Enhancing primary care quality improvement through national data collection and validation: the primary care quality initiative in Sweden.

Abstract

Objective: Quality measures in healthcare are crucial for improving outcomes and ensuring patient safety. This study investigated the evolution, implementation, and impact of Primary Care Quality (PCQ). The PCQ aims to facilitate nationwide quality benchmarking, serving as a tool for quality improvement (QI) and research.

Design/settings: A descriptive design outlining the development and operationalisation of the PCQ, a national framework for automatic and systematic data collection and feedback.

Results: The national PCQ system is a tool for continuous QI in primary care in Sweden. PCQ has achieved extensive adoption, with over 97% of Swedish primary care centres, both private and public driven, utilising the platform for automatic data extraction from patient records and data visualisation. Quality indicators were developed through a structured approach involving primary care professionals, evidence-based clinical practices, and expert contributions from established knowledge organisations, reflecting the breadth of general practice. Data are automatically retrieved from medical records and visualised in real time, with the possibility of benchmarking at an aggregate level and identifying individuals locally at primary care centres. The PCQ has facilitated improvements by enabling quality dialogue among healthcare professionals and supporting continuous local QI. Regionally, the PCQ supports needs assessments and patient safety initiatives. Nationally, it establishes standardised indicators for quality measurement, enabling effective benchmarking and strategic healthcare planning.

Conclusions: The implementation of the national PCQ system provided a framework and tool for continuous QI in primary care. The system has influenced national standardization of primary care indicators, with quality improvement results demonstrated regionally and locally through the PCQ.