INTERNAL AUDIT AS A PROCESS MANAGEMENT TOOL FOR PROVIDING SPECIALIZED MEDICAL CARE

Abstract

The paper presents the experience in internal audit at Novosibirsk Research Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedics including main tasks, criteria, methods, and stages of audit, documentation necessary for its planning and fulfillment, and a procedure for analysis and application of information obtained in the course of audit. The Institute developed and introduced the procedure of conducting of quality management system audit with the account of International Standard requirements for quality management system organization, specificity of structure and production processes in medical setting providing specialized care to patients with spine pathology. Application of the method of internal audit conducting significantly reduced the number of process inconsistencies which in its turn positively influenced the effectiveness of the process and the quality management system as a whole.