GLOBAL MONITORING OF POSITIVE SURGICAL OUTCOME - A FEASIBILITY STUDY AT THE ROYAL-NATIONAL-THROAT-NOSE-AND-EAR-HOSPITAL

We present early results of a study looking at the feasibility of posi tive outcome 'monitoring' after every operation at the Royal National Throat Nose and Ear Hospital. A system for quantitative 'measurement' of outcome after every operation is still light years away, and as a r esult audit of outcome has lagged behind audit of structure and proces s. Our 'monitoring' approach involves simply documenting, for every pa tient, whether the individual goal of the operation has or has not bee n achieved. Piloting this system over a 6-month period in 1993 suggest s that it is feasible and useful, providing the results are used as po inters to more detailed study, rather than as endpoints in themselves.