Measuring Aspects of eXcellent Care (MAXC): easing the burden of auditing for the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards.

From 1 January 2013, all public and private health services in Australia are required to be accredited against National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards promulgated by the Australian Commission for Safety and Quality in Healthcare (ACSQHC). [1] The new accreditation requirements specify the completion of forty-seven clinical audits. As it is anticipated that administering the audits will be time-consuming and this will reduce time spent delivering clinical care, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD) has developed a system of audits to meet the requirements. The Measuring Aspects of Excellent Care (MAXC) system of audits is based on the measurement of process indicators. This paper describes the design process and implementation strategies used. The MAXC system of audits has been used by two facilities to achieve accreditation under the new standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]