Comparison of two audit and feedback approaches: descriptive analysis of personal and contextual dynamics

Abstract

ABSTRACT Introduction: Audit and feedback (A&F) is a systematic intervention that can be used to improve the quality of health care. The EASY-NET Network Project proposes an innovative A&F model. Aim: This study aimed to describe the newly proposed A&F model. An analysis was conducted, examining the participants’ attitudes and their individual and interpersonal mechanisms to understand how they influence the work context and vice versa. Methods: Two A&F models were compared, involving emergency and rehabilitation health workers, who were divided into two groups. The classic A&F model was compared with a new model, using a desk audit followed by interactive feedback. Communication training was provided to the audit team by psychologists before commencement of the project. The experimental group underwent psychological screening using two standardized tools (COPE-NVI and ProQoL) to evaluate personal and relational dynamics using the context-mechanism-outcome (CMO) paradigm. Results: The exchange of ideas among health professionals is more effective when using face-to-face feedback than written feedback. The COPE-NVI and ProQoL questionnaires highlighted the difficulties experienced by health care professionals in implementing effective coping strategies to deal with stressful events. Conclusions: Identifying signs of stress in health care workers is essential for improvement strategies to be implemented and for establishing new, optimal conditions. Remote feedback makes it possible to overcome logistical barriers and, in the future, this method can be used for inter-organizational collaboration. Spanish abstract: http://links.lww.com/IJEBH/A203