Quality Improvement Guide

Why is it important?

Evaluating the success of a QI intervention:

• Measures impact and effectiveness
• Identifies strengths and weaknesses
• Ensures sustainability
• Demonstrates value to stakeholders
• Guides future QI work.

How to evaluate a QI project

The NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement (2005, pp. 13-15) identifies 5 key areas which should be considered when designing an evaluation plan:

1. Summative or formative evaluation -- i.e. Were objectives met or why these results occurred.
2. Outcome or process evaluations -- i.e. impact or internal operations.
3. Quantitative or qualitative data
4. Unitary approach or pluralistic approach -- i.e. single or multiple perspectives.
5. Experimental approach or naturalistic approach -- i.e. using controls vs. naturally occurring activities

Example
Robinson, A. C., et al. (2023). Evaluating the Utilization of a Perioperative Hyperglycemic Protocol: A Quality Improvement Project. Journal of perianesthesia nursing, 38(4), 553–559. 

Recommended resources:

• Brewster, L., et al. (2015). What to expect when you're evaluating healthcare improvement: a concordat approach to managing collaboration and uncomfortable realities. BMJ quality & safety, 24(5), 318–324. 
• Healthcare Improvement Scotland. (n.d.). A guide to programme evaluation in quality improvement.
• NHS. (2005). Evaluating improvement.
• Parry, G.,et al. (2018). Practical recommendations for the evaluation of improvement initiatives. International journal for quality in health care, 30(suppl_1), 29–36. 

Health Innovation West of England. (2016). What is evaluation?