Friday 31 August 2012

Commissioning for value

NHS QIPP RightCare has produced this reading list "Commissioning for value", which highlights 37 papers relevant to cost and quality, which the RightCare Team have assessed as being worthwhile reading for commissioners.

The full reading list can be accessed here.

A guide to commissioning for equality

"Good commissioning: improves health; reduces health inequalities; ensures high-quality service provision; and protects patients' dignity - all especially important given the current reforms proposed to the UK health service."

A guide to commissioning for equality
Royal College of Nursing
August 2012

Read more here.

Health care quality for an active later life

"This report brings together recent scientific data from diverse sources to shed light on two broad questions:
  1. As a country, how successful has England and the UK been in preventing later life disease and disability?
  2. How well are we delivering high quality medical treatments for the common disabling diseases of later life?"
 
Health care quality for an active later life
D Melzer, B Tavakoly, R Winder, S Richards, C Gericke, I Lang
Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry
May 2012
 
Read more here.

Wednesday 29 August 2012

How to improve

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement uses the Model for Improvement, developed by Associates in Process Improvement, as the framework to guide improvement work.

Read more here.

Consumer quality index (CQ-index) in an accident and emergency department

"The Consumer Quality index for the accident and emergency department measures patients' experiences of A&E healthcare performance."

The consumer quality index (CQ-index) in an accident and emergency department: development and first evaluation
N Bos, LM Sturms, AJP Schrijvers, HF van Stel
BMC Health Services Research, 2012, 12:284

Read more here.

QIPP Digital Technology

NHS Connecting for Health QIPP Digital Technology has developed an interactive map and register of technology innovations for the NHS. Access the map here.

Colorectal cancer quality standard

This quality standard, published by NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence), covers the diagnosis and management of adults with newly diagnosed and recurring adenocarcinoma of the colon and rectum.

Access the quality standard here.

Reducing the cost of assessments and reviews

"Councils that spend more on assessments and reviews can make savings without sacrificing service quality, or putting vulnerable people at higher risk."

Reducing the cost of assessments and reviews: an adult social care briefing for councils
Audit Commission
August 2012

Read more here.

Tuesday 28 August 2012

Use of hand hygiene interventions improves with psychological theory

"This qualitative study demonstrated the value in using psychological theories commonly used in knowledge translation to explore barriers and facilitators to current hand hygiene (HH) practices and when implementing an intervention to improve HH practice."

Using psychological theory to inform methods to optimize the implementation of a hand hygiene intervention
VM Boscart, GR Fernie, JH Lee, SB Jaglal
Implementation Science, 2012, 7:77

Read more here.

Monday 27 August 2012

Evidence-informed change management in Canadian Healthcare Organizations


"Future interventions to improve quality of care will be most effective when they use a collaborative approach, involve multidisciplinary teams, utilise available resources, involve physicians and recognise the unique requirements of each patient group."

Evidence-informed change management in Canadian Healthcare Organizations
G Dickson, R Lindstrom, C Black, D van der Gucht
Canadian Health Services Research Foundation
June 2012

Read more here.

A 10 year (2000-2010) systematic review of interventions to improve quality of care in hospitals


"Future interventions to improve quality of care will be most effective when they use a collaborative approach, involve multidisciplinary teams, utilise available resources, involve physicians and recognise the unique requirements of each patient group."

A 10 year (2000-2010) systematic review of interventions to improve quality of care in hospitals
MC Conry, N Humphries, K Morgan, Y McGowan, A Montgomery, K Vedhara, E Panagopoulou, H McGee
BMC Health Services Research, 2012, 12:275

Read more here.

Friday 24 August 2012

Determinants of patient choice of healthcare providers

"Comparative information seems to have a relatively limited influence on the choices made by many patients and patients base their decisions on a variety of provider characteristics instead of solely on outcome characteristics."

Determinants of patient choice of healthcare providers: a scoping review
A Victoor, DMJ Delnoij, RD Friele, JJDJM Rademakers
BMC Health Services Research 2012, 12:272

Read more here.

Using patients' experiences to identify priorities for quality improvement in breast cancer care

"This paper explores the relative value of surveys and detailed patient narratives in identifying priorities for improving breast cancer services as part of a quality improvement process."

Using patients' experiences to identify priorities for quality improvement in breast cancer care
V Tsianakas, J Maben, T Wiseman, G Robert, A Richardson, P Madden, M Griffin, E Davies
BMC Health Services Research, 2012, 12:271

Read more here.

Reforming payment for health care in Europe to achieve better value

"This report examines trends in payment reform in selected European countries to help policy-makers, providers and payers understand developments and prepare for the future."

Reforming payment for health care in Europe to achieve better value
A Charlesworth, A Davies, J Dixon
The Nuffield Trust
August 2012

Read more here.

Clustering of unhealthy behaviours over time: implications for policy and practice

"This paper reviews the current evidence on multiple lifestyle risks and analyses data from the Health Survey for England on the distribution of these risks in the adult population and how this is changing over time."

Clustering of unhealthy behaviours over time: implications for policy and practice
D Buck, F Frosini
The King's Fund
August 2012

Read more here, with supporting methodology and data appendices available here.

Monday 20 August 2012

Quality improvement programme, focusing on error reduction

"When monitored as part of a quality improvement strategy, ‘missed’ and ‘uncharted’ drug dose information may reflect wider institutional changes and act as a valid indicator of quality of healthcare more generally."

Quality improvement programme, focusing on error reduction: a single center naturalistic study
D Rosser, NJ Cowley, D Ray, PG Nightingale, T Jones, J Moore, JJ Coleman
Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine Short Reports, 2012, 3(6):36-42

Read more here.

Sunday 19 August 2012

Nurse staffing, burnout, and health care-associated infection


"Reducing burnout in registered nurses is a promising strategy to help control
infections in acute care facilities."

Nurse staffing, burnout, and health care-associated infection
JP Cimiotti, LH Aiken, DM Sloane, ES Wu
American Journal of Infection Control, 2012, 40:486-490

Read more here.

Current use, future trends and opportunities in public sector social media


"This Report is designed to help those public sector organisations in preparing for their social media journey, to act as an introductory guide to the leading tools in the marketplace, and importantly to provide some insight from those existing social media practitioners that have been addressing the challenge in recent years."

Current use, future trends and opportunities in public sector social media
Cogitamus
NHS Confederation
August 2012

Read more here.

Friday 17 August 2012

Delivering health improvement through the workplace


"The toolkit aims to support public health practitioners and other partners focus on health and work, from employer partnerships to the voluntary sector."

Delivering health improvement through the workplace: supporting local action in London
L Croft, P Murage
August 2012

Read more here.

Digital technology essentials guide


"This guide provides a brief summary of a wide range of enabling digital technologies most of which are quick wins and should be considered by all organisations."

Digital technology essentials guide
QIPP Digital Technology
June 2012

Read more here.

High impact innovations


"On this website, you will find a wide range of material to help you in the spread and adoption of the High Impact Innovations identified in Innovation Health and Wealth, Accelerating Adoption and Diffusion in the NHS, along with online communities to allow sharing of real life examples and stories."

High impact innovations
NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement
August 2012

Read more here.

Looking for value in hard times


"This report describes how NHS Sheffield used a new approach, called Star (‘socio-technical allocation of resources’), to re-allocate resources within its eating disorder services."

Looking for value in hard times
The Health Foundation
August 2012

Read more here.

Health Services Research Live


The NHS Confederation has created this place where everyone interested in innovation, evidence, and improvement for health services can connect. Click here to access the resource.

Sunday 12 August 2012

Older people and emergency bed use


"There is significant variation in the use of hospital beds by people over 65 admitted as an emergency."

Older people and emergency bed use: exploring variation
C Imison, E Poteliakhoff, J Thompson
The King's Fund
August 2012

Read more here.

Accountable care strategies: lessons from the Premier Health Care


"This report shares the perspectives of hospitals and health systems taking part in the Premier health care alliance’s accountable care implementation collaborative."

Accountable care strategies: lessons from the Premier Health Care Alliance's accountable care collaborative
AJ Forster, BG Childs, JF Damore, SD DeVore, EA Kroch, DA Lloyd
The Commonwealth Fund
August 2012

Read more here.

Including safety-net providers in integrated delivery systems


"This issue brief explores key considerations for incorporating safety-net providers into integrated delivery systems and discusses the roles of state and federal agencies in supporting and testing models of integrated care delivery."

Including safety-net providers in integrated delivery systems: issues and options for policymakers
K Witgert, C Hess
National Academy for State Health Policy
The Commonwealth Fund
August 2012

Read more here.

Report from a simulation event which tested how CCGs might utilise CSSs


This report explores the relationships between Clinical Commissioning Groups and Commissioning Support services.

Steering or rowing? Report from a simulation event which tested how CCGs might utilise CSSs
NHS Commissioning Board
July 2012

Read more here.

Improving interactions with patients in a dialysis facility


"This report describes the efforts of one dialysis center to improve customer service and access for its patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD)."

Improving interactions with patients in a dialysis facility: a case study of a successful quality improvement intervention
DO Farley, SH Wiseman, DD Quigley
RAND Health
August 2012

Read more here.

Wednesday 8 August 2012

How to measure for improving outcomes


The King's Fund has produced two slide sets to help Clinical Commissioning Groups make the best use of measurement to support them to commission for improved outcomes.

How to measure for improving outcomes: a guide for commissioners
The King's Fund
August 2012

Read more here.

Review of patient-reported outcome measures in chronic hepatitis C


"Further research is needed to ensure that chronic hepatitis C clinical trials evaluate concepts that are important to patients and include measures that have evidence supporting content validity, reliability, construct validity, and responsiveness."

Review of patient-reported outcome measures in chronic hepatitis C
L Kleinman, S Mannix, Y Yuan, S Kummer, G L'Italien, D Revicki
Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 2012, 10:92

Read more here.

Participation in decision-making of persons with dementia


"Persons with moderate dementia demonstrated variability in how they participated in decision making."

How do persons with dementia participate in decision making related to health and daily care? A multi-case study
KL Smebye, M Kirkevold, K Engedal
BMC Health Services Research, 2012, 12:241

Read more here.


The growing role of Emergency Departments in hospital admissions


"Growing use of U.S. emergency departments (EDs), cited as a key contributor to rising health care costs, has become a leading target of health care reform."

The growing role of Emergency Departments in hospital admissions
JD Schuur, AK Venkatesh
New England Journal of Medicine, 2012, 367(5):391-393

Read more here.

Teaching physicians to think about costs


"Protecting our patients from financial ruin is fundamental to doing no harm."

Cents and sensitivity - teaching physicians to think about costs
L Rosenbaum, D Lamas
New England Journal of Medicine, 2012, 367(2):391-393

Read more here.

Cost-effectiveness of environmental approaches to disease prevention


"The scientific literature now points to the value of implementing preventive environmental interventions that are cost-saving and conducting additional cost-effectiveness studies of such interventions."

Cost-effectiveness of environmental approaches to disease prevention
DA Chokshi, TA Farley
New England Journal of Medicine, 2012, 367(2):295-297

Read more here.

Value-based purchasing


"The United States needs a health system that achieves better health and better care at lower costs, and Value-Based Purchasing is a potentially important tool for achieving those goals."

Value-based purchasing - national programs to move from volume to value
JM VanLare, PH Conway
New England Journal of Medicine, 2012, 367(4):292-294

Read more here.

Tuesday 7 August 2012

Cross sector working to support large-scale change


"This evidence scan provides empirical examples of cross sector working to improve care."

Cross sector working to support large-scale change
The Health Foundation
August 2012

Read more here.

Chronic kidney disease in England: the human and financial cost

"The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and associated complications and comorbidities on quality of life, mortality and NHS costs in England."

Chronic kidney disease in England: the human and financial cost
M Kerr
NHS Kidney Care

Read more here.

Applying the health and social care reforms to improve outcomes for people with neurological conditions


"This report is intended to illustrate how the levers of the new NHS can be applied to improving outcomes for this group of patients, addressing the legacy of neglect which has resulted in unacceptable variations in outcomes and higher than necessary costs."

Intelligent outcomes: applying the health and social care reforms to improve outcomes for people with neurological conditions
The Neurological Alliance
August 2012

Read more here.

Saturday 4 August 2012

Sustainability of healthcare improvement: what can we learn from learning theory?


"Clinicians and leaders shared information about their everyday work and related this knowledge to how the entire clinical pathway could be improved."

Sustainability of healthcare improvement: what can we learn from learning theory?
E Hovlid, O Bukve, K Haug, A Bjarne Aslaksen, C von Plessen
BMC Health Services Research, 2012, 12:235

Read more here.

Decision boxes for clinicians to support evidence-based practice and shared decision making


"Decision Boxes aim to prepare the clinician to communicate the risks and benefits of the available options to the patient so they can make an informed decision together."

Decision boxes for clinicians to support evidence-based practice and shared decision making: the user experience
A Giguere, et al.
Implementation Science, 2012, 7:72

Read more here.

Innovation and improvement in maternity services


"This guide, which has been produced in association with the Involvement and Participation Association (IPA), therefore provides some timely examples of ways in which maternity services are innovating and making improvements to the care that women and families receive, and at the same time doing so within budget or even generating efficiency savings."

Innovation and improvement in maternity services
The Royal College of Midwives
July 2012

Read more here.

Friday 3 August 2012

Measuring well-being: a guide for practitioners


This short handbook on measuring well-being is produced by the Centre for Well-Being at the New Economics Foundation. It is designed primarily for voluntary organisations and community groups, providing tools for thinking about well-being and measuring it.

Measuring well-being: a guide for practitioners
J Michaelson, S Mahony
New Economics Foundation
July 2012

Read more here.

The NICE Commissioning Outcomes Framework Indicator Programme


The Commissioning Outcomes Framework (COF) Advisory Committee have recommended a set of 44 indicators, which have been identified from NICE quality standards, the NHS Outcomes Framework and other existing indicator collections such as national audits. A selection of final indicators will be considered by the NHS Commissioning Board in autumn 2012 for inclusion in the 2013/14 COF.

Read more here.

COPD commissioning toolkit: a resource for commissioners


"The COPD Commissioning Toolkit aims to make it easier to commission better services for people with COPD by bringing together the clinical, financial and commercial aspects of commissioning in one place."

COPD commissioning toolkit: a resource for commissioners
NHS Medical Directorate
August 2012

Read more here.

Wednesday 1 August 2012

Provider-level risk-adjusted quality measurement for inpatient rehabilitation facilities


"This report should be of interest to researchers involved either in inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRF) or the development of IRF quality reports or in outcomes studies that require risk adjustment."

Provider-level risk-adjusted quality measurement for inpatient rehabilitation facilities
AW Dick, PJ Huckfeldt, H Liu, H Yu, A Mehrotra, SL Lovejoy, JS Ashwood
RAND Corporation
2012

Read more here.

Guides to monitoring quality during transition


Three guides have been published by the National Quality Board, to assist NHS organisations respond to quality risks and failures during this transition year:

  1. How to: organise and run a rapid responsive review
  2. How to: quality impact assess provider cost improvement plans 
  3. How to: organise and run a risk summit

Structure of Public Health England


"Public Health England has been established to protect and improve the nation’s health and wellbeing, and to reduce inequalities."

Structure of Public Health England: factsheet
Department of Health
July 2012

Read more here.

Ensuring education reform enhances patient outcome


"The creation of Health Education England (HEE) and Local Education and Training Boards (LETBs) provides the opportunity for employers to ensure that the £5 billion annual national investment in education and training delivers the maximum benefits for patients."

Ensuring education reform enhances patient outcome: providers' planning and driving a workforce budget of £5bn
NHS Employers
June 2012

Read more here.

Factors associated with patient experiences of coronary heart disease


Primary care for chronic illness varies across European healthcare systems.

Identifying factors associated with experiences of coronary heart disease patients receiving structured chronic care and counselling in European primary care
S Ludt, J van Lieshout, SM Campbell, J Rochon, D Ose, T Freund, M Wensing, J Szecsenyi
BMC Health Services Research, 2012, 12:221

Read more here.

General practice, diagnostic investigations and hospital services before and after cancer diagnosis


"Cancer patients' heightened demand for GP services one year after their diagnosis highlights the importance of close coordination and communication between the primary and the secondary healthcare sector."

Use of general practice, diagnostic investigations and hospital services before and after cancer diagnosis - a population-based nationwide registry study of 127,000 incident adult cancer patients
KG Christensen, M Fenger-Gron, KR Flarup, P Vedsted
BMC Health Services Research, 2012, 12:224

Read more here.