We are inspired by the great work that is going on in quality improvement across the globe and we can really learn - and take guidance from - QI leaders in the industry. We’ve put together a group of quotes from inspirational quality leaders who have effected transformational change to get an insight into their thoughts on QI Leadership.
“So what can we do about it? Move from inspection to improvement. Move from surveillance and contingency and reward and punishment, remove from asking people to try harder to asking people how we can help them to learn.” [1]
‘The first is to enable local activity. Improvement is a local phenomenon. Even though common knowledge can be crucial it will emerge as a characteristic of the individual hospitals and trusts and clinics and local organisations and the NHS that improves will be one in which the in-house capacity & local environments for continuous quality improvement is robust.’ [2]
“We can still do a lot more than we're currently doing around improving quality, understanding patients' needs, engaging patients in their care, redesigning care to provide for people with long-term conditions rather than acute episodes. What we are encouraging people to do is to focus on those things. Let's focus on the stuff we can really change. And my sense is there are still a significant number of organizations that would like to do just that.” [3]
"We needed a way to allow everyone to contribute and get involved and share their ideas and be able to learn from each other, and for that purpose quality improvement is an amazing way to harness the assets and strengths that everyone has to bring and align that with the priorities that we set as an organisation.” Amar Shah, , East London Foundation Trust. [5]
The first is ‘What matters to you?’ which is now a global movement led by Scotland and Norway. Leitch says that if you go into the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow, you will see charts where patients have filled out what is important to them personally. “It’s all about the individual,” he says. “And therefore, the ward rounds and the interaction with the staff are different”. [6]
So the value proposition for us around safety and quality is that it all starts with culture and leadership. And in a hospital or health care system, if that leadership and culture isn’t positive and strong then the opportunity to create real improvement is actually going to be a challenge. So the role of the leader essentially for us is to create the conditions for improvement and for change.” [7]
“All leaders need the ability to listen to team member feedback and incorporate recommendations from our team members. We must be genuine in our leadership. It is the collective mission that drives our people to show up every day. Living out the mission of this organization, with integration, partnership and a shared commitment to community, is essential if we are to achieve the organizational goals. Our effectiveness must be measured by our ability to bring everyone on board. It is our people collectively who make it happen”. [9]
[1] https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/audio-video/don-berwick-quality-improvement
[2] As per note 1
[4] Improving Quality, Lowering Costs: The Role of Health Care Delivery System ...
By United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
[5] https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/audio-video/don-berwick-quality-improvement
[6] As per note 1
[8] Improving Quality, Lowering Costs: The Role of Health Care Delivery System ...
By United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
[9] https://www.nurseleader.com/article/S1541-4612(19)30220-4/fulltext
NURSELEADER - LEADER TO WATCH| VOLUME 17, ISSUE 5, P385-388, OCTOBER 01, 2019