Authors: Neily, Julia; Howard, Kierston; Quigley, Patricia; Mills, Peter D.

Source: Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, Volume 31, Number 5, May 2005 , pp. 275-285(11)

Publisher: Joint Commission Resources

Abstract:

Background: Multisite facilitated quality improvement (QI) projects, called collaborative Breakthrough Series (BTS), have been shown to improve care, but it is also important to evaluate the lasting effects and spread of changes of BTSs. A project focused on fall and injuryrelated prevention started in Spring 2001; after the project's end, support was provided through e-mail and periodic conference calls.

Methods: One year after project completion, team contacts were interviewed to determine if they had maintained gains or made further improvements.

Results: For the 34 (of 37 teams) interviewed, 82.4% reported they had stayed together as a team; 97.1%, that they continued to collect data; 93.9%, that they had maintained gains; 82.4%, that they had spread changes to new locations; and 85.3%, that they had begun to work on new topics. High team performance at one year correlated with first-meeting team characteristics Leadership Support (r = .456, p = .019) and Prior Experience with Quality Improvement and Teamwork (r = .393, p = .047) and with follow-up team characteristics Leadership Support (r = .614, p < .001), Teamwork Skills (r = .377, p = .033), and Skills Gained from the Project (r = .410, p = .020).

Conclusions: Leadership support, experience with quality improvement and teamwork, teamwork skills, and skills gained from the project were correlated with teams' abilities to achieve and maintain success.

Document Type: Research article

Publication date: 2005-05-01

More about this publication?

• Published monthly, The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety is a peer-reviewed publication dedicated to providing health professionals with the information they need to promote the quality and safety of health care. The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety invites original manuscripts on the development, adaptation, and/or implementation of innovative thinking, strategies, and practices in improving quality and safety in health care. Case studies, program or project reports, reports of new methodologies or new applications of methodologies, research studies on the effectiveness of improvement interventions, and commentaries on issues and practices are all considered.
  
  Also known as Joint Commission Journal on Quality Improvement and Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Safety
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