Using Data to Support Change in Clinical Practice
The emphasis on improving quality and outcomes of healthcare is not new and started in the 1960s. Currently, considerable resources, including personnel, organisational and financial resources, are focused on collecting and analysing data and using these to improve practice and assure relevant bodies such as the Care Quality Commission that care is delivered to an appropriate standard. Despite these efforts change and improvement often remain slow or can be impacted by competing requirements to meet other organisational or individual targets. This guidance aims to improve the effectiveness of collection and interpretation of data in clinical practice.
Who is this guide for?
All aspects of this guidance can be used at both individual and service level, unless explicitly stated.
What can I learn from this guide?
The aim of this guidance is to provide practical information for surgeons and surgical services to improve the effectiveness of the collection and interpretation of healthcare data at individual, team or organisational level and support change in clinical practice. The content has been laid out into four main aspects of assessing any healthcare practice, to ensure continuous improvement in quality and experience:
- Quantifying practice (including choosing the right data and data collection methods)
- Receiving and giving feedback
- Using data to reflect on practice
- Supporting learning and change
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