Table 2
Actions to improve quality related to each of the EQuiP targets
| Target | Action |
|---|---|
| CME = continuing medical education; QI = quality improvement. | |
| Leadership | Train professionals in leadership |
| Stimulate shared quality improvement processes | |
| Define job descriptions clearly | |
| Facilitate clinical guidelines across the interface | |
| Facilitate guidelines for cooperation | |
| Facilitate consensus discussions | |
| Shared care approach | Stimulate communication across the interface |
| Involve local leadership in quality improvement | |
| Audit care across the interface | |
| Create dialogue with patients | |
| Consensus on task division | Establish discussion groups with GPs, specialists and leaders |
| Strengthen the professional identity of GPs | |
| Base solutions on needs and resources in each country | |
| Guidelines | Local GPs and specialists establish local guidelines together |
| Guidelines must include consensus on cooperation between GPs and specialists | |
| Patient perspective to be included in guidelines | |
| Patients | Audit patient “journeys” across interfaces and through the health care system |
| Include patients in audit | |
| Monitor patient expectations and evaluation of care by validated methods | |
| Information | Electronic patient records, guidelines and recommendations |
| Electronic communication and transfer of information across the interface | |
| Public information about access, processes, and outcomes | |
| Education | Basic medical education to include courses in quality improvement |
| Specialist vocational training in general practice care sector | |
| Joint CME courses for specialists and GPs | |
| Team building | Teams defined by tasks and circumstances |
| “Interface teams” for specific groups of patient, e.g. palliation, rehabilitation of stroke patients, diabetic care | |
| Monitoring quality in clinical work | Audit, benchmarking, patient surveys |
| Monitor outcomes and processes | |
| Use indicators selected in guidelines | |
| Cost effectiveness | Is a result of QI, not a prime target |
| Select indicators that cover both primary and secondary care | |
