Facilitating improvement in primary care

"Practice coaching, also called practice facilitation, assists physician practices with the desire to improve in such areas as patient access, chronic and preventive care, electronic medical record use, patient-centeredness, cultural competence, and team-building."

Facilitating improvement in primary care: the promise of practice coaching
K Grumbach, E Bainbridge, T Bodenheimer
The Commonwealth Fund
June 2012

Read more here.

Putting patients first - the Productive Series

"All of the examples here are real-life improvement initiatives at various stages of development and implementation during 2011."

Putting patients first - the Productive Series
NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement
March 2012

Read more here.

Effectiveness of booklet based vestibular rehabilitation for chronic dizziness in primary care

"Booklet based vestibular rehabilitation for chronic dizziness is a simple and cost effective means of improving patient reported outcomes in primary care."

Clinical and cost effectiveness of booklet based vestibular rehabilitation for chronic dizziness in primary care: single blind, parallel group, pragmatic, randomised controlled trial
L Yardley, F Barker, I Muller, D Turner, S Kirby, M Mullee, A Morris, P Little
British Medical Journal, 2012, 344:e2237

Read more here.

Using care bundles to improve health care quality

"This white paper describes the history, theory of change, design concepts, and outcomes associated with the development and use of bundles over the past decade."

Using care bundles to improve health care quality
R Resar, FA Griffin, C Haraden, TW Nolan
IHI Innovation Series white paper
Institute for Healthcare Improvement
May 2012

Read more here. (Free registration required)

Pathology services commissioning toolkit

"This toolkit is for commissioning community (i.e. direct access) pathology services to support commissioners who have undertaken a strategic review of their existing services and wish to improve the quality, effectiveness, affordability and value for money of these services, in line with locally determined objectives and priorities."

The pathology services commissioning toolkit
Department of Health
May 2012

Read more here.

Additional supporting material available here.

Health systems, health, wealth and societal well-being

This book looks at how health systems are part of improving health and achieving better economic growth.

Health systems, health, wealth and societal well-being
Edited by J Figueras, M McKee
May 2012

Read more here.

Quality, innovation and value in cardiac rehabilitation

"This resource will help to guide commissioners and providers through real examples of what works and to save others from reinventing the wheel."

Quality, innovation and value in cardiac rehabilitation: commissioning for improvement
NHS Improvement
May 2012

Read more here.

Deciphering harm measurement

"Improvement in health care quality and safety can be notable when measurement criteria are clear, evidence is strong, and policy and interventions are focused."

Deciphering harm measurement
G Parry, A Cline, D Goldmann
Journal of the American Medical Association, 2012, 307(2):2155-2156

Read more here.

Using care bundles to improve health care quality

"This white paper describes the history, theory of change, design concepts, and outcomes associated with the development and use of bundles over the past decade."

Using care bundles to improve health care quality
R Resar, FA Griffin, C Haraden, TW Nolan
Institute for Healthcare Improvement
May 2012

Read more here. (Free registration required)

The role of the patient in clinical safety

"Staff have to acknowledge the worth of patients’ safety knowledge, their unique contribution, and, where necessary, the need to respond with action."

The role of the patient in clinical safety
R Lawton, G Armitage
The Health Foundation
May 2012

Read more here.

Proactive approaches to safety management

This paper offers some practical suggestions for proactively managing safety.

Proactive approaches to safety management
E Hollnagel
The Health Foundation
May 2012

Read more here.

Reinventing healthcare delivery

"High quality care and great performance involves leaders making problem solving, improvement, and innovation part of the regular routine of daily practice."

Reinventing healthcare delivery
S Spear
The Health Foundation
May 2012

Read more here.

How can leaders influence a safety culture?

"The systematic delivery of safe and reliable care requires a safety culture, continuous learning, and improvement."

How can leaders influence a safety culture?
M Leonard, A Frankel
The Health Foundation
May 2012

Read more here.

The management of adult diabetes services in the NHS

"We estimate that through better management of people with diabetes, the NHS could save £170 million a year."

The management of adult diabetes services in the NHS
National Audit Office
Department of Health
May 2012

Read more here.

A preliminary guide to measuring 'harm free' care

"This guide is designed to provide support in implementing the NHS Safety Thermometer and achieving the 2012/13 CQUIN. It shares learning about the best ways to use the tool and what support is available. It offers technical support in validating data and enables readers to start to understand their data."

Delivering the NHS Safety Thermometer CQUIN 2012/13: a preliminary guide to measuring 'harm free' care
QIPP Safe Care Team
Department of Health
May 2012

Read more here.

The economic impact of improvements in primary healthcare performance

"Better health outcomes have a positive impact on employment, productivity and economic growth."

The economic impact of improvements in primary healthcare performance
Canadian Health Services Research Foundation
May 2012

Read more here.

National Diabetes Inpatient Audit 2011

"This year’s audit has demonstrated progress in several areas but also reveals that there is considerably more to be done if the safety and care of people with diabetes in hospital is to be assured."

National Diabetes Inpatient Audit 2011
Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership, NHS The Information Centre, Diabetes UK
May 2012

Read more here.

Leadership and engagement for improvement in the NHS

"Report from The King's Fund Leadership Review 2012."

Leadership and engagement for improvement in the NHS: together we can
The King's Fund
May 2012

Read more here.

Improving general practice by working differently

"The biggest single challenge for general practices, therefore, is the need to shift from treating episodic illness to working in partnership with patients and other providers to improve health, and treat people in the community more cost-effectively."

Primary care: today and tomorrow: improving general practice by working differently
Deloitte Centre for Health Solutions
May 2012

Read more here.

Effectiveness of organizational interventions to reduce emergency department utilization

"The evidence suggests that interventions aimed at increasing primary care accessibility and ED cost-sharing are effective in reducing ED use."

Effectiveness of organizational interventions to reduce emergency department utilization: a systematic review
G Flores-Mateo, C Violan-Fors, P Carrillo-Santisteve, S Peiro, J-M Argimon
PLoS One, 2nd May 2012

Read more here.