A systematic review of clinical audit in companion animal veterinary medicine.
Authors: Rose Nicole, Toews Lorraine, Pang Daniel S J
Journal: BMC veterinary research
Summary
Clinical audit—a structured process for evaluating and improving clinical practice against defined standards—represents established best practice in human medicine, yet remains largely underdeveloped within veterinary practice. Nicole, Toews and Pang conducted a systematic review of English and French literature across five major databases (ProQuest Dissertations, CAB Abstracts, Scopus, Web of Science, and OVID Medline) to map the current state of clinical audit adoption in companion animal veterinary medicine, including equine practice. The search yielded surprisingly few publications describing either theoretical frameworks or completed audit cycles, confirming that whilst veterinary professionals recognise clinical audit as a quality improvement tool, its practical implementation across the profession remains nascent compared to human healthcare. This finding carries significant implications for equine practitioners and the broader veterinary team: establishing structured audit cycles—whether examining lameness diagnosis protocols, farriery outcomes, rehabilitation strategies, or nutritional interventions—could systematically identify gaps in current practice and drive evidence-based improvements in patient care and clinical outcomes. The authors' work highlights both an opportunity and a responsibility for equine professionals to pioneer clinical audit methodologies within their disciplines, potentially setting benchmarks that elevate standards across the industry.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Clinical audit frameworks used successfully in human medicine could be adapted to improve quality assurance and patient outcomes in equine and companion animal veterinary practice
- •Veterinary practitioners should consider implementing audit cycles to systematically evaluate and improve their clinical protocols and standards of care
- •Adoption of formal clinical audit processes remains an underdeveloped opportunity for quality improvement in veterinary medicine
Key Findings
- •Clinical audit has become an integral component of standard care in human medicine but remains in its infancy in veterinary medicine
- •Limited number of clinical audits have been published in veterinary literature despite recognition of the concept
- •Systematic review identified veterinary literature on clinical audit in dogs, cats, and horses across multiple databases