Data-Driven Quality Improvement and Sustainability in Health Care

Ideas are generated constantly as individuals interact with one another, attend and participate in improvement activities, and experience life. Ideas can remain stagnant or become innovative opportunities that change the future. As ideas are developed, transformation occurs. Prevailing practices and processes are challenged. When challenged, organizations must respond proactively and utilize the talents of others to create pathways to manage impending situations. Data and evidence are the primary drivers in these situations. Understanding and managing data is requisite for organizational change and sustainability in contemporary society. This textbook, originating from an idea, was developed using information from the literature, experiences as educators and managers, and contributions from others in various health and allied disciplines. It provides a snapshot to: improve decision-making; meet consumer demands; develop business cases; influence policy and regulation; understand the value of data collection, analysis, use, and diffusion that will inform quality, safety, and operational efficiency. The textbook’s unique attributes include “real-world” exemplars and reflection questions for each chapter that demonstrate how data and evidence inform the application of improvement tools, data analysis techniques, and concepts across interprofessional disciplines. The authors anticipate that the information provided will assist improvement teams to improve healthcare processes, guide educators to provide tools and techniques germane to education development, and help students glean knowledge necessary to lead improvement as future healthcare professionals and leaders. The book comprises of 14 chapters. Each of the chapters is central to understanding how data frames quality, safety, innovation, and sustainability in interprofessional practice as consumers become more engaged in their care.