Benefits of CAT

Clinical Audit Tool (CAT) screen images

What can CAT tell me about my practice?

CAT provides a number of new ways to look at GP desktop data from a population perspective. Add to this the ability to generate and export (within the practice only) lists of patients within specific patient 'target groups' filtered by the practice and CAT can give you valuable information on the quality of patient care.

Just some of the practice population questions you can answer with CAT include:

Data Quality and Cleansing

  • Who are my patients with no allergy or smoking status recorded?
  • Which of my patients have incomplete BMI details?
  • Who are the patients on 8+ medications?
  • Who are my female patients that are overdue for a Pap Smear?

Chronic Disease Management

  • Who are my diabetics with an HbA1c > 7%?
  • Who are my diabetic patients who have not had an HbA1c in the last 12 months?
  • What is the drug treatment profile of my CHD patients?
  • Which of my diabetic and CHD patients are smokers and overweight?

Patients at Risk

  • Who are my patients that are NOT diagnosed with Diabetes or CHD, yet
    • are 45 years and over, and
    • are smokers, and
    • are overweight, and
    • have an elevated BP?

Practice Income Opportunities

  • Which diabetes cycle of care items need to be completed for each diabetic patient to claim the Practice Incentive Payment (PIP)?
  • Which females aged 20 - 69 years have not had a Pap Smear for over 4 years?

How does CAT work to improve quality in Australian general practice?

Good data quality is a vital element to ensuring that appropriate patient and practice decisions can be made from the data entered in the patient and practice population record. Poor data quality will only lead to mis-informed decision-making: Rubbish In = Rubbish Out.

CAT is a powerful tool because, not only does it provide the population view of practice data, but it identifies gaps and in patient data. Most importantly - CAT shows the practice exactly where these gaps exist so that action can be taken to improve data quality.

The result is better patient outcomes through better population health decision making and delivery.

What GP clinical desktop systems does CAT integrate with?

The Clinical Audit Tool interoperates with and adds comprehensive population health functionality to the following GP Desktop Systems:

  • Medical Director 3
  • Medical Director 2
  • Best Practice
  • Genie Solutions
  • Zedmed

PCS is also in discussion with vendors of other GP Desktop Systems.

If your GP clinical desktop system is NOT CAT compliant.

PCS is keen to have CAT compatible with all vendor systems and can provide a data extraction kit to interested vendors at no cost.

GPs and practice staff using non-compatible systems wishing to access the powerful functionality of CAT should contact their GP desktop vendor and direct them to contact Pen Computer Systems.
Pen Computing Microsoft Certified Partner The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners