Follow-up
The subsequent verification of the effectiveness and sustainability of theses, clinical studies or scientific investigations is referred to as follow-up ("follow up, follow up, look up") . During the follow-up period, it is analyzed whether the previous statements or theses have been confirmed and whether they are valid. Follow-up can be an implemented procedure during an investigation or an independent subsequent procedure with a time lag. The implementation of follow-up is a form of quality management , but also an instrument for project management such as feedback or coaching .
advantages
Follow-up proves the practical and holistic claim of a work or study. Follow-up can help to improve the quality of a study or investigation at an early stage, as the measurability, effectiveness and consistency of the results are more in focus .
Implementation problems
There must be specific, timed, measurable and realistic recommendations and statements. Statements and results that are too general are unsuitable for follow-up. Follow-up documents mistrust or skepticism of results that have already been published. Additional personnel costs arise, which at best can confirm the results so far. When investigating singular projects (one-off measures or construction projects), the results of a follow-up are difficult to transfer. Follow-up individuals should be independent and should not have been involved in the previous study.
Follow-up in various industries
In financial control
In the annual reports, memoranda or advisory statements of the audit offices , the statements of the audited departments on the audit matter are presented or reflected. The parliamentary procedure for dealing with the examination results in committees is also a form of follow-up. The courts of auditors publish concise long-term reports on completed audits in which a financial result or the implementation of the audit results are documented. Some audit offices publish the effectiveness and sustainability of their work in regular reports.
In the medicine
In clinical research, follow-up is used ( cohort study ) to verify the long-term effectiveness of new procedures and the long-term effects on test subjects . The particular challenge here is to maintain long-term contact with the test subjects and to take other positive and negative external influences into account in the overall relationship between the investigations.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Evaluations - Swiss Federal Audit Office. Retrieved on October 9, 2018 (German).
- ^ DocCheck Medical Services GmbH: Clinical Study - DocCheck Flexikon. Retrieved October 9, 2018 .