Audit of the workload in a maxillofacial and oral surgical unit in Johannesburg

Abstract

INTRODUCTION : Maxillofacial and oral surgical (MFOS) audits are able to provide data to both current and prospective patients regarding the quality of care an institution is capable of providing. The more frequently performed MFOS procedures can be determined and the allocation of funding and resources can therefore be achieved more appropriately. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES : To conduct an audit to evaluate the workload and scope of practice of the MFOS unit of the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH) for the year 2015 by quantifying MFOS conditions and the respective treatment modalities. DESIGN : The study was retrospective and cross-sectional. METHODS : Data was retrieved from the patient logbook of the unit which was then entered into a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet. Pie graphs and bar charts representing the data were then generated. RESULTS : A total of 1 750 patients were treated in the unit. The male to female ratio was 1.3:1 and the majority of these patients were in their 3rd and 4th age decade. Most patients required a tooth extraction mainly for an impacted 3rd molar. CONCLUSIONS : Dentoalveolar surgery was the most commonly performed procedure followed by the treatment of facial fractures. Pathological and other MFOS conditions were less commonly encountered. The CMJAH MFOS unit treats a high volume of patients according to comparisons with global studies.