Article Text
Statistics from Altmetric.com
There is increasing evidence that the structured use of the principles and methods of continuous quality improvement (CQI) in healthcare settings will have a positive effect on improving care.1–3 Recognition of this in the UK can be seen from frequent references to CQI in Government publications driving the “modernisation agenda”. Government support of centrally funded initiatives such as the National Breakthrough Collaboratives4 provides additional evidence, although it is not clear whether a common understanding exists of what are its key elements. For example, these should include a focus on improving the way we understand and meet the needs of patients/users; a focus on improving the processes by which their care is delivered; and the application of improvement methodology that enables us to learn as we go. Finally, it is essential that the delivery of care is improved by the interprofessional teams who provide it.
It is still early days and the limited availability of knowledge and expertise in these methods means that improvement projects often have to rely on the use of external facilitators for their successful conclusion. It has been suggested that it …