About Performance Improvementin healthcare organizations

What is performance improvement?It’s an ongoing effort to find better ways of doing things. Performance improvement is about:

Getting better results – The goal is to keep improving

the quality of care provided to patients and their

families.

Involving the whole organization – To meet ourimprovement goals, all departments must

worktogether.

Improving work processes – This helps everyone do

their best work.

Why should I learn about performance improvement?Because it helps:

Patients and their families – Performance improvement helps ensure quality health care. Patients are more likely to enjoy better care and greater satisfaction.

You and your co-workers – Continuously improving how you do things can lead to greater job satisfaction and more cooperation among staff.

Your department and your organization – Performance improvement helps your department meet its goals and our organization meet its mission.

Everyone benefits when our organization improves its performance

Some basic principles of performance improvementCustomers come first – Customers may be external, such as patients and their families or internal, such as staff from other departments.

Teamwork is essential – Performance improvement projects usually require cooperation among different departments. Learning to communicate and work well as a team can help projects go more smoothly.

Every employee should be involved – Performance improvement depends on the participation of all staff.

Performance improvement efforts are ongoing – A commitment to quality means always striving to make things better.

The Joint Commission (TJC) has standards that require organizations to make ongoing efforts to improve performance. Ask your supervisor any questions you may have about Joint Commission standards.

Performance Improvement ModelThere is a planned, systematic approach to PI which is used throughout

the entire organization.

SEH uses the PDSAPDSA MethodologyPlan- Develop your improvement project/study

Do- Collect the dataStudy- Analyze the results of the data

Act- Create action plans to improve the results

PLAN DO

ACT STUDY

PLANThings to consider: Who are your patients/customers? Why do they come to your department? What processes do you use to generate results for

your patients/customers? Who are your competitors and what makes you better

(or worse)? What topics were discussed at staff meetings?

Things to consider: Are your indicators worded concisely? Have you set a goal for each indicator? Is it based upon a rationale-Standard, benchmark,

past results, etc.? Is your sampling technique adequate? Are you reporting in percents? Is your staff involved in data collection?

DO

STUDY Things to consider:

Explain and evaluate in ordinary terms what the overall results told to you. What are the lessons you learned? Compare your results to your goal. Where will you be this time next year

if you continue at this rate?

ACT

Things to consider:

What would have to happen for this problem to be solved today? How can you eliminate variation and standardize processes?

The “Cost” of Quality

Did you know that the expense of doing things the right way is typically 3-4%, but, the price associated with doing things wrong can account for a 20-35% reduction in revenues!!

SUPPORT THE MISSION, VISION, VALUES, AND STRATEGIC PLAN, ETC.

ST. ELIZABETH HEALTHCARE’S PI INITIATIVES

SUPPORT OUR MISSION, VISION AND VALUES AND……….

PI Plan Strategic Plan

Patient Safety PlanPlan for Pt. Care

Patient SatisfactionPhysician Satisfaction

Staff SatisfactionInternal/External

BenchmarkingRequired Measure Sets

Educational Needs Assessment

Joint Commission/CMS Standards

Policies, Procedures, Protocols

Scope of Care & Services

Vision

Mission

Values

You will learn more about specific performance improvement studies

that you will be involved in from the manager of your department.

If you have questions, please contact your manager or the Quality Management Department

at 301-3857.