Clinical audit

A clinical audit is a regular, documented, critical analysis of the outcomes of (surgical) care. It is accepted as an essential component of the evidence-base that underpins the practice of surgery. The original mortality audit was established in Scotland (Scottish Audit of Surgical Mortality). The template was adapted for the Australian environment and in 2001 gave rise to the West Australian Audit of Surgical Mortality. The Victorian Audit of Surgical Mortality (VASM) is based on the experiences of this and several other states.

This audit process is designed to gather information on factors involved in the death of patients undergoing surgical treatment. Gathering information from multiple sources over time will allow us to detect emerging trends in the outcomes from surgical care. The aim is to identify any system or process errors and develop strategies to redress these.

All information collected during the audit process is protected by Commonwealth Qualified Privilege (PDF 2.11MB) legislation. It is therefore not possible to provide reports on individual instances of mortality to hospitals or families of deceased persons.

An annual report providing a summary of findings on all deaths will be published and be available to the general public.