Implementing Evidence-Based Quality Improvement in Health Care Quality and Patient Safety and Clinical Research Programs.

Abstract

Background and objectives: This paper defines quality improvement (QI), describes the differences and connections among QI, clinical audit/quality assurance, and clinical research, highlights the importance of strong organizational governance for QI, and provides a simplified, evidence-based QI methodology that can be readily used by health care staff.

Methods: The authors draw on their diverse QI experiences, encompassing a university maternity hospital, a radiation oncology specialist center, an acute general hospital, senior health care management, and academia. This demonstrates the feasibility of implementing QI in diverse health care settings and by all members of the multidisciplinary team.

Results: Embedding QI in clinical audit, incident, and service user feedback management enables learning from Quality and Patient Safety activities, driving evidence-based improvements by frontline staff. Strong governance and accountability are essential to ensure QI efforts are sustained and impactful. QI also supports and enhances clinical research activities, improving patient outcomes and care.

Conclusion: QI is most effective when it is kept simple, includes frontline multidisciplinary teams and patients/service users, and is supported by staff with QI expertise. This paper demonstrates the successful application of a QI methodology across varied health care specialties, emphasizing its broad applicability and significant benefits for health care delivery.