The Quality Improvement Capacity Inventory was developed to provide a baseline understanding of the investments in improvement knowledge, skills, activities, and structures within Ontario's healthcare organizations. It was also intended to inform the need for future investment in improvement capability across sectors in Ontario. The inventory highlights the investments in quality improvement in responding organizations as well as the structures, processes and practices related to quality improvement for four groups:
- Board members
- Senior leadership team
- Clinical or service provider leaders
- Quality improvement staff
For the purposes of the inventory, quality improvement was defined as the use of structured methods to improve processes of care or information/material flows, efficiency or the reduction of error or waste, and/or the design of new care processes using several established quality planning methods and tools (e.g., Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle, Model for Improvement, Lean Thinking and Methods).
Click here (PDF) for a detailed overview of survey findings. In summary, the Quality Improvement Capacity Inventory illustrates that:
- Many organizations have a recognized need for training and skill-development in structured QI methods, with almost half of responding organizations (48%) commencing quality improvement initiatives with the assistance of private sector consultants.
- Barriers to focusing on improvement activity include a lack of dedicated time as well as financial and human resources.
- Senior leadership is actively involved in planning and providing oversight for improvement projects within their organizations.
- In approximately 86% of responding organizations, quality-related issues are 'always' or 'usually' a priority agenda item at senior leadership team meetings, while this holds true at the board level in 72% of organizations; however, these figures drop to 67% and 50% respectively when the percentage of 'always' responses is examined.
Project Lead: Jennifer Moloney