How to specify healthcare process improvements collaboratively using rapid, remote consensus-building: a framework and a case study of its application
Abstract Background Practical methods for facilitating process improvement are needed to support high quality, safe care. How best to specify (identify and define) process improvements – the changes that need to be made in a healthcare process – remains a key question. Methods for doing so collabora...
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2021-05-01
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Series: | BMC Medical Research Methodology |
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-021-01288-9 |
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Article |
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DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Jan W. van der Scheer Matthew Woodward Akbar Ansari Tim Draycott Cathy Winter Graham Martin Karolina Kuberska Natalie Richards Ruth Kern Mary Dixon-Woods Thiscovery Authorship Group Obstetric Emergency Consensus Authorship Group |
spellingShingle |
Jan W. van der Scheer Matthew Woodward Akbar Ansari Tim Draycott Cathy Winter Graham Martin Karolina Kuberska Natalie Richards Ruth Kern Mary Dixon-Woods Thiscovery Authorship Group Obstetric Emergency Consensus Authorship Group How to specify healthcare process improvements collaboratively using rapid, remote consensus-building: a framework and a case study of its application BMC Medical Research Methodology Consensus-building Consensus development Delphi technique Best practices Professional practice Obstetrics |
author_facet |
Jan W. van der Scheer Matthew Woodward Akbar Ansari Tim Draycott Cathy Winter Graham Martin Karolina Kuberska Natalie Richards Ruth Kern Mary Dixon-Woods Thiscovery Authorship Group Obstetric Emergency Consensus Authorship Group |
author_sort |
Jan W. van der Scheer |
title |
How to specify healthcare process improvements collaboratively using rapid, remote consensus-building: a framework and a case study of its application |
title_short |
How to specify healthcare process improvements collaboratively using rapid, remote consensus-building: a framework and a case study of its application |
title_full |
How to specify healthcare process improvements collaboratively using rapid, remote consensus-building: a framework and a case study of its application |
title_fullStr |
How to specify healthcare process improvements collaboratively using rapid, remote consensus-building: a framework and a case study of its application |
title_full_unstemmed |
How to specify healthcare process improvements collaboratively using rapid, remote consensus-building: a framework and a case study of its application |
title_sort |
how to specify healthcare process improvements collaboratively using rapid, remote consensus-building: a framework and a case study of its application |
publisher |
BMC |
series |
BMC Medical Research Methodology |
issn |
1471-2288 |
publishDate |
2021-05-01 |
description |
Abstract Background Practical methods for facilitating process improvement are needed to support high quality, safe care. How best to specify (identify and define) process improvements – the changes that need to be made in a healthcare process – remains a key question. Methods for doing so collaboratively, rapidly and remotely offer much potential, but are under-developed. We propose an approach for engaging diverse stakeholders remotely in a consensus-building exercise to help specify improvements in a healthcare process, and we illustrate the approach in a case study. Methods Organised in a five-step framework, our proposed approach is informed by a participatory ethos, crowdsourcing and consensus-building methods: (1) define scope and objective of the process improvement; (2) produce a draft or prototype of the proposed process improvement specification; (3) identify participant recruitment strategy; (4) design and conduct a remote consensus-building exercise; (5) produce a final specification of the process improvement in light of learning from the exercise. We tested the approach in a case study that sought to specify process improvements for the management of obstetric emergencies during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used a brief video showing a process for managing a post-partum haemorrhage in women with COVID-19 to elicit recommendations on how the process could be improved. Two Delphi rounds were then conducted to reach consensus. Results We gathered views from 105 participants, with a background in maternity care (n = 36), infection prevention and control (n = 17), or human factors (n = 52). The participants initially generated 818 recommendations for how to improve the process illustrated in the video, which we synthesised into a set of 22 recommendations. The consensus-building exercise yielded a final set of 16 recommendations. These were used to inform the specification of process improvements for managing the obstetric emergency and develop supporting resources, including an updated video. Conclusions The proposed methodological approach enabled the expertise and ingenuity of diverse stakeholders to be captured and mobilised to specify process improvements in an area of pressing service need. This approach has the potential to address current challenges in process improvement, but will require further evaluation. |
topic |
Consensus-building Consensus development Delphi technique Best practices Professional practice Obstetrics |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-021-01288-9 |
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doaj-f3e82e057fcb43c2a1d6febd8f402de12021-05-11T14:45:25ZengBMCBMC Medical Research Methodology1471-22882021-05-0121111610.1186/s12874-021-01288-9How to specify healthcare process improvements collaboratively using rapid, remote consensus-building: a framework and a case study of its applicationJan W. van der Scheer0Matthew Woodward1Akbar Ansari2Tim Draycott3Cathy Winter4Graham Martin5Karolina Kuberska6Natalie Richards7Ruth Kern8Mary Dixon-Woods9Thiscovery Authorship GroupObstetric Emergency Consensus Authorship GroupTHIS Institute (The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute), Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of CambridgeTHIS Institute (The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute), Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of CambridgeTHIS Institute (The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute), Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of CambridgeDepartment of Translational Health Services, University of BristolPROMPT Maternity Foundation, Women and Children’s Health, North Bristol NHS TrustTHIS Institute (The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute), Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of CambridgeTHIS Institute (The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute), Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of CambridgeTHIS Institute (The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute), Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of CambridgeTHIS Institute (The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute), Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of CambridgeTHIS Institute (The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute), Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of CambridgeAbstract Background Practical methods for facilitating process improvement are needed to support high quality, safe care. How best to specify (identify and define) process improvements – the changes that need to be made in a healthcare process – remains a key question. Methods for doing so collaboratively, rapidly and remotely offer much potential, but are under-developed. We propose an approach for engaging diverse stakeholders remotely in a consensus-building exercise to help specify improvements in a healthcare process, and we illustrate the approach in a case study. Methods Organised in a five-step framework, our proposed approach is informed by a participatory ethos, crowdsourcing and consensus-building methods: (1) define scope and objective of the process improvement; (2) produce a draft or prototype of the proposed process improvement specification; (3) identify participant recruitment strategy; (4) design and conduct a remote consensus-building exercise; (5) produce a final specification of the process improvement in light of learning from the exercise. We tested the approach in a case study that sought to specify process improvements for the management of obstetric emergencies during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used a brief video showing a process for managing a post-partum haemorrhage in women with COVID-19 to elicit recommendations on how the process could be improved. Two Delphi rounds were then conducted to reach consensus. Results We gathered views from 105 participants, with a background in maternity care (n = 36), infection prevention and control (n = 17), or human factors (n = 52). The participants initially generated 818 recommendations for how to improve the process illustrated in the video, which we synthesised into a set of 22 recommendations. The consensus-building exercise yielded a final set of 16 recommendations. These were used to inform the specification of process improvements for managing the obstetric emergency and develop supporting resources, including an updated video. Conclusions The proposed methodological approach enabled the expertise and ingenuity of diverse stakeholders to be captured and mobilised to specify process improvements in an area of pressing service need. This approach has the potential to address current challenges in process improvement, but will require further evaluation.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-021-01288-9Consensus-buildingConsensus developmentDelphi techniqueBest practicesProfessional practiceObstetrics |