Evaluation of the quality of hospital medical records in a hospital in Turin (Italy)

: The San Giovanni Battista Hospital in Turin validated a tool for evaluating the quality of hospital patient records. The tool defines the essential contents of patient records, indicators and weights as well as the standard score that must be reached. A pilot study was performed in 2007 to evaluate whether this tool adequately evaluates the quality of hospital patient records in both medical and surgical wards, and whether it can do so in a standardized and repeatable manner. A random sample of 206 medical charts of patients admitted to the San Giovanni Battista Hospital in 2007 was extracted and analysed. The instrument was found to adequately evaluate hospital patient records in a standardisd and repeatable manner.