Health quality innovation is the process of changing health care practice to improve the health of patients. It requires knowledge of what works in health quality improvement. It also requires leadership and teamwork to achieve the changes that produce results.
The Healthy Quality Innovation Model was developed by Community Health Solutions based on extensive research on what works in health quality improvement, leadership, and team building. It can be used by team leaders and team members to guide the daily practice of health quality innovation.
The Health Quality Innovation Model does not necessarily define everything a team must do to achieve health quality innovation. But any team engaged in a quality initiative would benefit from following the six essential practices outlined in this model.
Think Long Term
Health Quality Innovation begins with the goal of lasting excellence. This means we are not satisfied with mere expedience or just getting through the next quality cycle. Every decision and action is taken with an eye toward sustainable system change. This is a challenging way of thinking in an environment in which change is constant and every incentive seems to point toward expediency. The best leaders and teams are able to think beyond the short term and build systems that last.
Build ROI
Every quality initiative has a set of stakeholders - patients, providers, payers & funders, regulators, and the broader community. These stakeholders make an investment in the initiative, and expect some return on that investment (ROI) in terms of better access, quality, efficiency, or outcomes. We can dramatically improve our chances of sustainable excellence to the extent we are able to demonstrate a clear return on investment for key stakeholders. The best leaders and teams are able think about health quality improvement with an ROI mindset.
Develop Capacity
Health quality innovation requires organizational capacity in terms of people, partners, systems, facilities, and financing. The best organizations recognize that capacity building is an ongoing process. They are always thinking about the kinds of people, partners, systems, facilities, and financing they need not just to survive, but to move to the next level of excellence. They anticipate and act rather than wait for a crisis.
Focus Intentions
Many quality initiatives die for lack of focused effort. Every quality initiative should have a focused set of intentions in terms of patients, specific goals, the vision of success, and change strategies. These intentions should also be crystal clear to everyone involved in the quality initiative. It is the responsibility of every leader and team member to make sure this happens.
Strengthen Culture
Perhaps more than any other factor, health quality innovation requires a supporting organizational culture. Culture is a matter of language, values, and norms. Teams that are good at health quality innovation have a culture of trust, teamwork, learning, disciplined innovation, and celebration. It is the job of the leader and the team to model, cultivate, and embed this kind of culture in the daily life of the organization. When this happens in an authentic way, it becomes hard to stop the momentum toward health quality innovation.
Assure Execution
Execution, as they say, is everything. At any given time there are a dozen barriers or obstacles with the potential to derail a health quality initiative. It is the job of the leader and the team to keep focus, work together, and fully execute the quality initiative. This requires clear direction, empowerment, feedback, problem solving, and accountability.
Learn More
To learn more about how to apply The Health Quality Innovation Model in your organization contact Community Health Solutions at chs@communityhealthinfo.com or 804.673.0166.
