Audit has improved certain aspects of management of typhoid fever detected through Klinik Perubatan Masyarakat at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia. We audited records of clinic patients who were blood culture positive for Salmonella typhi. For August to October 1992, we found 10 out of 31 cases (32%) were not admitted. Some of these were patients who defaulted, while some were managed as outpatients but not notified. We took action to educate the medical officers. For November 1992 - March 1993 we found 8 out of 24 cases (33%) were not admitted. Although the admission rate was no better, there was a non significant improvement in rate of notification by doctors. Defaulters were now the main problem, and so we took action to improve their follow-up, by using the clinic staff nurse. For April - August 1993, only 1 out of 16 cases (6%) was not admitted. This was a significant improvement (p=0.03)
Study site: Klinik Perubatan Masyarakat at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia