Article type
Abstract
Background: Quality indicators are a way to measure the quality of health care and to identify areas for improvement. A lot of organizations are developing quality indicators. However, different review articles demonstrate that different methods, often with a non-systematic approach and without a consensus panel or without the involvement of patients, are used to develop quality indicators.
Objectives: This project aims to provide a well-defined framework to develop evidence-based quality indicators for different professionals in primary health care.
Methods: Starting from the literature suggested by experts, we hand-searched specific journals and authors. Thereafter, we continued our search in the references of relevant articles. This resulted in an overview of the most recent literature concerning the development of quality indicators.
In a next step, we inventoried all the different steps as proposed in the (systematic) reviews and summarized these into a new framework usable within the entire primary health care setting. This framework was fine-tuned after proofreading by different experts. Our procedure was discussed with WOREL (Belgian Working group for the Development of Primary Care Guidelines) to integrate quality indicators in the guideline development process. Finally, these procedures will be used to develop quality indicators for several projects.
Results: Starting from six articles, we developed a systematic method containing the following eight steps:
1.) Topic selection and identifying those involved
2.) State the purpose
3.) Guideline selection
4.) Extraction of recommendations
5.) List of potential quality indicators
6.) Selection of quality indicators by a consensus panel (including patients)
7.) Practice test
8.) Review and evaluation (Figure 1)
Conclusions: Based on the latest literature, a practical framework of eight steps was developed. This framework can be used alongside the guideline development process. Our procedure will be available to everyone who will be developing quality indicators in primary health care.
One important element in the framework emphasizes the involvement of patients in the consensus panel. This increases shared decision-making related to the evaluation of the quality of treatment provided by caregivers.
There was no involvement of the public and/or consumers in the development of this framework.
Objectives: This project aims to provide a well-defined framework to develop evidence-based quality indicators for different professionals in primary health care.
Methods: Starting from the literature suggested by experts, we hand-searched specific journals and authors. Thereafter, we continued our search in the references of relevant articles. This resulted in an overview of the most recent literature concerning the development of quality indicators.
In a next step, we inventoried all the different steps as proposed in the (systematic) reviews and summarized these into a new framework usable within the entire primary health care setting. This framework was fine-tuned after proofreading by different experts. Our procedure was discussed with WOREL (Belgian Working group for the Development of Primary Care Guidelines) to integrate quality indicators in the guideline development process. Finally, these procedures will be used to develop quality indicators for several projects.
Results: Starting from six articles, we developed a systematic method containing the following eight steps:
1.) Topic selection and identifying those involved
2.) State the purpose
3.) Guideline selection
4.) Extraction of recommendations
5.) List of potential quality indicators
6.) Selection of quality indicators by a consensus panel (including patients)
7.) Practice test
8.) Review and evaluation (Figure 1)
Conclusions: Based on the latest literature, a practical framework of eight steps was developed. This framework can be used alongside the guideline development process. Our procedure will be available to everyone who will be developing quality indicators in primary health care.
One important element in the framework emphasizes the involvement of patients in the consensus panel. This increases shared decision-making related to the evaluation of the quality of treatment provided by caregivers.
There was no involvement of the public and/or consumers in the development of this framework.