ABSTRACT
As an organization begins its journey, it needs to give careful thought to organizing and staffing for Phase 1 and to making choices that will support the progression to continuously improving patient care. The structure of the organization-starting with centralized governance-drives QI. Many health care delivery organizations have the will to drive certain QI initiatives but struggle because they lack the proper organizational structure. For this reason, many Phase 1 QI efforts will focus on developing this governance and administrative support structure. Other foundational elements of the Initiation Phase of the STEEEP Quality Journey include the following:
• Strong board member stewardship and participation in the QI program • Administrative responsibility and accountability for the QI program • Strong physician and nurse leader participation in the QI program • Strong quality leadership and a focused QI resource • Strong participation of individuals involved with finance (i.e., the chief financial officer)
in the QI program • Creation of a culture that values awareness, education, and communication regarding the
role of QI in health care
• Establishment of a data and analytics infrastructure to support the measurement and reporting of performance data
• Focused attention on the role of accreditation in developing the QI program
One of the hallmarks of today’s health care environment is the need for integration across the continuum of care driven by trends such as population management and bundling of care. Such trends are driving organizations to achieve QI not only for its own benefits but also as a requirement for participation in clinical partnerships with other health care delivery institutions. Clinical integration with other institutions depends on quality in your organization’s operations as well as the ability to assimilate clinical data across organizational boundaries. Most important, each of these organizations and institutions needs to be connected closely to patients, families, and communities.
