To a Sustainable Quality Policy

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The investigators need stronger feedback loops and a quality monitoring and management system to improve the quality of care in sustainable way. The Chair Sint-Trudo To a sustainable quality policy was established to scientifically develop prerequisites for a sustainable quality of care. In this study protocol, a monocentric mixed-method quasi-experimental study will be used to assess the impact of a rapid-cycle quality indicator feedback mechanism on both patients and professionals.

Official Title
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The Implementation and Impact of a Rapid-cycle Quality Indicator Feedback Mechanism on Patients and Professionals: a Case Study of Sint-Trudo Hospital

Conditions
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Quality Improvement, Public Health, Management Systems

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Implementation of a quality indicator feedback mechanism


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Patients admitted in the hospital for more than one night Exclusion Criteria: Patients admitted in the hospital for less than one night

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Hospital<br>Twelve wards of the hospital will be evaluated at the same time. | Other: Implementation of a quality indicator feedback mechanism<br>* Audit and feedback: A summary of clinical performance and hospital safety culture over a specified period of time. Benchmarking Achievable: benchmarks are calculated from the performance of all members of a peer group and represents a realistic standard of excellence attained by the top performers in that group (i.e. comparing to the top 10% of peers). Educational outreach: A trained independent person or investigator will meet with health professionals or managers in their practice setting to provide information (e.g. feedback of quality indicators). Action planning: The purpose of action planning is to support quality improvement efforts by identifying opportunities for improvement, strategies and steps to accomplish the work.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hospital mortality | In-hospital mortality rate | During admission | 
| Patient experiences | Experiences of patients will be measures by a validated questionnaire (Flemisch Patient Experience Questionnaire). Q: Will you recommend our hospital? (scale min 0 until 10 with 0: not and 10: for sure). For follow questions the scores are 'disagree', 'somewhat agree', 'largely agree', 'totally agree. The higher the score the better the outcome Q: This information was provided by my GP or by healthcare providers in the hospital. Q: I understand the information I received about the cost of my stay. Q: I received sufficient information about the causes of my condition or about the possible treatment methods for my condition or about the consequences of my disease. Q: Nurses or doctors explained things in a way I could understand or treated me with courtesy and respect. Q: My privacy was respected during conversations with caregivers or during examinations, treatment and care. Q: Before any treatment my identity was checked. Q: Hospital staff always introduced themselves | During admission | 
| In-hospital length of stay | Length of stay of each patient in the hospital | During admission | 
| Adverse events and adverse outcomes | Each adverse event and following adverse outcomes will be measured: urinary tract infections, pressure ulcers, hospital-acquired pneumonia, shock/cardiac arrest, upper-gastrointestinal bleeding, hospital-acquired sepsis, deep venous thrombosis, central nervous system complications, surgical wound infection, pulmonary failure, metabolic derangement, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin resistant Enterococcus, central line associated bloodstream infections, carbapenemase producing Enterobacteriaceae | During admission | 
| Failure to rescue rate | The failure to rescue rate for each patient admitted in the hospital will be evaluated | During admission | 
| Readmission rate | Readmission within 30 days of each patient admitted in the hospital | 30 days after discharge |