A Quick Overview of Run Charts
Run charts is very simple to construct and interpret. It does not allow for the same level of analysis offered by a control chart but can be used with almost any process and with any type of data: measurements, counts, percentages, ratios, and so on.
Typical instances in healthcare would be:
- Number of referrals
- Falls per 1000 occupied bed days
- Waiting times (Time taken between referral and first assessment)
Run Chart Example
Here we will show you what data is required when creating a Run Chart and how this is reflected in the Chart itself.
So lets say the 'Aim' of the project was to:
Reduce the proportion of patients with hospital acquired pneumonia by 50% within 6 months.
and the measure was:
Proportion of patients receiving daily preventative chest physio a day.
You would need to capture the following data:
| Label |
A label for each data point, for example the dates when the values were recorded. This data is plotted on the X axis of the chart. |
| Value |
The measurements/counts/percentages you wish to plot |
Data Capture Example:
Proportion of patients receiving daily preventative chest physio a day
Run Control Chart Example:
Proportion of patients receiving daily preventative chest physio a day