When done properly, diabetes audits via RPMS (often referred to as electronic audits, or "e-audits") can be accurate and time saving. Once the set up process is complete, it is much easier to perform reviews and they can be done more  frequently and on a larger number of patient records than with a manual audit.  The accuracy of the results depends largely on how carefully the set up is done (i.e., taxonomy development), how accurately and consistently the providers at your site document in RPMS, and how conscientious and timely the data entry staff are about correctly coding and entering the data.

Can you perform both a manual and an electronic audit on the same sample?   Yes.  This can be extremely helpful in determining whether the results from the RPMS audit are comparable to those from a manual chart audit.  If there are big differences, you will need to play Sherlock Holmes and determine why.  You will find that most of the differences are correctable, once they are identified.  We strongly recommend simultaneous audits when getting started with e-auditing.