Table 6 Themes emerging from QI leads reflections on leading improvement
High-level themes | Sub-themes (number of supporting comments) |
|---|---|
What QI leads would continue doing | |
 1. Keep working on data collection and feedback | Providing feedback on performance, incl. data feedback (30) Use run-charts (19) Good data collection process/data collection support (14) Using data to create situational awareness (4) |
 2. Keep working on engagement, involvement and collaboration | Engage/involve all relevant stakeholders (22) Interprofessional involvement (9) Form a QI team (8) Engage/involve trainees (4) Identify enthusiastic colleagues (4) Collaborate with other hospitals (2) Obtain senior support for the project (2) |
 3. Using a ‘systems thinking’ approach to improvement | Hardwire changes into system (9) Building risk scoring into care pathway (8) Use a checklist/care bundle approach (2) |
 4. Specific clinical interventions | Clinical interventions (9) Risk stratification (6) |
 5. Use an iterative approach to change | Take an incremental/stepped approach to improvement (6) Persist with implementation (2) |
What QI leads would do differently | |
 6. Engage and involve people more effectively | Wider engagement of stakeholders (17) More surgical engagement/involvement in project (15) More interprofessional involvement (10) Better engagement/involvement of trainees (6) Form a larger QI team (5| Involve more people (3) |
 7. Get data collection and feedback right | Improve data collection/more data support (17) More data feedback (8) More data analysis (4) |
 8. Obtain stronger senior support for the project | Stronger senior leadership/board level support (16) More protected time for the project (7) |
 9. Work on own leadership/ project management skills | Manage the QI team more effectively (10) Get started sooner (6) Be more forceful (3) Focus on motivation/behaviour change (2) Use an iterative approach (2) More collaboration with other hospitals (2) Better planning of improvements / system changes (2) |