are discussed in relation to their implications, both generalizable and individual-specific, for performance training. PMID:24550856

'Correction:'Peer chart audits: A tool to meet Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) competency in practice-based learning and improvement

PubMed Central

Staton, Lisa J; Kraemer, Suzanne M; Patel, Sangnya; Talente, Gregg M; Estrada, Carlos A

2007-01-01

Background The Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) supports chart audit as a method to track competency in Practice-Based Learning and Improvement. We examined whether peer chart audits performed by internal medicine residents were associated with improved documentation of foot care in patients with diabetes mellitus. Methods A retrospective electronic chart review was performed on 347 patients with diabetes mellitus cared for by internal medicine residents in a university-based continuity clinic from May 2003 to September 2004. Residents abstracted information pertaining to documentation of foot examinations (neurological, vascular, and skin) from the charts of patients followed by their physician peers. No formal feedback or education was provided. Results Significant improvement in the documentation of foot exams was observed over the course of the study. The percentage of patients receiving neurological, vascular, and skin exams increased by 20% (from 13% to 33%) (p = 0.001), 26% (from 45% to 71%) (p < 0.001), and 18% (51%–72%) (p = 0.005), respectively. Similarly, the proportion of patients receiving a well-documented exam which includes all three components – neurological, vascular and skin foot exam – increased over time (6% to 24%, p < 0.001). Conclusion Peer chart audits performed by residents in the absence of formal feedback were associated with improved documentation of the foot exam in patients with diabetes mellitus. Although this study suggests that peer chart audits may be an effective tool to improve practice-based learning and documentation of foot care in diabetic patients, evaluating the actual performance of clinical care was beyond the scope of this study and would be better addressed by a randomized controlled trial. PMID:17662124

Peer chart audits: a tool to meet Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) competency in practice-based learning and improvement.

PubMed

Staton, Lisa J; Kraemer, Suzanne M; Patel, Sangnya; Talente, Gregg M; Estrada, Carlos A

2007-07-27

The Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) supports chart audit as a method to track competency in Practice-Based Learning and Improvement. We examined whether peer chart audits performed by internal medicine residents were associated with improved documentation of foot care in patients with diabetes mellitus. A retrospective electronic chart review was performed on 347 patients with diabetes mellitus cared for by internal medicine residents in a university-based continuity clinic from May 2003 to September 2004. Residents abstracted information pertaining to documentation of foot examinations (neurological, vascular, and skin) from the charts of patients followed by their physician peers. No formal feedback or education was provided. Significant improvement in the documentation of foot exams was observed over the course of the study. The percentage of patients receiving neurological, vascular, and skin exams increased by 20% (from 13% to 33%) (p = 0.001), 26% (from 45% to 71%) (p < 0.001), and 18% (51%-72%) (p = 0.005), respectively. Similarly, the proportion of patients receiving a well-documented exam which includes all three components - neurological, vascular and skin foot exam - increased over time (6% to 24%, p < 0.001). Peer chart audits performed by residents in the absence of formal feedback were associated with improved documentation of the foot exam in patients with diabetes mellitus. Although this study suggests that peer chart audits may be an effective tool to improve practice-based learning and documentation of foot care in diabetic patients, evaluating the actual performance of clinical care was beyond the scope of this study and would be better addressed by a randomized controlled trial.

Department of the Navy FY 1992/FY 1993 Budget Estimates Descriptive Summaries Submitted to Congress February 1991, Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-02-01

FY 1990 ACCOMPLISHMENTS: a. (U) Completed physical functional and operational audit of system, subcomponents and interfaces related to digital...receiver hardware. b. (U) Developed system specification reflecting audit results. c. (U) Established reliability assessment and recommended changes and/or...interoperability testing and demonstrations. d. (U) Updated joint terminal specifications and standards. e. (U) Audited Army/Navy/Air Force terminal designs. f. (U

Defense Logistical Support Contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan: Issues for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-24

on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan; • Section 852 calls for the Army Audit Agency, the Navy Audit Services, and the Air Force Audit...reporting requirements for contractors that perform security functions in areas of combat operations and are involved in the discharge of a weapon or other...hand in dealing with industry. As an example, Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winter and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael G. Mullen have reported

Financial Audit: Guaranteed Student Loan Program's Internal Controls and Structure Need Improvement. Report to the Congress.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wurtz, Donald R.; And Others

An evaluative study was done of the Department of Education's system of internal accounting controls over the Federal Family Education Loan Program, known as the guaranteed student loan program. The study evaluated internal control systems, the structure of the program with respect to the role of guaranty agencies, and the Department's ability to…

Auditing of clinical research ethics in a children's and women's academic hospital.

PubMed

Bortolussi, Robert; Nicholson, Diann

2002-06-01

Canadian and international guidelines for research ethics practices have advocated that research ethics boards (REBs) should implement mechanisms to review and monitor human research. Despite this, few Canadian REBs fulfil this expectation. The objective of this report is to summarize the results of 6 audits of clinical research ethics conducted between 1992 and 2000 in a children's and women's academic hospital in Canada in an effort to guide other academic centres planning a similar process. Research audits were conducted by members of a research audit review committee made up of REB volunteers. With use of random and selective processes, approximately 10% of research protocols were audited through interviews with research investigators and research coordinators and by sampling research records. Predetermined criteria were used to assess evidence of good record keeping, data monitoring, adherence to protocol, consents and the recording of adverse events during the research study. An estimate of time required to undertake an audit was made by recall of participants and records. Thirty-five research studies were reviewed including 16 multicentre clinical trials and 19 single-site clinical studies. Review of record keeping and research practice revealed some deficiencies: researchers failed to maintain original authorization (7%) or renewal documentation (9%); there was 1 instance of improper storage of medication; in 5% of 174 participants for whom consent was reviewed, an outdated consent form had been used, and in 4% the signature of the enrolee was not properly shown. Other deficiencies in consent documentation occurred in less than 2% of cases. Nineteen recommendations were made with respect to deficiencies and process issues. A total of 9 to 20 person-hours are required to review each protocol in a typical audit of this type. Information from research audits has been useful to develop educational programs to correct deficiencies identified through the audits. The research audit is a valuable tool in improving research ethics performance but requires considerable resources.

Protocol for a national prevalence study of advance care planning documentation and self-reported uptake in Australia

PubMed Central

Ruseckaite, Rasa; Detering, Karen M; Perera, Veronica; Walker, Lynne; Sinclair, Craig; Clayton, Josephine M; Nolte, Linda

2017-01-01

Introduction Advance care planning (ACP) is a process between a person, their family/carer(s) and healthcare providers that supports adults at any age or stage of health in understanding and sharing their personal values, life goals and preferences regarding future medical care. The Australian government funds a number of national initiatives aimed at increasing ACP uptake; however, there is currently no standardised Australian data on formal ACP documentation or self-reported uptake. This makes it difficult to evaluate the impact of ACP initiatives. This study aims to determine the Australian national prevalence of ACP and completion of Advance Care Directives (ACDs) in hospitals, aged care facilities and general practices. It will also explore people’s self-reported use of ACP and views about the process. Methods and analysis Researchers will conduct a national multicentre cross-sectional prevalence study, consisting of a record audit and surveys of people aged 65 years or more in three sectors. From 49 participating Australian organisations, 50 records will be audited (total of 2450 records). People whose records were audited, who speak English and have a decision-making capacity will also be invited to complete a survey. The primary outcome measure will be the number of people who have formal or informal ACP documentation that can be located in records within 15 min. Other outcomes will include demographics, measure of illness and functional capacity, details of ACP documentation (including type of document), location of documentation in the person’s records and whether current clinical care plans are consistent with ACP documentation. People will be surveyed, to measure self-reported interest, uptake and use of ACP/ACDs, and self-reported quality of life. Ethics and dissemination This protocol has been approved by the Austin Health Human Research Ethics Committee (reference HREC/17/Austin/83). Results will be submitted to international peer-reviewed journals and presented at international conferences. Trial registration number ACTRN12617000743369 PMID:29101142

A Marketing Analysis to Determine the Consumer Demand for Ambulatory Surgery at Darnall Army Community Hospital, Fort Hood, Texas

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-08-01

8 Marketing Research ...... ................................9 The Marketing Audit...9 A Marketing Research Model .... ..........................10 An Ambulatory Marketing Model. .... ......................12 Stage 1. Internal...14 Stage 4. Modifications of Internal Projecttons. .. ......14 Marketing Research on Ambulatory Surgical Centers .. ........15 Research

Income Tax Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Exceptional Parent, 1979

1979-01-01

The article outlines changes in the Internal Revenue Code with direct and general bearing on taxpayers with disabled family members. Amendments to the Internal Revenue Code included in the Revenue Act of 1978 are described in terms of credits, deductions, and exemptions; and suggestions are offered regarding record keeping, tax return audits, and…

76 FR 10047 - Changes to the Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS): Financial Condition Scoring Notice

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-23

... the Compliance and Other Matters Noted in internal control deficiency an Audit of the Financial... program major federal requirements (regardless of cause). Internal Controls and Compliance: 1. Control... Housing Assessment System (PHAS): Financial Condition Scoring Notice AGENCY: Office of the Assistant...

[Perinatal audit in the North of the Netherlands: the first 2 years].

PubMed

van Diem, Mariet Th; Bergman, Klasien A; Bouman, Katelijne; van Egmond, Nico; Stant, Dennis A; Timmer, Albertus; Ulkeman, Lida H M; Veen, Wenda B; Erwich, Jan Jaap H M

2011-01-01

Description of the implementation of local audit meetings and the identified substandard factors, points of special interest, actions for improvement and the opinion of the participating health care providers. Descriptive study. A new organisation and methodology for perinatal mortality audit meetings was introduced in 15 collaborative structures in the northern part of the Netherlands in the period September 2007 to March 2010. During these multidisciplinary audit meetings, cases of perinatal mortality selected by the obstetric collaborative group were discussed in a structured way under the direction of an independent chairman. In total 64 audit meetings were held, in which 677 perinatal health care providers took part at least once, and 112 cases of perinatal death were evaluated. 163 substandard factors were identified. These included : not following the protocol, guideline, standard (31%) or usual care (23%) and insufficient documentation (28%) and communication between health care providers (13%). 442 actions to improve care were reported divided over: 'external collaboration' (15%), 'internal collaboration' (17%), 'practice management' (26%) and 'training and education' (10%). The most valued aspects of the audit meetings were: their multidisciplinary character, the collaborative search for substandard factors, their security, the learning effect and the positive effect on collaboration. Cases of perinatal mortality were discussed in all 15 perinatal collaborative structures in the northern part of the Netherlands. Substandard factors were identified, but further analysis of these factors merits attention. The participants concluded that the multidisciplinary approach and the collaboration during the audit meetings improved the cooperation between perinatal health care providers.

Emergency recompression: clinical audit of service delivery at a national level.

PubMed

Ross, John As; Sayer, Martin Dj

2009-03-01

Clinical audit is an essential element to the maintenance or improvement of delivery of any medical service. During the development phase of a National Recompression Registration Service for Scotland, clinical audit was initiated to provide a standardised tool to monitor the quality of outcome with respect to the severity of presentation. A functional audit process was an essential consideration for planned future measurement of treatment efficacy at local (single hyperbaric unit) and national (multiple hyperbaric units) scales. The audit process was designed to be undemanding, robust and informative, irrespective of the experience of treatment centre and of the clinician in charge of treatment. The clinical records from 104 cases of divers with decompression illness were used to derive and evaluate measures of severity and clinical outcome that could be used for audit and quality assurance. The various measures of disease severity were examined against clinical outcome and days spent in care after admission to a hyperbaric unit. An initial version of the clinical audit format that was developed from this process is presented.

Report on Fiscal Year 1991 financial statement audit of the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Surcharge Escrow Account (CR-FC-92-1)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1992-06-26

The attached audit report on the subject account presents the opinion of the independent certified public accounts on financial statements as of September 30, 1991. In their opinion, the Surcharge Account statements are fairly presented in all material respects in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Also attached are reports on the internal control structure and compliance with laws and regulations, ass well as management`s letter on addressing needed improvements.

Report on Fiscal Year 1991 financial statement audit of the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Surcharge Escrow Account (CR-FC-92-1)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1992-06-26

The attached audit report on the subject account presents the opinion of the independent certified public accounts on financial statements as of September 30, 1991. In their opinion, the Surcharge Account statements are fairly presented in all material respects in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Also attached are reports on the internal control structure and compliance with laws and regulations, ass well as management's letter on addressing needed improvements.

Importance of primary indication and liver function between stages: results of a multicenter Italian audit of ALPPS 2012-2014.

PubMed

Serenari, Matteo; Zanello, Matteo; Schadde, Erik; Toschi, Elena; Ratti, Francesca; Gringeri, Enrico; Masetti, Michele; Cillo, Umberto; Aldrighetti, Luca; Jovine, Elio

2016-05-01

Posthepatectomy liver failure is one of the most feared complications in extended hepatic resections. In 2012, a novel two-stage liver resection was developed, able to induce rapid and extensive hypertrophy by portal vein ligation and in situ liver splitting - Associating Liver Partition and Portal vein ligation for Staged hepatectomy (ALPPS). The technique became more widely employed but its use remained controversial due to reporting of high complication and mortality rates. A national audit was performed to gather information about the safety of the procedure and to better understand the complications. The audit was offered to all high-volume hepatobiliary centers in Italy. Of all Italian centers approached in January 2012, 12 centers with experience in ALPPS enrolled and participated in collection of data. Fifty patients underwent ALPPS between 2012 and 2014. In 48/50 patients completion of hepatectomy was performed successfully. Major morbidity occurred in 54% with a 20% 90-day mortality. Uni- and multivariate analysis showed that ALPPS for cholangiocarcinoma and a peak of bilirubin over 5 mg/dl between stages was associated with increase of 90-day mortality and worse survival. It is proposed that a moratorium be introduced for classic ALPPS in cholangiocarcinoma and to abort ALPPS in patients who develop an interstage increase in bilirubin, due to the high risk of liver failure and mortality. Copyright © 2016 International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinical governance and external audit.

PubMed

Glazebrook, S G; Buchanan, J G

2001-01-01

This paper describes a model of clinical governance that was developed at South Auckland Health during the period 1995 to 2000. Clinical quality and safety are core objectives. A multidisciplinary Clinical Board is responsible for the development and publicising of sound clinical policies together with monitoring the effects of their implementation on quality and safety. The Clinical Board has several committees, including an organization-wide Continuous Quality Improvement Committee to enhance the explicit nature of the quality system in terms of structure, staff awareness and involvement, and to develop the internal audit system. The second stream stems from the Chief Medical Officer and clinical directors in a clinical management sense. The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors covers both clinical and financial audit. The reporting lines back to that committee are described and the role of the external auditor of clinical standards is explained. The aim has been to create a supportive culture where quality initiatives and innovation can flourish, and where the emphasis is not on censure but improvement.

Evaluation of the HACCP System in a University Canteen: Microbiological Monitoring and Internal Auditing as Verification Tools

PubMed Central

Osimani, Andrea; Aquilanti, Lucia; Tavoletti, Stefano; Clementi, Francesca

2013-01-01

Food safety is essential in mass catering. In Europe, Regulation (EC) No. 852/2004 requires food business operators to put in place, implement and maintain permanent procedures based on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles. Each HACCP plan is specifically implemented for the processing plant and processing methods and requires a systematic collection of data on the incidence, elimination, prevention, and reduction of risks. In this five-year-study, the effectiveness of the HACCP plan of a University canteen was verified through periodic internal auditing and microbiological monitoring of meals, small equipment, cooking tools, working surfaces, as well as hands and white coats of the canteen staff. The data obtained revealed no safety risks for the consumers, since Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes were never detected; however, a quite discontinuous microbiological quality of meals was revealed. The fluctuations in the microbial loads of mesophilic aerobes, coliforms, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and sulphite-reducing clostridia were mainly ascribed to inadequate handling or processing procedures, thus suggesting the need for an enhancement of staff training activities and for a reorganization of tasks. Due to the wide variety of the fields covered by internal auditing, the full conformance to all the requirements was never achieved, though high scores, determined by assigning one point to each answer which matched with the requirements, were achieved in all the years. PMID:23594937

ASERNIP-S: international trend setting.

PubMed

Maddern, Guy; Boult, Margaret; Ahern, Eleanor; Babidge, Wendy

2008-10-01

The Australian Safety and Efficacy Register of New Interventional Procedures--Surgical (ASERNIP-S) came into being 10 years ago to provide health technology assessments specifically tailored towards new surgical techniques and technologies. It was and remains the only organisation in the world to focus on this area of research. Most funding has been provided by the Australian Government Department of Health, and assessments have helped inform the introduction of new surgical techniques into Australia. ASERNIP-S is a project of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. The ASERNIP-S program employs a diverse range of methods including systematic reviews, technology overviews, assessments of new and emerging surgical technologies identified by horizon scanning, and audit. Support and guidance for the program is provided by Fellows of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. ASERNIP-S works closely with consumers to produce health technology assessments and audits, as well as consumer information to keep patients fully informed of research. Since its inception, the ASERNIP-S program has developed a strong international profile through the production of over 60 reports on evidence-based surgery, surgical technologies and audit. The work undertaken by ASERNIP-S has evolved from assessments of the safety and efficacy of procedures to include guidance on policies and surgical training programs. ASERNIP-S needs to secure funding so that it can continue to play an integral role in the improvement of quality of care both in Australia and internationally.

Evaluation of the HACCP system in a university canteen: microbiological monitoring and internal auditing as verification tools.

PubMed

Osimani, Andrea; Aquilanti, Lucia; Tavoletti, Stefano; Clementi, Francesca

2013-04-17

Food safety is essential in mass catering. In Europe, Regulation (EC) No. 852/2004 requires food business operators to put in place, implement and maintain permanent procedures based on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles. Each HACCP plan is specifically implemented for the processing plant and processing methods and requires a systematic collection of data on the incidence, elimination, prevention, and reduction of risks. In this five-year-study, the effectiveness of the HACCP plan of a University canteen was verified through periodic internal auditing and microbiological monitoring of meals, small equipment, cooking tools, working surfaces, as well as hands and white coats of the canteen staff. The data obtained revealed no safety risks for the consumers, since Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes were never detected; however, a quite discontinuous microbiological quality of meals was revealed. The fluctuations in the microbial loads of mesophilic aerobes, coliforms, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and sulphite-reducing clostridia were mainly ascribed to inadequate handling or processing procedures, thus suggesting the need for an enhancement of staff training activities and for a reorganization of tasks. Due to the wide variety of the fields covered by internal auditing, the full conformance to all the requirements was never achieved, though high scores, determined by assigning one point to each answer which matched with the requirements, were achieved in all the years.

Bladder catheterization in Greek nursing education: An audit of the skills taught.

PubMed

Theofanidis, Dimitrios; Fountouki, Antigoni

2011-02-01

The auditing of nurse teaching is in its infancy in Greece. One area urgently in need of audit is the teaching of male catheterization. To assess the current educational model regarding male bladder catheterization at a sole tertiary education nursing establishment in a major Greek city and to improve nurse undergraduate training by implementing appropriate recommendations for change to the current educational module and support these changes in the long term. A systematic search of international databases for guidelines or best practice regarding bladder catheterization was conducted. Audit measures included direct observation of the teaching process and compilation of a checklist. The shortcomings are discussed under the following headings: patient pre-preparation, choice and quality of materials used, appropriate aseptic techniques, catheter withdrawal, connecting and handling the drainage bag, diminishing risk of Catheter Associated Urinary Track Infections (CAUTIs), no problem solving trouble-shooting training, textbook and educational resources, lack of national guidelines, setting of the educational experience. The main problem with the teaching process exposed by the audit is entrenched use of an outmoded textbook with little effort to enrich teaching with current evidence base practices. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

76 FR 64088 - Sunshine Act Notice

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-17

... Meeting of October 6, 2011. Proposed Final Audit Report on the Service Employees International Union Committee on Political Education (SEIU COPE) (A09-28). Management and Administrative Matters. Individuals...

The Functional Resonance Analysis Method for a systemic risk based environmental auditing in a sinter plant: A semi-quantitative approach

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Patriarca, Riccardo, E-mail: riccardo.patriarca@uniroma1.it; Di Gravio, Giulio; Costantino, Francesco

Environmental auditing is a main issue for any production plant and assessing environmental performance is crucial to identify risks factors. The complexity of current plants arises from interactions among technological, human and organizational system components, which are often transient and not easily detectable. The auditing thus requires a systemic perspective, rather than focusing on individual behaviors, as emerged in recent research in the safety domain for socio-technical systems. We explore the significance of modeling the interactions of system components in everyday work, by the application of a recent systemic method, i.e. the Functional Resonance Analysis Method (FRAM), in order tomore » define dynamically the system structure. We present also an innovative evolution of traditional FRAM following a semi-quantitative approach based on Monte Carlo simulation. This paper represents the first contribution related to the application of FRAM in the environmental context, moreover considering a consistent evolution based on Monte Carlo simulation. The case study of an environmental risk auditing in a sinter plant validates the research, showing the benefits in terms of identifying potential critical activities, related mitigating actions and comprehensive environmental monitoring indicators. - Highlights: • We discuss the relevance of a systemic risk based environmental audit. • We present FRAM to represent functional interactions of the system. • We develop a semi-quantitative FRAM framework to assess environmental risks. • We apply the semi-quantitative FRAM framework to build a model for a sinter plant.« less

Reducing healthcare costs facilitated by surgical auditing: a systematic review.

PubMed

Govaert, Johannes Arthuur; van Bommel, Anne Charlotte Madeline; van Dijk, Wouter Antonie; van Leersum, Nicoline Johanneke; Tollenaar, Robertus Alexandre Eduard Mattheus; Wouters, Michael Wilhemus Jacobus Maria

2015-07-01

Surgical auditing has been developed in order to benchmark and to facilitate quality improvement. The aim of this review is to determine if auditing combined with systematic feedback of information on process and outcomes of care results in lower costs of surgical care. A systematic search of published literature before 21-08-2013 was conducted in Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. Articles were selected if they met the inclusion criteria of describing a surgical audit with cost-evaluation. The systematic search resulted in 3608 papers. Six studies were identified as relevant, all showing a positive effect of surgical auditing on quality of healthcare and therefore cost savings was reported. Cost reductions ranging from $16 to $356 per patient were seen in audits evaluating general or vascular procedures. The highest potential cost reduction was described in a colorectal surgical audit (up to $1,986 per patient). All six identified articles in this review describe a reduction in complications and thereby a reduction in costs due to surgical auditing. Surgical auditing may be of greater value when high-risk procedures are evaluated, since prevention of adverse events in these procedures might be of greater clinical and therefore of greater financial impact. This systematic review shows that surgical auditing can function as a quality instrument and therefore as a tool to reduce costs. Since evidence is scarce so far, further studies should be performed to investigate if surgical auditing has positive effects to turn the rising healthcare costs around. In the future, incorporating (actual) cost analyses and patient-related outcome measures would increase the audits' value and provide a complete overview of the value of healthcare.

Audit and feedback using the Robson classification to reduce caesarean section rates: a systematic review.

PubMed

Boatin, A A; Cullinane, F; Torloni, M R; Betrán, A P

2018-01-01

In most regions worldwide, caesarean section (CS) rates are increasing. In these settings, new strategies are needed to reduce CS rates. To identify, critically appraise and synthesise studies using the Robson classification as a system to categorise and analyse data in clinical audit cycles to reduce CS rates. Medline, Embase, CINAHL and LILACS were searched from 2001 to 2016. Studies reporting use of the Robson classification to categorise and analyse data in clinical audit cycles to reduce CS rates. Data on study design, interventions used, CS rates, and perinatal outcomes were extracted. Of 385 citations, 30 were assessed for full text review and six studies, conducted in Brazil, Chile, Italy and Sweden, were included. All studies measured initial CS rates, provided feedback and monitored performance using the Robson classification. In two studies, the audit cycle consisted exclusively of feedback using the Robson classification; the other four used audit and feedback as part of a multifaceted intervention. Baseline CS rates ranged from 20 to 36.8%; after the intervention, CS rates ranged from 3.1 to 21.2%. No studies were randomised or controlled and all had a high risk of bias. We identified six studies using the Robson classification within clinical audit cycles to reduce CS rates. All six report reductions in CS rates; however, results should be interpreted with caution because of limited methodological quality. Future trials are needed to evaluate the role of the Robson classification within audit cycles aimed at reducing CS rates. Use of the Robson classification in clinical audit cycles to reduce caesarean rates. © 2017 The Authors. BJOG An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Advance care planning in the oncology settings.

PubMed

Samara, Juliane; Larkin, David; Chan, Choi Wan; Lopez, Violeta

2013-06-01

Self-determination and patient choice of end-of-life care are emphasised in palliative care. Advance care planning (ACP) is an approach to enabling patients' choices. The use of ACP has not been extensively studied in our current context. Little is known about oncology care nurses' views and the barriers they face in the implementation of ACP. The aims of this study were to assess the uptake of ACP by health professionals and explore nurses' perceived barriers for implementing ACP. This study employed a pre- and post-implementation audit design using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System (PACES) and Getting Research into Practice (GRIP) programs. An education programme on ACP was provided between pre-and post-implementation audits. Nurses and medical professionals (pre-audit, n = 32; post-audit, n = 30) working in oncology departments were invited to complete a questionnaire based on the audit criteria. A convenience sample of 25 nurses participated in the focus group interview. Interview data were analysed by content analysis. The post-audit results were lower than the pre-audit results with a range of decreased compliance from 1% for criterion 5 to 14% for criterion 6. Lack of time to implement ACP was the most frequently raised barrier by oncology nurses. The study findings were disappointing, but this first audit is significant to provide insights for future dissemination and implementation of ACP interventions. An ongoing mandatory professional development programme in ACP for healthcare staff is promising to promote the uptake of ACP in healthcare settings. © 2013 The Authors. International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare © 2013 The Joanna Briggs Institute.

Criteria-based audit to improve quality of care of foetal distress: standardising obstetric care at a national referral hospital in a low resource setting, Tanzania.

PubMed

Mgaya, Andrew H; Litorp, Helena; Kidanto, Hussein L; Nyström, Lennarth; Essén, Birgitta

2016-11-08

In Tanzania, substandard intrapartum management of foetal distress contributes to a third of perinatal deaths, and the majority are term deliveries. We conducted a criteria-based audit with feedback to determine whether standards of diagnosis and management of foetal distress would be improved in a low-resource setting. During 2013-2015, a criteria-based audit was performed at the national referral hospital in Dar es Salaam. Case files of deliveries with a diagnosis of foetal distress were identified and audited. Two registered nurses under supervision of a nurse midwife, a specialist obstetrician and a consultant obstetrician, reviewed the case files. Criteria for standard diagnosis and management of foetal distress were developed based on international and national guidelines, and literature reviews, and then, stepwise applied, in an audit cycle. During the baseline audit, substandard care was identified, and recommendations for improvement of care were proposed and implemented. The effect of the implementations was assessed by the differences in percentage of standard diagnosis and management between the baseline and re-audit, using Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test, when appropriate. In the baseline audit and re-audit, 248 and 251 deliveries with a diagnosis of foetal distress were identified and audited, respectively. The standard of diagnosis increased significantly from 52 to 68 % (p < 0.001). Standards of management improved tenfold from 0.8 to 8.8 % (p < 0.001). Improved foetal heartbeat monitoring using a Fetal Doppler was the major improvement in diagnoses, while change of position of the mother and reduced time interval from decision to perform caesarean section to delivery were the major improvements in management (all p < 0.001). Percentage of cases with substandard diagnosis and management was significantly reduced in both referred public and non-referred private patients (all p ≤ 0.01) but not in non-referred public and referred private patients. The criteria-based audit was able to detect substandard diagnosis and management of foetal distress and improved care using feedback and available resources.

77 FR 11355 - Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement; Business Systems-Definition and Administration...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-24

... the interim rule. Contractor business systems and internal controls are the first line of defense... contractor's accounting system shall provide for management reviews or internal audits of the contractor's... controls as part of any evaluation as to the reliability of information produced by a business system(s...

Conducting a Technology Audit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flaherty, William

2011-01-01

Technology is a critical component in the success of any high-functioning school district, thus it is important that education leaders should examine it closely. Simply put, the purpose of a technology audit is to assess the effectiveness of the technology for administrative or instructional use. Rogers Public Schools in Rogers, Arkansas, recently…

Auditing the Quality of Management in the Community College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hammons, James O.; Murry, John W. Jr.

1998-01-01

Provides an evaluation of the Community College Management Audit, a system designed to assess the abilities of administrative personnel to perform certain key functions of a manager regardless of their areas of responsibility. Argues that the principles underlying organizational effectiveness apply to both businesses and educational organizations.…

14 CFR 21.137 - Quality system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... procedures must include the following, as applicable: (1) A flight test of each aircraft produced unless that... planning, conducting, and documenting internal audits to ensure compliance with the approved quality system...

14 CFR 21.137 - Quality system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... procedures must include the following, as applicable: (1) A flight test of each aircraft produced unless that... planning, conducting, and documenting internal audits to ensure compliance with the approved quality system...

14 CFR 21.137 - Quality system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... procedures must include the following, as applicable: (1) A flight test of each aircraft produced unless that... planning, conducting, and documenting internal audits to ensure compliance with the approved quality system...

Term perinatal mortality audit in the Netherlands 2010–2012: a population-based cohort study

PubMed Central

Eskes, Martine; Waelput, Adja J M; Erwich, Jan Jaap H M; Brouwers, Hens A A; Ravelli, Anita C J; Achterberg, Peter W; Merkus, Hans (J) M W M; Bruinse, Hein W

2014-01-01

Objective To assess the implementation and first results of a term perinatal internal audit by a standardised method. Design Population-based cohort study. Setting All 90 Dutch hospitals with obstetric/paediatric departments linked to community practices of midwives, general practitioners in their attachment areas, organised in perinatal cooperation groups (PCG). Population The population consisted of 943 registered term perinatal deaths occurring in 2010–2012 with detailed information, including 707 cases with completed audit results. Main outcome measures Participation in the audit, perinatal death classification, identification of substandard factors (SSF), SSF in relation to death, conclusive recommendations for quality improvement in perinatal care and antepartum risk selection at the start of labour. Results After the introduction of the perinatal audit in 2010, all PCGs participated. They organised 645 audit sessions, with an average of 31 healthcare professionals per session. Of all 1102 term perinatal deaths (2.3/1000) data were registered for 86% (943) and standardised anonymised audit results for 64% (707). In 53% of the cases at least one SSF was identified. Non-compliance to guidelines (35%) and deviation from usual professional care (41%) were the most frequent SSF. There was a (very) probable relation between the SSF and perinatal death for 8% of all cases. This declined over the years: from 10% (n=23) in 2010 to 5% (n=10) in 2012 (p=0.060). Simultaneously term perinatal mortality decreased from 2.3 to 2.0/1000 births (p<0.00001). Possibilities for improvement were identified in the organisation of care (35%), guidelines or usual care (19%) and in documentation (15%). More pregnancies were antepartum selected as high risk, 70% in 2010 and 84% in 2012 (p=0.0001). Conclusions The perinatal audit is implemented nationwide in all obstetrical units in the Netherlands in a short time period. It is possible that the audit contributed to the decrease in term perinatal mortality. PMID:25763794

National audit of continence care: laying the foundation.

PubMed

Mian, Sarah; Wagg, Adrian; Irwin, Penny; Lowe, Derek; Potter, Jonathan; Pearson, Michael

2005-12-01

National audit provides a basis for establishing performance against national standards, benchmarking against other service providers and improving standards of care. For effective audit, clinical indicators are required that are valid, feasible to apply and reliable. This study describes the methods used to develop clinical indicators of continence care in preparation for a national audit. To describe the methods used to develop and test clinical indicators of continence care with regard to validity, feasibility and reliability. A multidisciplinary working group developed clinical indicators that measured the structure, process and outcome of care as well as case-mix variables. Literature searching, consensus workshops and a Delphi process were used to develop the indicators. The indicators were tested in 15 secondary care sites, 15 primary care sites and 15 long-term care settings. The process of development produced indicators that received a high degree of consensus within the Delphi process. Testing of the indicators demonstrated an internal reliability of 0.7 and an external reliability of 0.6. Data collection required significant investment in terms of staff time and training. The method used produced indicators that achieved a high degree of acceptance from health care professionals. The reliability of data collection was high for this audit and was similar to the level seen in other successful national audits. Data collection for the indicators was feasible to collect, however, issues of time and staffing were identified as limitations to such data collection. The study has described a systematic method for developing clinical indicators for national audit. The indicators proved robust and reliable in primary and secondary care as well as long-term care settings.

Criteria-based audit of caesarean section in a referral hospital in rural Tanzania.

PubMed

Heemelaar, S; Nelissen, E; Mdoe, P; Kidanto, H; van Roosmalen, J; Stekelenburg, J

2016-04-01

WHO uses the Caesarean section (CS) rate to monitor implementation of emergency obstetric care (EmOC). Although CS rates are rising in sub-Saharan Africa, maternal outcome has not improved. We audited indications for CS and related complications among women with severe maternal morbidity and mortality in a referral hospital in rural Tanzania. Cross-sectional study was from November 2009 to November 2011. Women with severe maternal morbidity and mortality were identified and those with CS were included in this audit. Audit criteria were developed based on the literature review and (inter)national guidelines. Tanzanian and Dutch doctors reviewed hospital notes. The main outcome measured was prevalence of substandard quality of care leading to unnecessary CS and delay in performing interventions to prevent CS. A total of 216 maternal near misses and 32 pregnancy-related deaths were identified, of which 82 (33.1%) had a CS. Indication for CS was in accordance with audit criteria for 36 of 82 (44.0%) cases without delay. In 20 of 82 (24.4%) cases, the indication was correct; however, there was significant delay in providing standard obstetric care. In 16 of 82 (19.5%) cases, the indication for CS was not in accordance with audit criteria. During office hours, CS was more often correctly indicated than outside office hours (60.0% vs. 36.0%, P < 0.05). Caesarean section rate is not an useful indicator to monitor quality of EmOC as a high rate of unnecessary and potentially preventable CS was identified in this audit. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

UNICEF

MedlinePlus

... Search UNICEF home What we do Research and reports Where we work Press centre Take action About us UNICEF Executive Board Work for UNICEF Partner with UNICEF Internal audit Transparency and accountability Related UNICEF sites Related UNICEF ...

Medical Record Documentation Among Interns: A Prospective Quality Improvement Study.

PubMed

Owen, Jm; Conway, R; Silke, B; O'Riordan, D

2015-06-01

Comprehensive record keeping is a key aspect of medical practice. The National Hospitals Office (NHO) and Irish Medical Council (IMC) have published guidelines in this area. A prospective audit of 100 patients assessed by interns was performed to quantify adherence with these guidelines followed by an educational session and email reminders. Adherence was reassessed in an incidental manner. Compliance was recorded in a number of areas including the reason for review and documentation of a plan both 98 (98%). However less than half of interns recorded the patient's name, background history or their impression of the case. Only 31(31%) noted the patient's MRN and only 1(1%) the information they gave to the patient. Significant improvements following the intervention were found, however significant deficits remained in a number of areas including the noting of an impression of the case 62(62%) and information given to patients 18(18%). Suboptimal documentation can be improved through education and clinical auditing.

Evaluation of a Fluidized-Bed Paint Stripper at Red River Army Depot

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-04-15

are summarized in Table 3-1. Calibra- tion guidelines are described in more detail in Appendix E. 0 Onsite audits of dry gas meters, thermocouples...experienced laboratory per- sonnel. o Internal and external audits to ensure accuracy in sampling and analysis. o Reagent, filter, and field blanks to...0.0 0.0 If below detection limits, replace 0 with 1. 0 0 0 ?Mn < polutant > mam mg 0.0 0.0 0.0 Co cpoliuLant> concentration gr/dscf 0.000E*00 0.000E.00

Audit of thrice- versus twice-weekly ECT.

PubMed

Roche, Eric; Lope, Jasmin; Hughes, Helen; McCullagh, Niamh; Larkin, Terence; Feeney, Larkin

2012-09-01

There is a lack of knowledge regarding some basic differences between different electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) treatment schedules. To examine differences, including ECT technical parameters and length of stay, between thrice- and twice-weekly ECT treatment schedules. Prospective audit of the changeover period of administering thrice- to twice-weekly ECT in a Dublin psychiatric hospital. Twice-weekly ECT was associated with significantly lower total electricity dosage administered, a tendency toward shorter overall hospital stay and fewer ECT treatments compared to thrice-weekly ECT. Our results support the current international trend toward giving ECT twice weekly.

7 CFR 1773.30 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... (CONTINUED) POLICY ON AUDITS OF RUS BORROWERS RUS Reporting Requirements § 1773.30 General. (a) The CPA must... letter. (b) The CPA should deliver the auditor's report, report on compliance and on internal control...

7 CFR 1773.30 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... (CONTINUED) POLICY ON AUDITS OF RUS BORROWERS RUS Reporting Requirements § 1773.30 General. (a) The CPA must... letter. (b) The CPA should deliver the auditor's report, report on compliance and on internal control...

7 CFR 1773.30 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... (CONTINUED) POLICY ON AUDITS OF RUS BORROWERS RUS Reporting Requirements § 1773.30 General. (a) The CPA must... letter. (b) The CPA should deliver the auditor's report, report on compliance and on internal control...

7 CFR 1773.30 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... (CONTINUED) POLICY ON AUDITS OF RUS BORROWERS RUS Reporting Requirements § 1773.30 General. (a) The CPA must... letter. (b) The CPA should deliver the auditor's report, report on compliance and on internal control...

Evaluating Shortened Versions of the AUDIT as Screeners for Alcohol Use Problems in a General Population Study.

PubMed

Nayak, Madhabika B; Bond, Jason C; Greenfield, Thomas K

2015-01-01

Efficient alcohol screening measures are important to prevent or treat alcohol use disorders (AUDs). We studied different versions of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) comparing their performance to the full AUDIT and an AUD measure as screeners for alcohol use problems in Goa, India. Data from a general population study on 743 male drinkers aged 18-49 years are reported. Drinkers completed the AUDIT and an AUD measure. We created shorter versions of the AUDIT by (a) collapsing AUDIT item responses into three and two categories and (b) deleting two items with the lowest factor loadings. Each version was evaluated using factor, reliability and validity, and differential item functioning (DIF) analysis by age, education, standard of living index (SLI), and area of residence. A single factor solution was found for each version with lower factor loadings for items on guilt and concern. There were no significant differences among the different AUDIT versions in predicting AUD. No significant DIF was found by education, SLI or area of residence. DIF was observed for the alcohol frequency item by age. The AUDIT may be used with dichotomized response options without loss of predictive validity. A shortened eight-item dichotomized scale can adequately screen for AUDs in Goa when brevity is of paramount importance, although with lower predictive validity. Although the frequency item was endorsed more by older men, there is no evidence that the AUDIT items perform differently in other groups of male drinkers in Goa.

34 CFR Appendix A to Subpart B of... - Standards for Audit of Governmental Organizations, Programs, Activities, and Functions (GAO)

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... the individual auditors shall maintain an independent attitude. (b) This standard places upon the auditor and the audit organization the responsibility for maintaining sufficient independence so that their opinions, conclusions, judgments, and recommendations will be impartial. If the auditor is not...

78 FR 40816 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; New York Stock Exchange LLC; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-08

... committee has an oversight role with respect to internal audit and risk management, it is appropriate for that newly-constituted committee to have a significant role in the design and implementation of the... committee an opportunity to become familiar with the internal controls and risk management of the company...

Singapore Pre-Service Secondary Mathematics Teachers' Content Knowledge: Findings from an International Comparative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toh, Tin Lam; Kaur, Berinderjeet; Koay, Phong Lee

2013-01-01

In this article, we explore the mathematical content knowledge of one entire cohort of pre-service teachers (N = 107) through analysing their performance in a Secondary Mathematics Audit that was developed for the International Comparative Studies in Mathematics Teacher Training that was initiated by the University of Plymouth. We study how their…

2 CFR 200.62 - Internal control over compliance requirements for Federal awards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 2 Grants and Agreements 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Internal control over compliance requirements for Federal awards. 200.62 Section 200.62 Grants and Agreements Office of Management and Budget Guidance for Grants and Agreements OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET GUIDANCE Reserved UNIFORM ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS, COST PRINCIPLES, AND AUDIT...

Assessment of motivation to control alcohol use: The motivational thought frequency and state motivation scales for alcohol control.

PubMed

Robinson, Nicole; Kavanagh, David; Connor, Jason; May, Jon; Andrade, Jackie

2016-08-01

The Elaborated Intrusion Theory of Desire holds that desires for functional and dysfunctional goals share a common form. Both are embodied cognitive events, characterised by affective intensity and frequency. Accordingly, we developed scales to measure motivational cognitions for functional goals (Motivational Thought Frequency, MTF; State Motivation, SM), based on the existing Craving Experience Questionnaire (CEQ). When applied to increasing exercise, MTF and SM showed the same three-factor structure as the CEQ (Intensity, Imagery, Availability). The current study tested the internal structure and concurrent validity of the MTF and SM Scales when applied to control of alcohol consumption (MTF-A; SM-A). Participants (N=417) were adult tertiary students, staff or community members who had recently engaged in high-risk drinking or were currently trying to control alcohol consumption. They completed an online survey comprising the MTF-A, SM-A, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), Readiness to Change Questionnaire (RCQ) and demographics. Confirmatory Factor Analysis gave acceptable fit for the MTF-A, but required the loss of one SM-A item, and was improved by intercorrelations of error terms. Higher scores were associated with more severe problems on the AUDIT and with higher Contemplation and Action scores on the RCQ. The MTF-A and SM-A show potential as measures of motivation to control drinking. Future research will examine their predictive validity and sensitivity to change. The scales' application to both increasing functional and decreasing dysfunctional behaviours is consistent with EI Theory's contention that both goal types operate in similar ways. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

49 CFR 225.33 - Internal Control Plans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... principle, in absolute terms, that harassment or intimidation of any person that is calculated to discourage....” (9) A statement that specifies the name and title of the railroad officer responsible for auditing...

14 CFR 21.165 - Responsibility of holder.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... following, as applicable: (1) A flight test of each aircraft produced unless that aircraft will be exported... § 45.15(c) of this chapter. (l) Internal audits. Procedures for planning, conducting, and documenting...

5 CFR 960.107 - Authorized activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 960.107 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED) CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS... resources in finance, internal auditing, personnel management, automated data processing applications... educational development of Government employees, improvement of labor-management relations, equal employment...

5 CFR 960.107 - Authorized activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 960.107 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED) CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS... resources in finance, internal auditing, personnel management, automated data processing applications... educational development of Government employees, improvement of labor-management relations, equal employment...

5 CFR 960.107 - Authorized activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 960.107 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED) CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS... resources in finance, internal auditing, personnel management, automated data processing applications... educational development of Government employees, improvement of labor-management relations, equal employment...

14 CFR 249.20 - Preservation of records by certificated air carriers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... internal audits and procedural studies; operational, management, accounting, financial, and legal service... operational records relevant to computation of subsidy mail pay 3 years. (b) For each calendar year, all basic...

Clinical compliance of viewing conditions in radiology reporting environments against current guidelines and standards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daly, S.; Rainford, L.; Butler, M. L.

2014-03-01

Several studies have demonstrated the importance of environmental conditions in the radiology reporting environment, with many indicating that incorrect parameters could lead to error and misinterpretation. Literature is available with recommendations as to the levels that should be achieved in clinical practice, but evidence of adherence to these guidelines in radiology reporting environments is absent. This study audited the reporting environments of four teleradiologist and eight hospital based radiology reporting areas. This audit aimed to quantify adherence to guidelines and identify differences in the locations with respect to layout and design, monitor distance and angle as well as the ambient factors of the reporting environments. In line with international recommendations, an audit tool was designed to enquire in relation to the layout and design of reporting environments, monitor angle and distances used by radiologists when reporting, as well as the ambient factors such as noise, light and temperature. The review of conditions were carried out by the same independent auditor for consistency. The results obtained were compared against international standards and current research. Each radiology environment was given an overall compliance score to establish whether or not their environments were in line with recommended guidelines. Poor compliance to international recommendations and standards among radiology reporting environments was identified. Teleradiology reporting environments demonstrated greater compliance than hospital environments. The findings of this study identified a need for greater awareness of environmental and perceptual issues in the clinical setting. Further work involving a larger number of clinical centres is recommended.

Critical features of an auditable management system for an ISO 9000-compatible occupational health and safety standard.

PubMed

Levine, S; Dyjack, D T

1997-04-01

An International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001: 1994-harmonized occupational health and safety (OHS) management system has been written at the University of Michigan, and reviewed, revised, and accepted under the direction of the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (OHSMS) Task Force and the Board of Directors. This system is easily adaptable to the ISO 14001 format and to both OHS and environmental management system applications. As was the case with ISO 9001: 1994, this system is expected to be compatible with current production quality and OHS quality systems and standards, have forward compatibility for new applications, and forward flexibility, with new features added as needed. Since ISO 9001: 1987 and 9001: 1994 have been applied worldwide, the incorporation of harmonized OHS and environmental management system components should be acceptable to business units already performing first-party (self-) auditing, and second-party (contract qualification) auditing. This article explains the basis of this OHS management system, its relationship to ISO 9001 and 14001 standards, the philosophy and methodology of an ISO-harmonized system audit, the relationship of these systems to traditional OHS audit systems, and the authors' vision of the future for application of such systems.

Prolonged labour as indication for emergency caesarean section: a quality assurance analysis by criterion-based audit at two Tanzanian rural hospitals.

PubMed

Maaløe, N; Sorensen, B L; Onesmo, R; Secher, N J; Bygbjerg, I C

2012-04-01

To audit the quality of obstetric management preceding emergency caesarean sections for prolonged labour. A quality assurance analysis of a retrospective criterion-based audit supplemented by in-depth interviews with hospital staff. Two Tanzanian rural mission hospitals. Audit of 144 cases of women undergoing caesarean sections for prolonged labour; in addition, eight staff members were interviewed. Criteria of realistic best practice were established, and the case files were audited and compared with these. Hospital staff were interviewed about what they felt might be the causes for the audit findings. Prevalence of suboptimal management and themes emerging from an analysis of the transcripts. Suboptimal management was identified in most cases. Non-invasive interventions to potentially avoid operative delivery were inadequately used. When deciding on caesarean section, in 26% of the cases labour was not prolonged, and in 16% the membranes were still intact. Of the women with genuine prolonged labour, caesarean sections were performed with a fully dilated cervix in 36% of the cases. Vacuum extraction was not considered. Amongst the hospital staff interviewed, the awareness of evidence-based guidelines was poor. Word of mouth, personal experience, and fear, especially of HIV transmission, influenced management decisions. The lack of use and awareness of evidence-based guidelines led to misinterpretation of clinical signs, fear of simple interventions, and an excessive rate of emergency caesarean sections. © 2012 The Authors BJOG An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology © 2012 RCOG.

Improving quality in an internal medicine residency program through a peer medical record audit.

PubMed

Asao, Keiko; Mansi, Ishak A; Banks, Daniel

2009-12-01

This study examined the effectiveness of a quality improvement project of a limited didactic session, a medical record audit by peers, and casual feedback within a residency program. Residents audited their peers' medical records from the clinic of a university hospital in March, April, August, and September 2007. A 24-item quality-of-care score was developed for five common diagnoses, expressed from 0 to 100, with 100 as complete compliance. Audit scores were compared by month and experience of the resident as an auditor. A total of 469 medical records, audited by 12 residents, for 80 clinic residents, were included. The mean quality-of-care score was 89 (95% CI = 88-91); the scores in March, April, August, and September were 88 (95% CI = 85-91), 94 (95% CI = 90-96), 87 (95% CI = 85-89), and 91 (95% CI = 89-93), respectively. The mean score of 58 records of residents who had experience as auditors was 94 (95% CI = 89-96) compared with 89 (95% CI = 87-90) for those who did not. The score significantly varied (P = .0009) from March to April and from April to August, but it was not significantly associated with experience as an auditor with multivariate analysis. Residents' compliance with the standards of care was generally high. Residents responded to the project well, but their performance dropped after a break in the intervention. Continuation of the audit process may be necessary for a sustained effect on quality.

Audit diabetes-dependent quality of life questionnaire: usefulness in diabetes self-management education in the Slovak population.

PubMed

Holmanová, Elena; Ziaková, Katarína

2009-05-01

This paper reports a study to test validity and internal consistency of the audit diabetes-dependent quality of life questionnaire in the Slovak population and to evaluate its usefulness in the context of education of people with diabetes. The individualised instruments designed to measure individuals' perceptions of the impact of diabetes on their quality of life may be helpful to identify individuals' preferences, motivational deficits in diabetes management and to tailor individual treatment strategies. Survey. After linguistic validation, the structure of the questionnaire was tested using factor analysis on 104 patients who were recruited from the National Institute of Endocrinology and Diabetology in Lubochna. Internal consistency was evaluated by computing Cronbach's alpha. Clinical variables related to the quality of life were analysed using one-way ANOVA, multifactor ANOVA, Pearson's and Spearman's rank correlation coefficients. A one-dimensional scale structure was supported and internal consistency was high (alpha = 0.93). Variance in impact of diabetes on quality of life was explained by age, presence of late complications and type of insulin regimen. The audit diabetes-dependent quality of life is culturally appropriate, valid and reliable in the sample of Slovak patients attending the educational programme. Our results agreed with previous European and Asian studies supporting its usefulness in the context of diabetes self-management education. Individualised diabetes-specific quality of life measures allow better understanding of patients' treatment preferences and, consequently, more effective prioritizing and targeting of appropriate educational interventions. This instrument may be useful in routine clinical practice and as an outcome measure for international clinical research trials evaluating effectiveness of educational programmes.

Clinical audit of ectopic pregnancy.

PubMed

Hamid, Alaa Aldin Abdel; Yousry, Almraghy; El Radi, Safwat Abd; Shabaan, Omar Mamdouh; Mazen, Elzahry; Nabil, Halal

2017-03-01

The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors of ectopic pregnancy in cases presented to the Woman's Health Hospital (WHH) in Assuit University, and to perform clinical audit on strategies for management of ectopic pregnancy in the WHH. This descriptive hospital based study was conducted at the Woman's Health Hospital (WHH) of Assuit University (Egypt). There were 210 patients who were admitted to the WHH with the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy in the period between February 1, 2015 through the end of October 2015. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 21, using descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U test, and Chi square. Ectopic pregnancy affects woman in the reproductive age. There are many risk factors that increase the chance of its occurrence; however, it may also occur in the absence of any risk factors (14.0%). Internal VD (72.5%) is the most frequent risk factor; other risk factors include history of abortion, previous CS, ovulation induction, history of infertility, or previous history of EP. Clinical audit is an important item of any adequate health care. As regards to the clinical audit of EP management, we are not adhering to the guidelines.

Evaluation of the alcohol use disorders identification test and the drug use disorders identification test among patients at a Norwegian psychiatric emergency ward.

PubMed

Gundersen, Oystein Hoel; Mordal, Jon; Berman, Anne H; Bramness, Jørgen G

2013-01-01

High rates of substance use disorders (SUD) among psychiatric patients are well documented. This study explores the usefulness of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and the Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT) in identifying SUD in emergency psychiatric patients. Of 287 patients admitted consecutively, 256 participants (89%) were included, and 61-64% completed the questionnaires and the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), used as the reference standard. Both AUDIT and DUDIT were valid (area under the curve above 0.92) and reliable (Cronbach's alpha above 0.89) in psychotic and nonpsychotic men and women. The suitable cutoff scores for AUDIT were higher among the psychotic than nonpsychotic patients, with 12 versus 10 in men and 8 versus 5 in women. The suitable cutoff scores for DUDIT were 1 in both psychotic and nonpsychotic women, and 5 versus 1 in psychotic and nonpsychotic men, respectively. This study shows that AUDIT and DUDIT may provide precise information about emergency psychiatric patients' problematic alcohol and drug use. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT): reliability and validity of the Greek version.

PubMed

Moussas, George; Dadouti, Georgia; Douzenis, Athanassios; Poulis, Evangelos; Tzelembis, Athanassios; Bratis, Dimitris; Christodoulou, Christos; Lykouras, Lefteris

2009-05-14

Problems associated with alcohol abuse are recognised by the World Health Organization as a major health issue, which according to most recent estimations is responsible for 1.4% of the total world burden of morbidity and has been proven to increase mortality risk by 50%. Because of the size and severity of the problem, early detection is very important. This requires easy to use and specific tools. One of these is the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). This study aims to standardise the questionnaire in a Greek population. AUDIT was translated and back-translated from its original language by two English-speaking psychiatrists. The tool contains 10 questions. A score >or= 11 is an indication of serious abuse/dependence. In the study, 218 subjects took part: 128 were males and 90 females. The average age was 40.71 years (+/- 11.34). From the 218 individuals, 109 (75 male, 34 female) fulfilled the criteria for alcohol dependence according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV), and presented requesting admission; 109 subjects (53 male, 56 female) were healthy controls. Internal reliability (Cronbach alpha) was 0.80 for the controls and 0.80 for the alcohol-dependent individuals. Controls had significantly lower average scores (t test P < 0.001) when compared to the alcoholics. The questionnaire's sensitivity for scores >8 was 0.98 and its specificity was 0.94 for the same score. For the alcohol-dependent sample 3% scored as false negatives and from the control group 1.8% scored false positives. In the alcohol-dependent sample there was no difference between males and females in their average scores (t test P > 0.05). The Greek version of AUDIT has increased internal reliability and validity. It detects 97% of the alcohol-dependent individuals and has a high sensitivity and specificity. AUDIT is easy to use, quick and reliable and can be very useful in detection alcohol problems in sensitive populations.

Audit of a Scientific Data Center for Certification as a Trustworthy Digital Repository: A Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Downs, R. R.; Chen, R. S.

2011-12-01

Services that preserve and enable future access to scientific data are necessary to ensure that the data that are being collected today will be available for use by future generations of scientists. Many data centers, archives, and other digital repositories are working to improve their ability to serve as long-term stewards of scientific data. Trust in sustainable data management and preservation capabilities of digital repositories can influence decisions to use these services to deposit or obtain scientific data. Building on the Open Archival Information System (OAIS) Reference Model developed by the Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS) and adopted by the International Organization for Standardization as ISO 14721:2003, new standards are being developed to improve long-term data management processes and documentation. The Draft Information Standard ISO/DIS 16363, "Space data and information transfer systems - Audit and certification of trustworthy digital repositories" offers the potential to evaluate digital repositories objectively in terms of their trustworthiness as long-term stewards of digital resources. In conjunction with this, the CCSDS and ISO are developing another draft standard for the auditing and certification process, ISO/DIS 16919, "Space data and information transfer systems - Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of candidate trustworthy digital repositories". Six test audits were conducted of scientific data centers and archives in Europe and the United States to test the use of these draft standards and identify potential improvements for the standards and for the participating digital repositories. We present a case study of the test audit conducted on the NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC) and describe the preparation, the audit process, recommendations received, and next steps to obtain certification as a trustworthy digital repository, after approval of the ISO/DIS standards.

Design and implementation of an audit trail in compliance with US regulations.

PubMed

Jiang, Keyuan; Cao, Xiang

2011-10-01

Audit trails have been used widely to ensure quality of study data and have been implemented in computerized clinical trials data systems. Increasingly, there is a need to audit access to study participant identifiable information to provide assurance that study participant privacy is protected and confidentiality is maintained. In the United States, several federal regulations specify how the audit trail function should be implemented. To describe the development and implementation of a comprehensive audit trail system that meets the regulatory requirements of assuring data quality and integrity and protecting participant privacy and that is also easy to implement and maintain. The audit trail system was designed and developed after we examined regulatory requirements, data access methods, prevailing application architecture, and good security practices. Our comprehensive audit trail system was developed and implemented at the database level using a commercially available database management software product. It captures both data access and data changes with the correct user identifier. Documentation of access is initiated automatically in response to either data retrieval or data change at the database level. Currently, our system has been implemented only on one commercial database management system. Although our audit trail algorithm does not allow for logging aggregate operations, aggregation does not reveal sensitive private participant information. Careful consideration must be given to data items selected for monitoring because selection of all data items using our system can dramatically increase the requirements for computer disk space. Evaluating the criticality and sensitivity of individual data items selected can control the storage requirements for clinical trial audit trail records. Our audit trail system is capable of logging data access and data change operations to satisfy regulatory requirements. Our approach is applicable to virtually any data that can be stored in a relational database.

Degree Audit Systems: Are They Worth It?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johns, Virginia

2006-01-01

A lot of various degree audit systems are available on the market and most often they have similar features such as the functionality they each provide, the technical platforms upon which they operate, their requirements for interfacing with the local SIS, the ease of use, and the level of effort required to implement and operate. However, the…

25 CFR 543.24 - What are the minimum internal control standards for auditing revenue?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... parameters are accurate and have not been altered without appropriate management authorization Document and... write-offs and settlements) accounts on the accounts receivable listing to individual credit records and...

25 CFR 543.24 - What are the minimum internal control standards for auditing revenue?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... parameters are accurate and have not been altered without appropriate management authorization Document and... (includes write-offs and settlements) accounts on the accounts receivable listing to individual credit...

77 FR 63872 - Senior Executive Service; Appointment of Members to the Performance Review Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-17

... Resources--Kim L.H. Green. Rotating Membership ASP Kathleen E. Franks, Director, Office of Regulatory and... OLMS Stephen J. Willertz, Director, Office of Enforcement and International Union Audits--appointment...

Contrasting olfaction, vision, and audition as predictors of cognitive change and impairment in non-demented older adults.

PubMed

MacDonald, Stuart W S; Keller, Connor J C; Brewster, Paul W H; Dixon, Roger A

2018-05-01

This study examines the relative utility of a particular class of noninvasive functional biomarkers-sensory functions-for detecting those at risk of cognitive decline and impairment. Three central research objectives were examined including whether (a) olfactory function, vision, and audition exhibited significant longitudinal declines in nondemented older adults; (b) multiwave change for these sensory function indicators predicted risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI); and (c) change within persons for each sensory measure shared dynamic time-varying associations with within-person change in cognitive functioning. A longitudinal sample (n = 408) from the Victoria Longitudinal Study was assembled. Three cognitive status subgroups were identified: not impaired cognitively, single-assessment MCI, and multiple-assessment MCI. We tested independent predictive associations, contrasting change in sensory function as predictors of cognitive decline and impairment, utilizing both linear mixed models and logistic regression analysis. Olfaction and, to a lesser extent, vision were identified as the most robust predictors of cognitive status and decline; audition showed little predictive influence. These findings underscore the potential utility of deficits in olfactory function, in particular, as an early marker of age- and pathology-related cognitive decline. Functional biomarkers may represent potential candidates for use in the early stages of a multistep screening approach for detecting those at risk of cognitive impairment, as well as for targeted intervention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Evaluating shortened versions of the AUDIT as screeners for alcohol use problems in a general population study

PubMed Central

Nayak, Madhabika B.; Bond, Jason C.; Greenfield, Thomas K.

2015-01-01

Background Efficient alcohol screening measures are important to prevent or treat alcohol use disorders (AUDs). Objectives We studied different versions of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) comparing their performance to the full AUDIT and an AUD measure as screeners for alcohol use problems in Goa, India. Methods Data from a general population study on 743 male drinkers aged 18 to 49 years are reported. Drinkers completed the AUDIT and an AUD measure. We created shorter versions of the AUDIT by a) collapsing AUDIT item responses into 3 and 2 categories and b) deleting 2 items with the lowest factor loadings. Each version was evaluated using factor, reliability and validity, and differential item functioning (DIF) analysis by age, education, standard of living index (SLI), and area of residence. Results A single factor solution was found for each version with lower factor loadings for items on guilt and concern. There were no significant differences among the different AUDIT versions in predicting AUD. No significant DIF was found by education, SLI or area of residence. DIF was observed for the alcohol frequency item by age. Conclusions/Importance The AUDIT may be used with dichotomized response options without loss of predictive validity. A shortened 8-item dichotomized scale can adequately screen for AUDs in Goa when brevity is of paramount importance, although with lower predictive validity. Although the frequency item was endorsed more by older men, there is no evidence that the AUDIT items perform differently in other groups of male drinkers in Goa. PMID:26549791

Impact of Pharmacists' audit on improving the quality of prescription of dabigatran etexilate methanesulfonate: a retrospective study.

PubMed

Shimizu, Teppei; Momose, Yoshio; Ogawa, Ryuichi; Takahashi, Masahiro; Echizen, Hirotoshi

2017-01-01

Appropriate prescription of dabigatran etexilate methanesulfonate (JAN) is more complicated than assumed, because there are totally 10 items of contraindications and instructions for dosage reduction depending on patients' characteristics. We aimed to study whether the routine audit of first-time prescriptions of dabigatran performed by pharmacists is effective in improving the quality of prescription. A retrospective re-audit was performed on all the prescriptions of dabigatran issued at Kitahara International Hospital, Tokyo between March 2011 and February 2014, by evaluating the prescriptions rigorously against the approved prescribing information of the drug. The original routine audit of the prescriptions for inpatients was performed by hospital pharmacists using electronic medical records (EMR), whereas the audit for ambulant patients receiving external prescriptions was performed by community pharmacists using information obtained mainly by questioning patients. The frequencies of inappropriate prescriptions detected by the re-audit in the two groups were compared. Two hundred and twenty-eight patients (131 ambulant patients and 97 inpatients) were prescribed dabigatran for the first time during the study period. All patients met the approved indications. While 33% of the prescriptions for ambulant patients showed at least one violation of the approved usage, only 11% of the prescriptions for inpatients showed violations ( p  < 0.001). Two ambulant patients with creatinine clearance < 30 mL/min were dispensed dabigatran, whereas no such case was found among inpatients. A significantly greater proportion of ambulant patients aged ≥70 years showed violation of the instruction for dosage reduction compared to inpatients of the same age group (18 and 4%, respectively). The present study suggests that pharmacists may achieve better performance in auditing prescriptions of dabigatran when medical records are fully available than when information is available mainly by questioning patients. Further large-scale studies are required to clarify whether the audit of dabigatran prescriptions improves ultimate therapeutic outcomes or complications.

Comparison between a multicentre, collaborative, closed-loop audit assessing management of supracondylar fractures and the British Orthopaedic Association Standard for Trauma 11 (BOAST 11) guidelines.

PubMed

Goodall, R; Claireaux, H; Hill, J; Wilson, E; Monsell, F; Boast Collaborative; Tarassoli, P

2018-03-01

Aims Supracondylar fractures are the most frequently occurring paediatric fractures about the elbow and may be associated with a neurovascular injury. The British Orthopaedic Association Standards for Trauma 11 (BOAST 11) guidelines describe best practice for supracondylar fracture management. This study aimed to assess whether emergency departments in the United Kingdom adhere to BOAST 11 standard 1: a documented assessment, performed on presentation, must include the status of the radial pulse, digital capillary refill time, and the individual function of the radial, median (including the anterior interosseous), and ulnar nerves. Materials and Methods Stage 1: We conducted a multicentre, retrospective audit of adherence to BOAST 11 standard 1. Data were collected from eight hospitals in the United Kingdom. A total of 433 children with Gartland type 2 or 3 supracondylar fractures were eligible for inclusion. A centrally created data collection sheet was used to guide objective analysis of whether BOAST 11 standard 1 was adhered to. Stage 2: We created a quality improvement proforma for use in emergency departments. This was piloted in one of the hospitals used in the primary audit and was re-audited using equivalent methodology. In all, 102 patients presenting between January 2016 and July 2017 were eligible for inclusion in the re-audit. Results Stage 1: Of 433 patient notes audited, adherence to BOAST 11 standard 1 was between 201 (46%) and 232 (54%) for the motor and sensory function of the individual nerves specified, 318 (73%) for radial pulse, and 247 (57%) for digital capillary refill time. Stage 2: Of 102 patient notes audited, adherence to BOAST 11 standard 1 improved to between 72 (71%) and 80 (78%) for motor and sensory function of the nerves, to 84 (82%) for radial pulse, and to 82 (80%) for digital capillary refill time. Of the 102 case notes reviewed in stage 2, only 44 (43%) used the quality improvement proforma; when the proforma was used, adherence improved to between 40 (91%) and 43 (98%) throughout. Conclusion Adherence to BOAST 11 standard 1 is poor in hospitals across the country. This is concerning as neurovascular deficit may be an indication for emergent surgery, and missed neurovascular injury can cause long-term, or even permanent, functional impairment. We present a simple proforma that improves adherence to this standard, can easily be implemented into emergency departments, and may improve patient safety. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2018;100-B:346-51.

The Australian and New Zealand Audit of Surgical Mortality-birth, deaths, and carriage.

PubMed

Raju, R S; Guy, G S; Majid, A J; Babidge, W; Maddern, G J

2015-02-01

This article outlines the formation of the Australian and New Zealand Audit of Surgical Mortality (ANZASM) and describes its objectives, governance, functioning and challenges. A nationwide audit of surgical mortality provides an overview of the leading causes of death in patients who require surgical care. It identifies system or process errors, trends in deficiency of care and helps develop strategies to reduce deaths in the surgical arena. A standardized tool is used to systematically collect data after every surgical death. Patient details are reviewed by a peer surgeon (and in certain cases a second) to identify issues with patient management and hospital processes. The treating surgeon is then offered confidential feedback and alternate views on patient management. From January 2009 to December 2012, 19,096 deaths were reported to the ANZASM. Eighty-six percent of the audited deaths occurred in patients requiring an emergency admission. Significant criticism of patient care was reported in 13% of cases with 16% of clinical issues perceived to be preventable. Western Australia, which first began the audit process, has shown a 30% reduction in surgical deaths. Nationwide mortality audits are a useful and worthwhile exercise. Recommendations identified in the audit reports direct educational workshops and seminars to address these issues. They allow Departments of Health to make informed decisions in their hospitals. Through this model, and the lessons learnt, we would encourage other countries planning to set up their own audits to follow a similar concept.

Term perinatal mortality audit in the Netherlands 2010-2012: a population-based cohort study.

PubMed

Eskes, Martine; Waelput, Adja J M; Erwich, Jan Jaap H M; Brouwers, Hens A A; Ravelli, Anita C J; Achterberg, Peter W; Merkus, Hans J M W M; Bruinse, Hein W

2014-10-14

To assess the implementation and first results of a term perinatal internal audit by a standardised method. Population-based cohort study. All 90 Dutch hospitals with obstetric/paediatric departments linked to community practices of midwives, general practitioners in their attachment areas, organised in perinatal cooperation groups (PCG). The population consisted of 943 registered term perinatal deaths occurring in 2010-2012 with detailed information, including 707 cases with completed audit results. Participation in the audit, perinatal death classification, identification of substandard factors (SSF), SSF in relation to death, conclusive recommendations for quality improvement in perinatal care and antepartum risk selection at the start of labour. After the introduction of the perinatal audit in 2010, all PCGs participated. They organised 645 audit sessions, with an average of 31 healthcare professionals per session. Of all 1102 term perinatal deaths (2.3/1000) data were registered for 86% (943) and standardised anonymised audit results for 64% (707). In 53% of the cases at least one SSF was identified. Non-compliance to guidelines (35%) and deviation from usual professional care (41%) were the most frequent SSF. There was a (very) probable relation between the SSF and perinatal death for 8% of all cases. This declined over the years: from 10% (n=23) in 2010 to 5% (n=10) in 2012 (p=0.060). Simultaneously term perinatal mortality decreased from 2.3 to 2.0/1000 births (p<0.00001). Possibilities for improvement were identified in the organisation of care (35%), guidelines or usual care (19%) and in documentation (15%). More pregnancies were antepartum selected as high risk, 70% in 2010 and 84% in 2012 (p=0.0001). The perinatal audit is implemented nationwide in all obstetrical units in the Netherlands in a short time period. It is possible that the audit contributed to the decrease in term perinatal mortality. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

The implementation of unit-based perinatal mortality audit in perinatal cooperation units in the northern region of the Netherlands

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Perinatal (mortality) audit can be considered to be a way to improve the careprocess for all pregnant women and their newborns by creating an opportunity to learn from unwanted events in the care process. In unit-based perinatal audit, the caregivers involved in cases that result in mortality are usually part of the audit group. This makes such an audit a delicate matter. Methods The purpose of this study was to implement unit-based perinatal mortality audit in all 15 perinatal cooperation units in the northern region of the Netherlands between September 2007 and March 2010. These units consist of hospital-based and independent community-based perinatal caregivers. The implementation strategy encompassed an information plan, an organization plan, and a training plan. The main outcomes are the number of participating perinatal cooperation units at the end of the project, the identified substandard factors (SSF), the actions to improve care, and the opinions of the participants. Results The perinatal mortality audit was implemented in all 15 perinatal cooperation units. 677 different caregivers analyzed 112 cases of perinatal mortality and identified 163 substandard factors. In 31% of cases the guidelines were not followed and in 23% care was not according to normal practice. In 28% of cases, the documentation was not in order, while in 13% of cases the communication between caregivers was insufficient. 442 actions to improve care were reported for ‘external cooperation’ (15%), ‘internal cooperation’ (17%), ‘practice organization’ (26%), ‘training and education’ (10%), and ‘medical performance’ (27%). Valued aspects of the audit meetings were: the multidisciplinary character (13%), the collective and non-judgmental search for substandard factors (21%), the perception of safety (13%), the motivation to reflect on one’s own professional performance (5%), and the inherent postgraduate education (10%). Conclusion Following our implementation strategy, the perinatal mortality audit has been successfully implemented in all 15 perinatal cooperation units. An important feature was our emphasis on the delicate character of the caregivers evaluating the care they provided. However, the actual implementation of the proposed actions for improving care is still a point of concern. PMID:22776712

The implementation of unit-based perinatal mortality audit in perinatal cooperation units in the northern region of the Netherlands.

PubMed

van Diem, Mariet Th; Timmer, Albertus; Bergman, Klasien A; Bouman, Katelijne; van Egmond, Nico; Stant, Dennis A; Ulkeman, Lida H M; Veen, Wenda B; Erwich, Jan Jaap H M

2012-07-09

Perinatal (mortality) audit can be considered to be a way to improve the careprocess for all pregnant women and their newborns by creating an opportunity to learn from unwanted events in the care process. In unit-based perinatal audit, the caregivers involved in cases that result in mortality are usually part of the audit group. This makes such an audit a delicate matter. The purpose of this study was to implement unit-based perinatal mortality audit in all 15 perinatal cooperation units in the northern region of the Netherlands between September 2007 and March 2010. These units consist of hospital-based and independent community-based perinatal caregivers. The implementation strategy encompassed an information plan, an organization plan, and a training plan. The main outcomes are the number of participating perinatal cooperation units at the end of the project, the identified substandard factors (SSF), the actions to improve care, and the opinions of the participants. The perinatal mortality audit was implemented in all 15 perinatal cooperation units. 677 different caregivers analyzed 112 cases of perinatal mortality and identified 163 substandard factors. In 31% of cases the guidelines were not followed and in 23% care was not according to normal practice. In 28% of cases, the documentation was not in order, while in 13% of cases the communication between caregivers was insufficient. 442 actions to improve care were reported for 'external cooperation' (15%), 'internal cooperation' (17%), 'practice organization' (26%), 'training and education' (10%), and 'medical performance' (27%). Valued aspects of the audit meetings were: the multidisciplinary character (13%), the collective and non-judgmental search for substandard factors (21%), the perception of safety (13%), the motivation to reflect on one's own professional performance (5%), and the inherent postgraduate education (10%). Following our implementation strategy, the perinatal mortality audit has been successfully implemented in all 15 perinatal cooperation units. An important feature was our emphasis on the delicate character of the caregivers evaluating the care they provided. However, the actual implementation of the proposed actions for improving care is still a point of concern.

Audited credential delegation: a usable security solution for the virtual physiological human toolkit.

PubMed

Haidar, Ali N; Zasada, Stefan J; Coveney, Peter V; Abdallah, Ali E; Beckles, Bruce; Jones, Mike A S

2011-06-06

We present applications of audited credential delegation (ACD), a usable security solution for authentication, authorization and auditing in distributed virtual physiological human (VPH) project environments that removes the use of digital certificates from end-users' experience. Current security solutions are based on public key infrastructure (PKI). While PKI offers strong security for VPH projects, it suffers from serious usability shortcomings in terms of end-user acquisition and management of credentials which deter scientists from exploiting distributed VPH environments. By contrast, ACD supports the use of local credentials. Currently, a local ACD username-password combination can be used to access grid-based resources while Shibboleth support is underway. Moreover, ACD provides seamless and secure access to shared patient data, tools and infrastructure, thus supporting the provision of personalized medicine for patients, scientists and clinicians participating in e-health projects from a local to the widest international scale.

Audited credential delegation: a usable security solution for the virtual physiological human toolkit

PubMed Central

Haidar, Ali N.; Zasada, Stefan J.; Coveney, Peter V.; Abdallah, Ali E.; Beckles, Bruce; Jones, Mike A. S.

2011-01-01

We present applications of audited credential delegation (ACD), a usable security solution for authentication, authorization and auditing in distributed virtual physiological human (VPH) project environments that removes the use of digital certificates from end-users' experience. Current security solutions are based on public key infrastructure (PKI). While PKI offers strong security for VPH projects, it suffers from serious usability shortcomings in terms of end-user acquisition and management of credentials which deter scientists from exploiting distributed VPH environments. By contrast, ACD supports the use of local credentials. Currently, a local ACD username–password combination can be used to access grid-based resources while Shibboleth support is underway. Moreover, ACD provides seamless and secure access to shared patient data, tools and infrastructure, thus supporting the provision of personalized medicine for patients, scientists and clinicians participating in e-health projects from a local to the widest international scale. PMID:22670214

On the Risk Management and Auditing of SOA Based Business Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orriens, Bart; Heuvel, Willem-Jan V./D.; Papazoglou, Mike

SOA-enabled business processes stretch across many cooperating and coordinated systems, possibly crossing organizational boundaries, and technologies like XML and Web services are used for making system-to-system interactions commonplace. Business processes form the foundation for all organizations, and as such, are impacted by industry regulations. This requires organizations to review their business processes and ensure that they meet the compliance standards set forth in legislation. In this paper we sketch a SOA-based service risk management and auditing methodology including a compliance enforcement and verification system that assures verifiable business process compliance. This is done on the basis of a knowledge-based system that allows integration of internal control systems into business processes conform pre-defined compliance rules, monitor both the normal process behavior and those of the control systems during process execution, and log these behaviors to facilitate retrospective auditing.

Audit in forensic pathology.

PubMed

Burke, M P; Opeskin, K

2000-09-01

Autopsy numbers in Australian hospitals have declined markedly during the past decade despite evidence of a relatively static rate of demonstrable clinical misdiagnosis during this time. The reason for this decrease in autopsy numbers is multifactorial and may include a general lack of clinical and pathologic interest in the autopsy with a possible decline in autopsy standard, a lack of clinicopathologic correlation after autopsies, and an increased emphasis on surgical biopsy reporting within hospital pathology departments. Although forensic autopsies are currently maintaining their numbers, it is incumbent on forensic pathologists to demonstrate the wealth of important information a carefully performed postmortem examination can reveal. To this end, the Pathology Division of the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine has instituted a program of minimum standards in varied types of coroner cases and commenced a system of internal and external audit. The minimum standard for a routine, sudden, presumed natural death is presented and the audit system is discussed.

Energy-Saving Opportunities for Manufacturing Enterprises (International English Fact Sheet)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

This fact sheet provides information about the Industrial Technologies Program Save Energy Now energy audit process, software tools, training, energy management standards, and energy efficient technologies to help U.S. companies identify energy cost savings.

Sandia National Laboratories: National Security Missions: International

Science.gov Websites

Weapons Safety & Security Weapons Science & Technology Defense Systems & Assessments About Directed Research & Development Technology Deployment Centers Working With Sandia Working With Sandia Payable Contract Information Construction & Facilities Contract Audit Sandia's Economic Impact

12 CFR 363.2 - Annual reporting requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

...) Audited financial statements. Each insured depository institution shall prepare annual financial... financial statements must reflect all material correcting adjustments necessary to conform with GAAP that... the institution's annual financial statements, for establishing and maintaining an adequate internal...

[Effectiveness of incorporating a quality management system].

PubMed

Seki, Akira; Hankins, Raleigh W; Miya, Tetsumasa

2010-01-01

In 2003, the ISO 15189 international standardization program on the quality and competence of the clinical reference laboratory was introduced. To date, 46 facilities have committed themselves to providing a higher level of medical service by incorporating a quality management system (QMS) and acquiring accreditation. QMS is defined as "setting up a policy and goals pertaining to quality, and adopting an appropriate system," and is a scheme that includes all managerial and technical factors that can affect test results. Regarding the Health Sciences Research Institute Group, 4 facilities have previously received the accreditation described above, but in the process of implementing the QMS, a number of problems have been identified. Here, we report on the effectiveness of adopting such a QMS based on the results of employee questionnaires, internal audits, customer complaint analyses, and external audits by the Japan Accreditation Board for Conformity Assessment (JAB), the official inspection body for accreditation.

[Evaluation auditing of the quality of health care in accreditation of health facilities].

PubMed

Paim, Chennyfer da Rosa Paino; Zucchi, Paola

2011-01-01

This article shows how many health insurance companies operating in the Greater São Paulo have been performing auditing of the quality of their health care services, professionals, and which criteria are being employed to do so. Because of the legislation decreeing that health insurance companies have legal co-responsibility for the health care services and National Health Agency control the health services National Health Agency, auditing evaluations have been implemented since then. The survey was based on electronic forms e-mailed to all health insurance companies operating in the Greater São Paulo. The sample consisted of 125 health insurance companies; 29 confirmed that had monitoring and evaluation processes; 26 performed auditing of their services regularly; from those, 20 used some type of form or protocol for technical visits; all evaluation physical and administrative structure and 22 included functional structure. Regarding the professionals audited 21 were nurses, 13 administrative assistants; 04 managers and 02 doctors. Regarding criteria for accreditation the following were highlighted: region analysis (96%), localization (88.88%) and cost (36%). We conclude that this type of auditing evaluation is rather innovative and is being gradually implemented by the health insurance companies, but is not a systematic process.

Audit Report on "The Department's Management of Nuclear Materials Provided to Domestic Licensees"

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

The objective if to determine whether the Department of Energy (Department) was adequately managing its nuclear materials provided to domestic licensees. The audit was performed from February 2007 to September 2008 at Department Headquarters in Washington, DC, and Germantown, MD; the Oak Ridge Office and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, TN. In addition, we visited or obtained data from 40 different non-Departmental facilities in various states. To accomplish the audit objective, we: (1) Reviewed Departmental and Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) requirements for the control and accountability of nuclear materials; (2) Analyzed a Nuclear Materials Management and Safeguardsmore » System (NMMSS) report with ending inventory balances for Department-owned nuclear materials dated September 30, 2007, to determine the amount and types of nuclear materials located at non-Department domestic facilities; (3) Held discussions with Department and NRC personnel that used NMMSS information to determine their roles and responsibilities related to the control and accountability over nuclear materials; (4) Selected a judgmental sample of 40 non-Department domestic facilities; (5) Met with licensee officials and sent confirmations to determine whether their actual inventories of Department-owned nuclear materials were consistent with inventories reported in the NMMSS; and, (6) Analyzed historical information related to the 2004 NMMSS inventory rebaselining initiative to determine the quantity of Department-owned nuclear materials that were written off from the domestic licensees inventory balances. This performance audit was conducted in accordance with generally accepted Government auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable basis for our findings and conclusions based on our audit objective. We believe that the evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. The audit included tests of controls and compliance with laws and regulations related to managing the Department-owned nuclear materials provided to non-Departmental domestic licensees. Because our review was limited it would not necessarily have disclosed all internal control deficiencies that may have existed at the time of our audit. We examined the establishment of performance measures in accordance with Government Performance and Results Act of 1993, as they related to the audit objective. We found that the Department had established performance measures related to removing or disposing of nuclear materials and radiological sources around the world. We utilized computer generated data during our audit and performed procedures to validate the reliability of the information as necessary to satisfy our audit objective. As noted in the report, we questioned the reliability of the NMMSS data.« less

Protocol for a national prevalence study of advance care planning documentation and self-reported uptake in Australia.

PubMed

Ruseckaite, Rasa; Detering, Karen M; Evans, Sue M; Perera, Veronica; Walker, Lynne; Sinclair, Craig; Clayton, Josephine M; Nolte, Linda

2017-11-03

Advance care planning (ACP) is a process between a person, their family/carer(s) and healthcare providers that supports adults at any age or stage of health in understanding and sharing their personal values, life goals and preferences regarding future medical care. The Australian government funds a number of national initiatives aimed at increasing ACP uptake; however, there is currently no standardised Australian data on formal ACP documentation or self-reported uptake. This makes it difficult to evaluate the impact of ACP initiatives. This study aims to determine the Australian national prevalence of ACP and completion of Advance Care Directives (ACDs) in hospitals, aged care facilities and general practices. It will also explore people's self-reported use of ACP and views about the process. Researchers will conduct a national multicentre cross-sectional prevalence study, consisting of a record audit and surveys of people aged 65 years or more in three sectors. From 49 participating Australian organisations, 50 records will be audited (total of 2450 records). People whose records were audited, who speak English and have a decision-making capacity will also be invited to complete a survey. The primary outcome measure will be the number of people who have formal or informal ACP documentation that can be located in records within 15 min. Other outcomes will include demographics, measure of illness and functional capacity, details of ACP documentation (including type of document), location of documentation in the person's records and whether current clinical care plans are consistent with ACP documentation. People will be surveyed, to measure self-reported interest, uptake and use of ACP/ACDs, and self-reported quality of life. This protocol has been approved by the Austin Health Human Research Ethics Committee (reference HREC/17/Austin/83). Results will be submitted to international peer-reviewed journals and presented at international conferences. ACTRN12617000743369. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

How CAGE, RAPS4-QF, and AUDIT Can Help Practitioners for Patients Admitted with Acute Alcohol Intoxication in Emergency Departments?

PubMed

Brousse, Georges; Arnaud, Benjamin; Geneste, Julie; Pereira, Bruno; De Chazeron, Ingrid; Teissedre, Frederique; Perrier, Christophe; Schwan, Raymund; Malet, Laurent; Schmidt, Jeannot; Llorca, Pierre Michel; Cherpitel, Cheryl J

2014-01-01

To help clinicians to identify the severity of alcohol use disorders (AUDs) from optimal thresholds found for recommended scales. Especially, taking account of the high prevalence of alcohol dependence among patients admitted to the emergency department (ED) for acute alcohol intoxication (AAI), we propose to define thresholds of severity of dependence based on the AUDIT score. All patients admitted to the ED with AAI (blood alcohol level >0.8 g/L), in a 2-month period, were assessed using the CAGE, RAPS-QF, and AUDIT, with the alcohol dependence/abuse section of the mini international neuropsychiatric interview (MINI) used as the gold standard. To explore the relation between the AUDIT and the MINI the sum of the positive items on the MINI (dependence) as a quantitative variable and as an ordinal parameter were analyzed. From the threshold score found for each scale we proposed intervals of severity of AUDs. The mean age of the sample (122 males, 42 females) was 46 years. Approximately 12% of the patients were identified with alcohol abuse and 78% with dependence (DSM-IV). Cut points were determined for the AUDIT in order to distinguish mild and moderate dependence from severe dependence. A strategy of intervention based on levels of severity of AUD was proposed. Different thresholds proposed for the CAGE, RAPS4-QF, and AUDIT could be used to guide the choice of intervention for a patient: brief intervention, brief negotiation interviewing, or longer more intensive motivational intervention.

How CAGE, RAPS4-QF, and AUDIT Can Help Practitioners for Patients Admitted with Acute Alcohol Intoxication in Emergency Departments?

PubMed Central

Brousse, Georges; Arnaud, Benjamin; Geneste, Julie; Pereira, Bruno; De Chazeron, Ingrid; Teissedre, Frederique; Perrier, Christophe; Schwan, Raymund; Malet, Laurent; Schmidt, Jeannot; Llorca, Pierre Michel; Cherpitel, Cheryl J.

2014-01-01

Aims: To help clinicians to identify the severity of alcohol use disorders (AUDs) from optimal thresholds found for recommended scales. Especially, taking account of the high prevalence of alcohol dependence among patients admitted to the emergency department (ED) for acute alcohol intoxication (AAI), we propose to define thresholds of severity of dependence based on the AUDIT score. Methods: All patients admitted to the ED with AAI (blood alcohol level >0.8 g/L), in a 2-month period, were assessed using the CAGE, RAPS-QF, and AUDIT, with the alcohol dependence/abuse section of the mini international neuropsychiatric interview (MINI) used as the gold standard. To explore the relation between the AUDIT and the MINI the sum of the positive items on the MINI (dependence) as a quantitative variable and as an ordinal parameter were analyzed. From the threshold score found for each scale we proposed intervals of severity of AUDs. Results: The mean age of the sample (122 males, 42 females) was 46 years. Approximately 12% of the patients were identified with alcohol abuse and 78% with dependence (DSM-IV). Cut points were determined for the AUDIT in order to distinguish mild and moderate dependence from severe dependence. A strategy of intervention based on levels of severity of AUD was proposed. Conclusion: Different thresholds proposed for the CAGE, RAPS4-QF, and AUDIT could be used to guide the choice of intervention for a patient: brief intervention, brief negotiation interviewing, or longer more intensive motivational intervention. PMID:25009509

The European Multicentre Bronchiectasis Audit and Research Collaboration (EMBARC): experiences from a successful ERS Clinical Research Collaboration.

PubMed

Chalmers, James D; Crichton, Megan; Goeminne, Pieter C; Loebinger, Michael R; Haworth, Charles; Almagro, Marta; Vendrell, Montse; De Soyza, Anthony; Dhar, Raja; Morgan, Lucy; Blasi, Francesco; Aliberti, Stefano; Boyd, Jeanette; Polverino, Eva

2017-09-01

In contrast to airway diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma, and rare diseases such as cystic fibrosis, there has been little research and few clinical trials in bronchiectasis. Guidelines are primarily based on expert opinion and treatment is challenging because of the heterogeneous nature of the disease. In an effort to address decades of underinvestment in bronchiectasis research, education and clinical care, the European Multicentre Bronchiectasis Audit and Research Collaboration (EMBARC) was established in 2012 as a collaborative pan-European network to bring together bronchiectasis researchers. The European Respiratory Society officially funded EMBARC in 2013 as a Clinical Research Collaboration, providing support and infrastructure to allow the project to grow. EMBARC has now established an international bronchiectasis registry that is active in more than 30 countries both within and outside Europe. Beyond the registry, the network participates in designing and facilitating clinical trials, has set international research priorities, promotes education and has participated in producing the first international bronchiectasis guidelines. This manuscript article the development, structure and achievements of EMBARC from 2012 to 2017. To understand the role of Clinical Research Collaborations as the major way in which the European Respiratory Society can stimulate clinical research in different disease areasTo understand some of the key features of successful disease registriesTo review key epidemiological, clinical and translational studies of bronchiectasis contributed by the European Multicentre Bronchiectasis Audit and Research Collaboration (EMBARC) project in the past 5 yearsTo understand the key research priorities identified by EMBARC for the next 5 years.

The European Multicentre Bronchiectasis Audit and Research Collaboration (EMBARC): experiences from a successful ERS Clinical Research Collaboration

PubMed Central

Crichton, Megan; Goeminne, Pieter C.; Loebinger, Michael R.; Haworth, Charles; Almagro, Marta; Vendrell, Montse; De Soyza, Anthony; Dhar, Raja ; Morgan, Lucy; Blasi, Francesco; Aliberti, Stefano; Boyd, Jeanette; Polverino, Eva

2017-01-01

In contrast to airway diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma, and rare diseases such as cystic fibrosis, there has been little research and few clinical trials in bronchiectasis. Guidelines are primarily based on expert opinion and treatment is challenging because of the heterogeneous nature of the disease. In an effort to address decades of underinvestment in bronchiectasis research, education and clinical care, the European Multicentre Bronchiectasis Audit and Research Collaboration (EMBARC) was established in 2012 as a collaborative pan-European network to bring together bronchiectasis researchers. The European Respiratory Society officially funded EMBARC in 2013 as a Clinical Research Collaboration, providing support and infrastructure to allow the project to grow. EMBARC has now established an international bronchiectasis registry that is active in more than 30 countries both within and outside Europe. Beyond the registry, the network participates in designing and facilitating clinical trials, has set international research priorities, promotes education and has participated in producing the first international bronchiectasis guidelines. This manuscript article the development, structure and achievements of EMBARC from 2012 to 2017. Educational aims To understand the role of Clinical Research Collaborations as the major way in which the European Respiratory Society can stimulate clinical research in different disease areas To understand some of the key features of successful disease registries To review key epidemiological, clinical and translational studies of bronchiectasis contributed by the European Multicentre Bronchiectasis Audit and Research Collaboration (EMBARC) project in the past 5 years To understand the key research priorities identified by EMBARC for the next 5 years PMID:28894479

Auditor recommendations resulting from three clinical audit rounds in Finnish radiology units.

PubMed

Miettunen, Kirsi; Metsälä, Eija

2017-06-01

Background The purpose of clinical audits performed in radiology units is to reduce the radiation dose of patients and staff and to implement evidence-based best practices. Purpose To describe auditor recommendations in three Finnish clinical audit rounds performed in 2002-2014, and to determine if auditor recommendations have had any impact on improving medical imaging practice. Material and Methods The retrospective observational study was performed in radiology units holding a radiation safety license issued by the Finnish Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority. The data comprised a systematic sample (n = 120) of auditor reports produced in three auditing rounds in these units during the years 2002-2014. The data were analyzed by descriptive methods and by using the Friedman two-way ANOVA test. Results The number of auditor recommendations given varied between clinical audit rounds and according to the type of imaging unit, as well as according to calculation method. Proportionally, the most recommendations in all three clinical audit rounds were given about defining and using quality assurance functions and about guidelines and practices for carrying out procedures involving radiation exposure. Demanding radiology units improved their practices more than basic imaging units towards the third round. Conclusion Auditor recommendations help to address the deficiencies in imaging practices. There is a need to develop uniform guidelines and to provide tutoring for clinical auditors in order to produce comparable clinical audit results.

Matters Arising. Australian University Quality Agency Feedback in Relation to the Academic Engagement of International Students Enrolled in Onshore University Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crossman, Joanna; Burdett, Jane

2012-01-01

It is now commonplace to find quality audit processes being applied in universities internationally as a means of assessing the quality of teaching and learning. This article draws upon a thematic analysis of 14 second-round Australian Universities Quality Agency reports in order to explore matters arising from the academic engagement of…

Relationship between Internal Quality Audit and Quality Culture toward Implementation Consistency of ISO 9000 in Private College of Sulawesi Province, Indonesia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mail, Abdul; Pratikto; Suparman, Sudjito; Purnomo; Santoso, Budi

2014-01-01

The study aims to find out the influence of internal quality process on the growth of quality culture in private college. This study is treated toward 178 lecturers of 25 private colleges in Sulawesi, Indonesia by means of questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analysis applied to assess the reliability of validity and measurement model. Relationship…

A Historical Analysis of Internal Review

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-03-01

the background material presented. In such a study as this, the absence of quantitative data forces narrative descriptions and arguments vice... difinitive graphic displays. The chapter seeked to convey a sense of history and development of auditing in general and internal review in particular. In...measure represents the closest feasible way of measuring the accomplishment of an objective that cannot itself be expressed quantitatively . Such a measure

Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General FY 2013 Audit Plan

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-11-01

oversight procedures to review KPMG LLPs work; and if applicable disclose instances where KPMG LLP does not comply, in all material respects, with U.S...decisions. Pervasive material internal control weaknesses impact the accuracy, reliability and timeliness of budgetary and accounting data and...reported the same 13 material internal control weaknesses as in the previous year. These pervasive and longstanding financial management challenges

Agency Agreements Process Champion Support Intern

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miksa, Ember

2018-01-01

This document will provide information on the 2018 Spring semester NIFS Intern who represented the Office of Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) as a Reimbursable Accountant at Kennedy Space Center (KSC). This intern supported the Agency Agreements Process Champions and Team Lead, Susan Kroskey, Sandy Massey and Mecca Murphy, with major initiatives to advance the KSC OCFO's vision of creating and innovating healthy financial management practices that maximize the value of resources entrusted to NASA. These initiatives include, but are not limited to: updating the Agency Guidance and NASA Procedural Guidance 9090.1 Agreements, implementing a new budget structure to be utilized across all centers, submitting a Call Request (CRQ) to enhance non-federal customer reporting, initiating a discussion to incorporate a 3-year funding program for NASA agreements, and undertaking the Office of Inspector General (OIG) Audit. In support of these initiatives, this intern identified technical methods to enhance and reduce the workload of financial processes for reimbursable and non-reimbursable agreements, prepared reports in support of accounting functions, and performed administrative work and miscellaneous technical tasks in support of the OCFO as requested. In conclusion of the internship, the intern will become knowledgeable on reimbursable accounting, reimbursable policy, types of reimbursable agreements, the agreements process, estimated pricing reports, and the roles and responsibilities of the Financial Accounting and Financial Services offices.

A Quality System Database

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snell, William H.; Turner, Anne M.; Gifford, Luther; Stites, William

2010-01-01

A quality system database (QSD), and software to administer the database, were developed to support recording of administrative nonconformance activities that involve requirements for documentation of corrective and/or preventive actions, which can include ISO 9000 internal quality audits and customer complaints.

76 FR 33377 - In The Matter of: Artfest International, Inc; Order of Suspension of Trading

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-08

..., an independent audit of Artfest's financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, which was not performed, and financial statements for the 2010 period that are referenced in the filings...

Internationalizing the Business Communication Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sturges, David L.

1992-01-01

Proposes a course in business communication that includes international or global perspectives in its philosophy, content, and assignments. Includes a syllabus, a scheme describing how the course is taught, a communication audit plan, a capstone project, and a sample reading list. (SR)

CERT Resilience Management Model, Version 1.0

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-05-01

practice such as ISO 27000 , COBIT, or ITIL. If you are a member of an established process improvement community, particularly one centered on CMMI...Systems Audit and Control Association ISO International Organization for Standardization ISSA Information Systems Security Association IT

48 CFR 242.7501 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... DEFENSE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION AND AUDIT SERVICES Contractor Accounting Systems and..., shall maintain an accounting system and related internal controls throughout contract performance which... accounting system and cost data are reliable; (c) Risk of misallocations and mischarges are minimized; and (d...

OAS :: Office of the Inspector General

Science.gov Websites

Internal Audit Real Estate Strategy Calendar Calendar of Conferences in Headquarters OAS Logo OAS Logo It este sitio de web. Afigura-se o JavaScript está desativado ou desligado. Por favor ative o JavaScript

Sandia National Laboratories: National Security Missions: International

Science.gov Websites

; Security Weapons Science & Technology Defense Systems & Assessments About Defense Systems & ; Development Technology Deployment Centers Working With Sandia Working With Sandia Prospective Suppliers What Information Construction & Facilities Contract Audit Sandia's Economic Impact Licensing & Technology

International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 15189

PubMed Central

Schneider, Frank; Friedberg, Richard C.

2017-01-01

The College of American Pathologists (CAP) offers a suite of laboratory accreditation programs, including one specific to accreditation to the international organization for standardization (ISO) 15189 standard for quality management specific to medical laboratories. CAP leaders offer an overview of ISO 15189 including its components, internal audits, occurrence management, document control, and risk management. The authors provide a comparison of its own ISO 15189 program, CAP 15189, to the CAP Laboratory Accreditation Program. The authors conclude with why laboratories should use ISO 15189. PMID:28643484

Assessment of cardiovascular risk and target organ damage among adult patients with primary hypertension in Thika Level 5 Hospital, Kenya: a criteria-based clinical audit.

PubMed

Mwita, Clifford Chacha; Akello, Walter; Sisenda, Gloria; Ogoti, Evans; Tivey, David; Munn, Zachary; Mbogo, David

2013-06-01

Appropriate management of hypertension reduces the risk of death from stroke and cardiac disease and includes routine assessment for target organ damage and estimation of cardiovascular risk. However, implementation of evidence-based hypertension management guidelines is unsatisfactory. We explore the use of audit and feedback as a quality improvement (QI) strategy for reducing the knowledge practice gap in hypertension care in a resource poor setting. The aim of this study is to determine the level of compliance to evidence-based guidelines on assessment of cardiovascular risk and target organ damage among patients with hypertension in Thika Level 5 Hospital in central Kenya and to implement best practice with regard to evidence utilisation among clinicians in the hospital. A retrospective clinical audit done in three phases spread over 5 months. Phase one involved identifying five audit criteria on assessment of cardiovascular risk and target organ damage in patients with hypertension and conducting a baseline audit in which compliance to audit criteria, blood pressure control and drug prescription practices were assessed. Phase two involved identifying barriers to compliance to audit criteria and strategies to overcoming these barriers. The third phase was a follow-up audit. There was no use of a cardiovascular risk assessment tool in both audits (0% vs. 0%; P = 1.00). Testing urine for haematuria and proteinuria reduced from 13% to 8% (P = 0.230) while taking a blood sample for measuring blood glucose, electrolytes and creatinine levels improved from 11% to 17% (P = 0.401). Performance of fundoscopy and electrocardiography remained unchanged at 2% and 8%, respectively (P = 0.886 and P = 0.898). High patient load was identified as the biggest barrier to implementation of best practice. Blood pressure control improved from 33% to 70% (P ≤ 0.001), whereas the proportion of patients on two or more recommended antihypertensive drugs rose from 59% to 72% (P = 0.158). In Thika Level 5 Hospital, audit and feedback has a poor impact on assessment of cardiovascular risk and target organ damage but positive impact on blood pressure control and prescription practices. Time and sample size may have affected observed results. Additional audits and alternative QI strategies are warranted. © 2013 The Authors. International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare © 2013 The Joanna Briggs Institute.

Contrasting Olfaction, Vision, and Audition as Predictors of Cognitive Change and Impairment in Non-Demented Older Adults

PubMed Central

MacDonald, Stuart W.S.; Keller, Connor J.C.; Brewster, Paul W.H.; Dixon, Roger A.

2017-01-01

Objective This study examines the relative utility of a particular class of non-invasive functional biomarkers -- sensory functions -- for detecting those at risk of cognitive decline and impairment. Three central research objectives were examined including whether: (1) olfactory function, vision, and audition exhibited significant longitudinal declines in non-demented older adults, (2) multi-wave change for these sensory function indicators predicted risk of mild cognitive impairment, and (3) change within persons for each sensory measure shared dynamic time-varying associations with within-person change in cognitive functioning. Method A longitudinal sample (n=408) from the Victoria Longitudinal Study was assembled. Three cognitive status subgroups were identified: not impaired cognitively (NIC), single assessment mild cognitive impairment (SA-MCI), and multiple assessment mild cognitive impairment (MA-MCI). Results We tested independent predictive associations, contrasting change in sensory function as predictors of cognitive decline and impairment, utilizing both linear mixed models and logistic regression analysis. Olfaction and, to a lesser extent, vision were identified as the most robust predictors of cognitive status and decline; audition showed little predictive influence. Conclusions These findings underscore the potential utility of deficits in olfactory function, in particular, as an early marker of age- and pathology-related cognitive decline. Functional biomarkers may represent potential candidates for use in the early stages of a multi-step screening approach for detecting those at risk of cognitive impairment, as well as for targeted intervention. PMID:29809033

[Validity of AUDIT test for detection of disorders related with alcohol consumption in women].

PubMed

Pérula-de Torres, Luis Angel; Fernández-García, José Angel; Arias-Vega, Raquel; Muriel-Palomino, María; Márquez-Rebollo, Encarnación; Ruiz-Moral, Roger

2005-11-26

Early detection of patients with alcohol problems is important in clinical practice. The AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) questionnaire is a valid tool for this aim, especially in the male population. The objective of this study was to validate how useful is this questionnaire in females patients and to assess their test cut-off point for the diagnosis of alcohol problems in women. 414 woman were recruited in 2 health center and specialized center for addiction treatment. The AUDIT test and a semistructured interview (SCAN as gold standard) were performed to all patients. Internal consistency and criteria validity was assessed. Cronbach alpha was 0.93 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.921-0.941). When the DSM-IV was taken as reference the most useful cut-off point was 6 points, with 89.6% (95% CI, 76.11-96.02) sensitivity and 95.07% (95% CI, 92.18-96.97) specificity. When CIE-10 was taken as reference the sensitivity was 89.58% (95% CI, 76.56-96.10) and the specificity was 95.33% (95% CI, 92.48-97.17). AUDIT is a questionnaire with good psychometrics properties and is valid for detecting dependence and risk alcohol consumption in women.

Discharge communication from inpatient care: an audit of written medical discharge summary procedure against the new National Health Service Standard for clinical handover.

PubMed

Reid, Daniel Brooks; Parsons, Shaun R; Gill, Stephen D; Hughes, Andrew J

2015-04-01

To audit written medical discharge summary procedure and practice against Standard Six (clinical handover) of the Australian National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards at a major regional Victorian health service. Department heads were invited to complete a questionnaire about departmental discharge summary practices. Twenty-seven (82%) department heads completed the questionnaire. Seven (26%) departments had a documented discharge summary procedure. Fourteen (52%) departments monitored discharge summary completion and 13 (48%) departments monitored the timeliness of completion. Seven (26%) departments informed the patient of the content of the discharge summary and six (22%) departments provided the patient with a copy. Seven (26%) departments provided training for staff members on how to complete discharge summaries. Completing discharge summaries was usually delegated to the medical intern. The introduction of the National Service Standards prompted an organisation-wide audit of discharge summary practices against the external criterion. There was substantial variation in the organisation's practices. The Standards and the current audit results highlight an opportunity for the organisation to enhance and standardise discharge summary practices and improve communication with general practice.

Management Auditing. Evaluation of the Marine Corps Task Analysis Program. Technical Report No. 5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hemphill, John M., Jr.; Yoder, Dale

The management audit is described for possible application as an extension of the mission of the Office of Manpower Utilization (OMU) of the U.S. Marine Corps. The present mission of OMU is viewed as a manpower research program to conduct task analysis of Marine Corps occupational fields. Purpose of the analyses is to improve the functional areas…

Implementation of the Regulatory Authority Information System in Egypt

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carson, S.D.; Schetnan, R.; Hasan, A.

2006-07-01

As part of the implementation of a bar-code-based system to track radioactive sealed sources (RSS) in Egypt, the Regulatory Authority Information System Personal Digital Assistant (RAIS PDA) Application was developed to extend the functionality of the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA's) RAIS database by allowing users to download RSS data from the database to a portable PDA equipped with a bar-code scanner. [1, 4] The system allows users in the field to verify radioactive sealed source data, gather radioactive sealed source audit information, and upload that data to the RAIS database. This paper describes the development of the RAIS PDAmore » Application, its features, and how it will be implemented in Egypt. (authors)« less

Role of Large Clinical Datasets From Physiologic Monitors in Improving the Safety of Clinical Alarm Systems and Methodological Considerations: A Case From Philips Monitors.

PubMed

Sowan, Azizeh Khaled; Reed, Charles Calhoun; Staggers, Nancy

2016-09-30

Large datasets of the audit log of modern physiologic monitoring devices have rarely been used for predictive modeling, capturing unsafe practices, or guiding initiatives on alarm systems safety. This paper (1) describes a large clinical dataset using the audit log of the physiologic monitors, (2) discusses benefits and challenges of using the audit log in identifying the most important alarm signals and improving the safety of clinical alarm systems, and (3) provides suggestions for presenting alarm data and improving the audit log of the physiologic monitors. At a 20-bed transplant cardiac intensive care unit, alarm data recorded via the audit log of bedside monitors were retrieved from the server of the central station monitor. Benefits of the audit log are many. They include easily retrievable data at no cost, complete alarm records, easy capture of inconsistent and unsafe practices, and easy identification of bedside monitors missed from a unit change of alarm settings adjustments. Challenges in analyzing the audit log are related to the time-consuming processes of data cleaning and analysis, and limited storage and retrieval capabilities of the monitors. The audit log is a function of current capabilities of the physiologic monitoring systems, monitor's configuration, and alarm management practices by clinicians. Despite current challenges in data retrieval and analysis, large digitalized clinical datasets hold great promise in performance, safety, and quality improvement. Vendors, clinicians, researchers, and professional organizations should work closely to identify the most useful format and type of clinical data to expand medical devices' log capacity.

Military Government

DTIC Science & Technology

1949-07-01

The water supply may be disrupted or poluted . ( 4) Hospital facilities and medical supplies may be extremely scarce. Dead may be found unburied and...insurance unit may supervise all insurance companies, or an income tax unit may audit internal revenue offices. (2) Other military government units carry

40 CFR Table 7 to Subpart Lllll of... - Applicability of General Provisions to Subpart LLLLL

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... approval procedures 3. Performance audit requirements 4. Internal and external QA procedures for testing.... Keep old versions for 5 years after revisions No; § 63.8688 specifies the CMS requirements. § 63.8(e...

40 CFR Table 10 to Subpart Dddd of... - Applicability of General Provisions to Subpart DDDD

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... plan approval procedures; performance audit requirements; internal and external QA procedures for... control plan on record for 5 years. Keep old versions for 5 years after revisions Yes. § 63.8(e) CMS...

40 CFR Table 3 to Subpart Cccccc... - Applicability of General Provisions

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... procedures; performance audit requirements; internal and external QA procedures for testing Yes. § 63.7(d... quality control plan on record for 5 years; keep old versions for 5 years after revisions No. § 63.8(e...