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LLOYD P. PROVOST
SANDRA K. MURRAY
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Provost, Lloyd P., author. | Murray, Sandra K., author.
Title: The health care data guide : learning from data for improvement /
Lloyd P. Provost, Sandra K. Murray.
Description: Second edition. | Hoboken, NJ : John Wiley & Sons, 2022. |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2021053032 (print) | LCCN 2021053033 (ebook) | ISBN
9781119690139 (paperback) | ISBN 9781119690153 (pdf) | ISBN
9781119690122 (epub)
Subjects: LCSH: Medical care--Quality control--Statistical methods. |
Medical care--Quality control--Data processing.
Classification: LCC RA399.A3 P766 2022 (print) | LCC RA399.A3 (ebook) |
DDC 362.10727--dc23/eng/20211123
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021053032
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021053033
Cover image: Provost & Murray
Cover design by Wiley
Set in 10.5/13pt ITCNewBaskervilleStd by Integra Software Services Pvt. Ltd, Pondicherry, India
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
C O N T E N T S
Chapter 10 Drilling Down into Aggregate Data for Improvement II 375
What are Aggregate Data? 375
What is the Challenge Presented by Aggregate Data? 376
Introduction to the Drill Down Pathway 381
Stratification381
Sequencing382
Rational Subgrouping 383
An Illustration of the Drill Down Pathway: Adverse Drug
Events384
Drill Down Pathway Step One 385
Drill Down Pathway Step Two 385
Drill Down Pathway Step Three 387
Drill Down Pathway Step Three, Continued 389
Drill Down Pathway Step Four 393
Drill Down Pathway Step Five 397
Drill Down Pathway Step Six 400
Summary400
Key Terms 401
Index595
FIGURES
FIGURE 3.39 Infant Mortality Data Stratified Using a Run Chart 114
FIGURE 3.40 Harm Data Stratified Using a Run Chart 115
FIGURE 3.41 Multi-Vari Chart 117
FIGURE 3.42 Run Chart and CUSUM Run Chart of Patient
Satisfaction Data 119
FIGURE 4.1 Using Shewhart Charts to Give Direction to an
Improvement Effort 128
FIGURE 4.2 Example of Shewhart Chart with Equal Subgroup Size 131
FIGURE 4.3 Example of Shewhart Chart with Unequal Subgroup Size 131
FIGURE 4.4 Rules for Detecting a Special Cause 135
FIGURE 4.5 Detecting “Losing the Gains” For an Improved Process 137
FIGURE 4.6 Depicting Variation Using a Run Chart versus a
Shewhart Chart 137
FIGURE 4.7 Shewhart Charts Common Cause and Special
Cause Systems 138
FIGURE 4.8 Shewhart Chart Revealing Process or System
Improvement138
FIGURE 4.9 Shewhart Chart Using Rational Subgrouping 139
FIGURE 4.10 Shewhart Chart Using Stratification 139
FIGURE 4.11 Shewhart Charts Depicting a Process or System “Holding
the Gain” 140
FIGURE 4.12 Run Charts and Shewhart Charts for Waiting Time Data 142
FIGURE 4.13 Improper and Proper Extension of Baseline Limits
on Shewhart Chart 143
FIGURE 4.14 Dealing with Special Cause Data in Baseline Limits 144
FIGURE 4.15 Recalculating Limits After Special Cause Improvement 146
FIGURE 4.16 Recalculating Limits after Exhausting Efforts to
Remove Special Cause 146
FIGURE 4.17 Stratification of Laboratory Data with a Shewhart Chart 148
FIGURE 4.18 Disaggregation of ADEs Data 149
FIGURE 4.19 ADE Rate Rationally Subgrouped in
Different Ways 151
FIGURE 4.20 Shewhart Chart Meeting Goal but Unstable 153
FIGURE 4.21 Shewhart Chart Stable but Not Meeting Goal 154
FIGURE 4.22 Special Cause in Desirable Direction 155
FIGURE 4.23 Shewhart Chart with Special Cause in Undesirable
Direction156
FIGURE 4.24 Shewhart Chart for LOS 157
FIGURE 4.25 Percentage of Patients with an Unplanned Readmission 157
FIGURE 5.1 Shewhart Chart Selection Guide 161
FIGURE 5.2 I Chart for Volume of Infectious Waste 167
FIGURE 5.3 I Chart Extended and Updated with New Limits 167
FIGURE 5.4 Rational Ordering for an I Chart for Intake Process 168
FIGURE 5.5 I Chart for Budget Variances 170
FIGURE 5.6 Xbar S Chart for Radiology Test Turnaround Time 172
FIGURE 5.7 Xbar S Chart for LOS 173
FIGURE 5.8 Xbar S Chart for LOS by Provider 174
xvi FIGURES, TABLES, AND EXHIBITS
FIGURE 5.9 Xbar and S Chart Subgrouped by Provider and Quarter 175
FIGURE 5.10 Xbar S Chart Showing Improvement in Deviation from
Start Times 176
FIGURE 5.11 P Chart for Percentage of Patients Harmed 182
FIGURE 5.12 Extended P Chart for Percentage of Patients Harmed 183
FIGURE 5.13 P Chart Showing Second Phase After Improvement 184
FIGURE 5.14 P Chart for Percentage of Unplanned Readmissions 185
FIGURE 5.15 P Chart for Percentage of MRSA for Hospital System 186
FIGURE 5.16 Funnel Plot of P Chart for Percentage of MRSA for
Hospital System 187
FIGURE 5.17 P Chart with Funnel Limits for Systemwide Medication
Compliance188
FIGURE 5.18 C Chart for Employee Needlesticks 191
FIGURE 5.19 C Chart for Issues by Surgeon 192
FIGURE 5.20 U Chart for Flash Sterilization 193
FIGURE 5.21 U Charts Showing the Effect of Choosing the Standard
Area of Opportunity 195
FIGURE 5.22 U Chart for Complaints by Clinic with Funnel Limits 196
FIGURE 5.23 Comparison of G Chart to U Chart 199
FIGURE 5.24 G Chart for ADEs 201
FIGURE 5.25 T Chart for Number of Days between ADEs 202
FIGURE 5.26 Different Formats for Displaying a T Chart 204
FIGURE 5.27 T Chart for Retained Foreign Objects 205
FIGURE 5.28 Process Capability: Typical Situations and Actions 207
FIGURE 5.29 Capability From an I Chart 208
FIGURE 5.30 Capability Analysis from an Xbar S Chart 209
FIGURE 6.1 Tools to Learn from Variation in Data 224
FIGURE 6.2 Histogram, Dot Plot, and Stem-and-Leaf Plot for Age at Fall 225
FIGURE 6.3 Frequency Plot (Dot Plot) of Patient Satisfaction Data 226
FIGURE 6.4 Age of Children with Head Injury 228
FIGURE 6.5 Shewhart Chart of Average Minutes to Initiate
Antibiotics for Sepsis Patients 229
FIGURE 6.6 Histogram of Minutes to Antibiotic Start for Patients with
Sepsis230
FIGURE 6.7 Stable Shewhart Chart of Patient Fall Rate 230
FIGURE 6.8 Histogram of Age of People Who Fell 231
FIGURE 6.9 Distribution of Data without and with Skew 231
FIGURE 6.10 Frequency Plot of Clinic Patient Wait Time 232
FIGURE 6.11 Stratified Histograms of Patient Falls by Time of Day 233
FIGURE 6.12 Histogram of Antibiotic Start Time Stratified by Location 234
FIGURE 6.13 Shewhart Chart of Average Patient Satisfaction 235
FIGURE 6.14 Histograms Stratified by Common Cause and Special Cause
Timeframes236
FIGURE 6.15 Example of a Pareto Chart 237
FIGURE 6.16 Pareto Chart with Cumulative Percentage Line 239
FIGURE 6.17 Stable Shewhart Chart of SMC Readmission 240
FIGURE 6.18 Pareto Chart of Cited Reasons for SMC Adult Readmission 240
FIGURES, TABLES, AND EXHIBITS xvii
FIGURE 12.9 Clinic Patient Feedback Shewhart Charts for Three Areas
of Focus 441
FIGURE 12.10 Scatterplots for Three Areas of Focus 441
FIGURE 12.11 Shewhart Chart of Willingness to Recommend the Clinic 442
FIGURE 12.12 Xbar S Chart of Average Self-Reported Patient Pain
Assessment443
FIGURE 12.13 P Chart Summarizing Patient Feedback Regarding Pain 444
FIGURE 12.14 Employee Feedback Upon Exit Interview 445
FIGURE 12.15 Importance and Satisfaction Matrix 446
FIGURE 12.16 Using an Interim of Surrogate Measure to Avoid Lag Time 448
FIGURE 12.17 Data Not Used When Treating Continuous Data as
Classification449
FIGURE 13.1 Tabular VOM Using Green, Yellow, and Red Formatting 456
FIGURE 13.2 Shewhart Chart of Safety Error Rate 457
FIGURE 13.3 Percentage of Perfect Care Displayed on a Shewhart Chart 458
FIGURE 13.4 Shewhart Chart of Percentage of Areas Meeting Appoint-
ment Goal 459
FIGURE 13.5 Infection Rate Data Color-Coded Monthly 460
FIGURE 13.6 Average Physician Satisfaction 461
FIGURE 13.7 Appropriate Display of VOM 462
FIGURE 13.8 Graph with Appropriate Space for Future Data 465
FIGURE 13.9 Graph with Excessive Number of Data Points 466
FIGURE 13.10 Graph Updated to Provide More Readable Number of Data
Points467
FIGURE 13.11 Graph with Historical Data Summarized 467
FIGURE 14.1 Example of Typical Epidemiological Curve with Four
Epochs478
FIGURE 14.2 Example of Hybrid Shewhart Chart for Epidemic Data 478
FIGURE 14.3 Initial C Charts for COVID-19 Deaths in Three Countries 480
FIGURE 14.4 C Chart of COVID-19 Deaths for Maine (First Half of 2021) 481
FIGURE 14.5 Initial Attempt at Charts for Epoch 2 482
FIGURE 14.6 Charts for Epoch 2 Based on Log-Regression I Charts 483
FIGURE 14.7 Hybrid Shewhart Chart for COVID-19 Daily Deaths 484
FIGURE 14.8 Chart for COVID-19 Daily Deaths Showing End of
Epoch 2 485
FIGURE 14.9 Chart of US COVID-19 Daily Deaths Showing Epoch 3
Chart486
FIGURE 14.10 Italy Daily COVID-19 Deaths Showing Epoch 4
Chart486
FIGURE 14.11 Bar Chart Showing Variation in Reporting COVID-19
Deaths by Day of the Week 488
FIGURE 14.12 Comparison of Raw Data and Adjusted Data on the Hybrid
Shewhart Charts 489
FIGURE 14.13 COVID-19 Daily Reported Deaths and Cases for the
United Kingdom 490
FIGURE 14.14 Family of Measures for COVID-19 from Ireland (March
2020 to July 2021) 491
xxii FIGURES, TABLES, AND EXHIBITS
TABLES
Table 10.7 Initial Drill Down Log for Disaggregation by Unit on One
Chart388
Table 10.8 ADE Data Disaggregated for Eight Hospitals and Subgrouped
by Quarter 388
Table 10.9 Completed Drill Down Log for Disaggregation by Unit on
One Chart 389
Table 10.10 Initial Drill Down Log Studying Special Cause Units 390
Table 10.11 Completed Drill Down Log Studying Special Cause Units 391
Table 10.12 Initial Drill down Log with Each Unit on Separate Chart 392
Table 10.13 Completed Drill Down Log with Each Unit on Separate Chart 393
Table 10.14 Initial Drill Down Log Rationally Subgrouping Aggregate
Data by Day of Week 394
Table 10.15 Completed Drill Down Log Rationally Subgrouping Aggregate
Data by Day of Week 394
Table 10.16 Initial Drill Down Log Rationally Subgrouping Aggregate
Data by Shift 395
Table 10.17 Completed Drill Down Log Rationally Subgrouping
Aggregate Data by Shift 395
Table 10.18 Initial Drill Down Log by Unit Rationally Subgrouping Shift 396
Table 10.19 Completed Drill Down Log by Unit Rationally Subgrouping
by Shift 397
Table 10.20 Initial Drill Down Log Studying Medications Related
to ADEs 398
Table 10.21 Completed Drill Down Log Studying Medications Related
to ADEs 398
Table 10.22 Initial Drill Down Log Studying Common Factors Related
to ADEs 399
Table 10.23 Completed Drill Down Log Studying Common Factors
Related to ADEs 399
Table 12.1 Summary Statistics, Issues, and Tools Used with Patient
Satisfaction Data 429
Table 12.2 Shewhart Charts for One Question from Patient Satisfaction
Survey433
Table 12.3 Mankoski Pain Scale 443
Table 13.1 A Summary of Some of the Categories Used to Develop
a VOM 454
Table 13.2 Concepts for Measures of a System from Different
Perspectives455
Table 13.3 WSM 2.0: Measures to Assess Health System
Performance on the Triple Aim 472
Table 15.1 Summary of Use of Tools and Methods to Learn
from Variation in the Case Studies 494
Table 15C.1 Post CABG Infection Rate Data Prior to Improvement
Project514
Table 15C.2 CABG Infection Data After Glucose Protocol Testing 516
Table 15C.3 CABG Infection Data after New Protocol Stratified
by Hospital 519
FIGURES, TABLES, AND EXHIBITS xxvii
EXHIBITS
This book is designed for those who want to use data to help improve health
care. Specifically, this book focuses on deepening skills related to using data
for improvement. Our goal is to help those working in health care to make
improvements more readily and have greater confidence that their changes
truly are improvements. Using data for improvement is a challenge and source
of frustration to many. The book is designed to meet this challenge and alleviate
frustration.
This book is a good companion to The Improvement Guide: A Practical Approach
to Enhancing Organizational Performance, 2nd Edition, Langley and others (Jossey-
Bass, 2009), which provides a complete guide to improvement. Our Chapter 1
summarizes the key content from The Improvement Guide and specific references
to The Improvement Guide are made throughout this book.
If any of these questions sound familiar, then this book is for you:
● How many measures should I be using with improvement projects?
● What kind of measures do I need? Why should I have outcome, process, and
balancing measures for an improvement project?
● What methods do I use to analyze and display my data? How do I choose the
correct chart?
● How can I better interpret data from my individual patients?
● How do I know that changes I’ve made are improvements? Do I need to use
research methods for improvement projects?
● Why don’t I just look at aggregated data before and after my change? Why use
a run or Shewhart chart?
● How do I choose the correct Shewhart chart? How do I interpret it? Where do
the limits come from? How do I make limits?
● What are 3-sigma limits? Are they different from confidence intervals?
● When do I create and then revise limits on Shewhart control charts?
● I work with rare events (such as infections, falls, or pressure ulcers). What
graphs do I use?
● My data are impacted seasonally. How do I display them appropriately?
● I work with huge databases. How do I use Shewhart charts wisely when working
with such large amounts of data?
● How do we learn from patient satisfaction data?
● How do we better understand data from an epidemic?
● How do I best display key organizational measures for the board and other
senior leaders?
xxx PREFACE
In this edition we’ve expanded what we consider to be the “basic” Shewhart charts
for health care from five to seven charts, now including the G and the T charts for
rare events among the basic Shewhart charts most often used in health care. We’ve
also clarified the rules for detecting special cause as well as increased guidance
related to when to make and revise limits on Shewhart charts. We’ve provided
many more examples of rational subgrouping and vastly increased examples of
the funnel plot. We have also increased our emphasis on adequate testing prior to
implementation throughout the book.
This second edition places more emphasis on learning from special
causes in baseline or monitoring data in Chapter 4. With the growing under-
standing of disparities in health care we’ve included Shewhart charts and a
variety of other tools in parts of this text delving into some of these dispar-
ities. In the last ten years there has been an exponential increase in the use of
Shewhart charts in research studies and in health care publications. Chapter
5 references many of these publications using Shewhart charts. Chapter 7
discusses both of these topics and references many articles. In Chapter 7 we’ve
greatly expanded guidance for creating great graphical displays of data. Chapter 7
also addresses the futility of using statistical inference with data for improvement
(analytic studies). Health care has also increasingly embraced CUSUM (cumulative
sum) control charts in order to detect very small, but crucial, improvements that
may be missed by other Shewhart-type charts. In Chapter 8, we have substantially
increased examples, guidance, and references for the use of CUSUM charts.
Chapter 14 is an exciting new chapter illustrating the use of Shewhart charts
to learn from epidemic data motivated by the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ve also
added a separate chapter, Chapter 6, on other tools used to learn from health care
data for improvement. This chapter emphasizes how these tools both depend on
and support the use of Shewhart charts with many practical examples. In addition,
two new case studies are included in chapter 15. Case Study E studies length of stay
for surgical patients and illustrates the use of the Xbar S chart for continuous data,
rational subgrouping, the use of funnel plots, and a PDSA (plan–do–study–act)
study design using planned experimentation. Case Study H, a telemedicine study,
provides an example of working with data with very large subgroup sizes (exhibit-
ing overdispersion), rational subgrouping, the use of P and P’ charts, the use of
funnel limits, and the value of using daily data in a PDSA cycle testing a change.
Right now skills related to using data for improvement vary widely in those working
to improve health care. We find that, in general, most people are unaware of the
difference between approaches to data when it is used for improvement, for account-
ability, or for research. This lack of clarity leads to well-intentioned professionals
working at cross purposes. It inhibits effective action, results in the selection of the
incorrect analysis tool, sampling issues, incorrect analysis, and incorrect conclu-
sions related to improvement work. Also, information on the use of some advanced
methods that are needed with health care data is not readily available to improvers.
PREFACE xxxi
This book is about using methods and tools, which some people call Statistical Pro-
cess Control (SPC), to improve health care. SPC is a philosophy, a strategy, and a
set of methods for ongoing improvement of processes and systems to yield better
outcomes. SPC is data based and has its foundation in Walter Shewhart’s theory of
variation (differentiating between common and special causes of variation in data)
and in W. Edwards Deming’s theory of analytic studies. Deming contrasted analytic
studies, which focus on prediction, to enumerative studies focused on estimation.
SPC inherently uses concepts, assumptions, and tools related to analytic, rather
than enumerative, studies.
We use SPC to evaluate current process performance, search for ideas for
improvement, tell if our changes have resulted in evidence of improvement, and
track implementation efforts to document sustainability of the improvement. SPC
includes a focus on processes, stratification, rational subgrouping, and methods
to predict future performance of processes such as stability and capability analy-
sis. SPC incorporates measurement, data collection methods, and planned exper-
imentation. Graphical methods, such as Shewhart charts, run charts, frequency
plots, Pareto analysis, and scatterplots are the primary data-based tools used in
SPC. The use of SPC in health care requires new thought processes as well as
new methods.1
What is not included in the book? The book does not attempt to be a
stand-alone guide to improving health care, but rather focuses on the use of
data in improvement. The Improvement Guide, mentioned earlier, provides a
more complete description of all aspects of improvement, but with less detail
on the methods to learn from data. The important aspects of teamwork and
leadership for improvement are also described in other texts.2 Our Chapter
13 does discuss the use of Shewhart charts with “scorecards” in leadership and
administration.
The chapters in the book are organized to allow readers to access the material
that best meets their needs. Part I (Chapters 1–7), provides a review of both ba-
sic improvement and basic SPC theory and practice. Chapter 1 is an overview of
the improvement process that puts the use of data into perspective and sets up
the rest of the book. Chapter 2 provides the fundamentals of data for improve-
ment. Chapter 3 is stand-alone material that presents the latest approaches to
using and analyzing run charts in improvement projects. This material was not
available to health care improvers before the first edition of this book. Chapter 4
1
Mohammed, M. A. “Using Statistical Process Control to Improve the Quality of Health Care.” Quality
and Safety in Health Care, 2004, 13, 243–245.
Berwick, Donald M. “Controlling Variation in Health Care: A Consultation with Walter
Shewhart,” Medical Care, December, 1991, 29 (12), 1212–1225.
2
For example, API-Austin, Quality as a Business Strategy, 1998, API-Austin, Austin, TX.
xxxii PREFACE
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Most of our consulting and teaching work during the last thirty years has been
with health care organizations. We learned to effectively work with all types of data
that is generated from health care processes. Many people have helped us develop
the approaches and examples presented in the book. We especially thank our cli-
ents for their willingness to test the new material and try the methods in their
improvement work.
Our colleagues with Associates in Process Improvement (API), and The
Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) have been supportive and provided
feedback as they used this material in their teaching and consulting. The first
drafts of some of the chapters came from materials developed by API. The
reviewers of the manuscript provided insights and guidance to help us complete
the final package.
We thank our families for their patience and support. We can finally answer
their common question: “When are you going to finish that book?”
THE AUTHORS
LLOYD PROVOST
Lloyd Provost is a statistician, advisor, teacher, and author who helps organiza-
tions make improvements and foster continuous learning and improvement. He
consults and advises through Associates in Process Improvement. His experience
includes consulting in data analysis, planning, management systems, planned
experimentation, measurement, and other methods for improvement of quality
and productivity. He has consulted with clients worldwide in a variety of industries
including health care, chemical, manufacturing, engineering, construction, auto-
motive, electronics, food, transportation, professional services, retail, education,
and government. Most of his current work is focused on health care improvement
in the United States and around the world.
Lloyd has a B.S. in Statistics from the University of Tennessee and an M.S. in
Statistics from the University of Florida. He is the author of several papers relating
to improvement and co-author of a book on planned experimentation (Quality
Improvement Through Planned Experimentation, 3rd edition McGraw-Hill, 2012) and
the Model for Improvement (The Improvement Guide: A Practical Approach to Enhanc-
ing Organizational Performance, 2nd edition Jossey-Bass, 2009). He was awarded the
American Society for Quality’s Deming Medal in 2003.
Lloyd P. Provost
Associates in Process Improvement
2000 Red Hawk Road
Wimberley, Texas, 27656
SANDRA K. MURRAY
been faculty for IHI’s Breakthrough Series College as well as director and faculty
for IHI’s year-long Improvement Advisor Professional Development Program.
Sandra is the author of two video products on using data for improvement in
health care, co-editor of a book related to tools for using data for improvement
and co-author of articles related to improvement science.
Sandra K. Murray
Corporate Transformation Concepts
289 Harvey Ave.
Eugene, OR 97404
ABOUT THE COMPANION WEBSITE
● Test Banks
● PowerPoint slides
PART
U S I N G D ATA F O R
IMPROVEMENT
CHAPTER 1
This book is about using data to improve health and health care1 and this chapter,
a summary of The Improvement Guide,2 describes approaches and methods used to
make improvements. It provides a backdrop, setting the stage for understanding
and contextualizing the rest of the book. This chapter will:
1
Institute of Medicine, Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century, Washington,
D.C.: National Academy Press, 2001.
2
Langley, J, et al, The Improvement Guide: A Practical Approach to Enhancing Organizational Performance,
2nd ed., San Francisco, Jossey-Bass, 2009.
The Health Care Data Guide: Learning from Data for Improvement, Second Edition.
Lloyd P. Provost and Sandra K. Murray.
© 2022 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Published 2022 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Companion Website: www.wiley.com/go/provost/healthcaredata2e
4 THE HEALTH CARE DATA GUIDE
clinical research and the natural learning and improvement from daily work in
health care? How do we obtain a balance between the trial-and-error approach
and extensive study that may never lead to action?
This chapter presents a Model for Improvement3 that attempts to provide
that balance. The model provides a framework for developing, testing, and imple-
menting changes that lead to improvement. The model can be applied to improv-
ing aspects of one’s personal endeavors, as well as the improvement of processes,
products, and services in health care organizations. The model attempts to balance
the desire and rewards from taking action with the wisdom of careful study before
taking action. The use of data in this book will frequently be connected to an
individual or an improvement team that is using the Model for Improvement to
guide their learning and execution.4
The model is also based on a “cycle” for learning and improvement. Variants of
this improvement cycle have been called the Shewhart cycle, Deming cycle, and
PDSA cycle. The cycle promotes a trial-and-learning approach to improvement
efforts. The cycle is used for learning, to develop changes, to test changes, and to
implement changes. Figure 1.1 contains a diagram of the basic form of the model.
Ibid.
3
4
Shaughnessy, E., et al. “Quality Improvement Feature Series Article 1: Introduction to Quality
Improvement,” Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, 2018, 7(1), 6–10.
Improvement Methodology 5
● Provides leaders a mechanism to think through all aspects of the proposed effort
● Aids in selection of the team to make the improvements
● Reduces variation in activities from the original purpose
● Helps in the selection of particular processes or products for study
● Empowers individuals to make changes in health care systems
● Clarifies the magnitude of improvement expected from this project
● Defines the time frame for the improvement work
5
Langley et al, The Improvement Guide, Appendix C.
6 THE HEALTH CARE DATA GUIDE
● Providing the level of support and resources that will be required to achieve the
goals
● Observing other organizations that have made similar accomplishments
● Providing some ideas that could feasibly result in achieving the goals
● Demonstrating the benefit to the organization if the goals could be achieved
Other guidance given in the aim statement should include anything and every-
thing to keep the team focused (strategies, resources, boundaries, patient popu-
lations, time and resource constraints, and so on). The following is an example of
an aim statement for a team planning on improving care of asthma patients in
a clinic.
AIM STATEMENT
From November 2020 to April 2021, the clinic’s practice will be redesigned to obtain a 30%
increase in symptom-free days and a 50% reduction in the number of exacerbations reported for
the pilot asthma population. At least 90% of patients with persistent asthma will be treated with
maintenance anti-inflammatory medication and >80% of patients will have a completed written
action plan.
Guidance: The 400 patients with asthma in the Neighborhood Health Center will serve as
the population for this project. A registry of the asthma patients served by the center should be
developed. The clinic should initially focus on patient self-management methods and delivery sys-
tem design. All physicians in the center will participate. After April, the successful results should
be spread to other clinics in the district.
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Ha a vitatkozók oly kevéssé értik meg egymást, ez azért van,
mert ugyanazokat a szavakat használják egészen különböző
eszmék kifejezésére.
Azoknak szokott legkevésbbé kritikai szellemük lenni, akiknek
megrögzött szokása a mindent-kritizálás.
A kritikai szellem egyben teremtője a haladásnak s nemzője a
nem-cselekvésnek.
A hiábavaló beszédek bősége bizonyos értelmi
alacsonyrendűség tünete.
A geniális emberekből kerül ki a nemzet értelmi nagysága, de
ritkán a hatalma.
A gondolat emberei előkészítik a tett embereit. De nem
helyettesítik őket.
6. A történelem magyarázatai.
CSATÁK KÖZBEN.
6. A bátorság formái.
A NÉPEK LÉLEKTANA.