2013 Awards for Excellence

Citation

(2014), "2013 Awards for Excellence", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 27 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJHCQA.06227aaa.002

2013 Awards for Excellence

Article Type: 2013 Awards for Excellence From: International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Volume 27, Issue 1

The following article was selected for this year’s Outstanding Paper Award for International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance

‘‘Healthcare quality improvement – policy implications and practicalities’’

Ann Elizabeth Esain, Sharon J. Williams
Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK

Sandeep Gakhal, Lynne Caley, Matthew W. Cooke
Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK

Purpose – This article aims to explore quality improvement (QI) at individual, group and organisational level. It also aims to identify restraining forces sing formative evaluation and discuss implications for current UK policy, particularly quality, innovation, productivity and prevention.
Design/methodology/approach – Learning events combined with work-based projects, focusing on individual and group responses are evaluated. A total of 11 multi-disciplinary groups drawn from NHS England healthcare Trusts (self-governing operational groups) were sampled. These Trusts have different geographic locations and participants were drawn from primary, secondary and commissioning arms. Mixed methods: questionnaires, observations and reflective accounts were used.
Findings – The paper finds that solution versus problem identification causes confusion and influences success. Time for problem solving to achieve QI was absent. Feedback and learning structures are often not in place or inflexible. Limited focus on patient-centred services may be related to past assumptions regarding organisational design, hence assumptions and models need to be understood and challenged.
Practical implications – The authors revise the Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) model by adding an explicit problem identification step and hence avoiding solution-focused habits; demonstrating the need for more formative evaluations to inform managers and policy makers about healthcare QI
processes.
Originality/value – Although UK-centric, the quality agenda is a USA and European theme, findings may help those embarking on this journey or those struggling with QI.
Keywords Clinical systems improvement, Evaluation, Health care, Organizational learning, PDSA, Quality, Quality improvement, United Kingdom, Workplace training

http://www.emeraldinsight.com/10.1108/09526861211261172

This article originally appeared in Volume 25 Number 2, 2012, International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance

The following articles were selected for this year’s Highly Commended Award

‘‘Factors relating to doctors’ desire to change hospitals in Japan’’

Ken Kato, Kazunobu Yamauchi, Makoto Miyaji, Nakako Fujiwara, Kimiko Katsuyama, Hiroshi Amano, Santaro Kobayashi, Michio Naito, Yasunori Maki, Hirohisa Kawahara, Mitsuaki Maseki, Yoshio Senoo

This article originally appeared in Volume 25 Number 1, 2012, International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance

‘‘Retrospective medical record evaluation: reliability in assessing causation, preventability, and disability of adverse events’’

Sandra Verelst, Jessica Jacques, Koen Van den Heede, Pierre Gillet, Philippe Kolh, Arthur Vleugels, Walter Sermeus

This article originally appeared in Volume 25 Number 8, 2012, International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance

Outstanding Reviewers

Ian Callanan, Dr Mehmet Tolga Taner