AST
Antenatal Sonography Toolkit
The AST helps teams identify the root causes of scan inaccuracies by using advanced statistical modelling.
Click here to find out more about getting started with the AST and to read our implementation documents.
Our Story
As sonographers working in the NHS, we recognised that the current methods for evaluating growth scan accuracy were insufficient. There were many unanswered questions surrounding current performance levels and how accuracy could be improved. We believed there must be a better way to use the vast amounts of data we routinely collect during patient care to create a useful evaluation tool.
The AST is designed to help teams assess growth scan accuracy at both departmental and individual clinician levels. It also serves as a tool for evaluating quality improvement initiatives. Our vision is for the AST to establish a new, more effective, and clinically useful national benchmark for growth scan accuracy.
The applications of the AST are far-reaching—from determining departmental and individual sonographer performance levels and identifying areas for improvement through audit reporting, to using its analysis tools to explore inequalities in care or measure the impact of quality improvement (QI) initiatives.
The AST has been developed using our unique design philosophy. We apply advanced statistical modelling and recent technological advances to measure accuracy while controlling for factors that affect comparisons between individuals or Trusts. At the same time, the reports and analysis tools are designed to be intuitive and user-friendly for clinicians with varying levels of statistical and mathematical knowledge.
Read about our story in more detail here.
Key aims of the AST:
01.
Enhanced Patient Safety
The automated reporting system of the AST significantly improves patient safety by precisely evaluating growth scan accuracy.
02.
Reduce Inequality
Through advanced statistical modelling, it is possible to correctly determine the groups most at risk and create targeted interventions to improve care.
03.
Efficent testing and reporting
The AST facilitates rigorous testing and streamlines reporting processes locally and nationally.
04.
Cost Savings
The AST offers substantial financial benefits by reducing midwifery workload and long-term expenses associated with unnecessary interventions and litigation.