Quality Compass: Providing Direction for Quality Improvement in Home and

Community Care

Shilpi Majumder, PhD and Stacey Bar-Ziv, PhD

June 9, 2014

Health Quality Ontario• HQO works in partnership with Ontario’s health care system

to support a better experience of care, better outcomes for Ontarians and better value for money.

• HQO’s legislated mandate under the Excellent Care for All Act, 2010 is to: • Monitor and report to the people of Ontario on the quality of

their health care system• Support continuous quality improvement• Promote health care that is supported by the best available

scientific evidence

• HQO is an arms-length agency of the Ontario government.

Today’s Presentation• Introduction of the Quality Compass - Health Quality

Ontario’s web-based Knowledge Transfer & Exchange tool to improve quality in health care

• Demonstration of the Quality Compass, with specific reference to tools and resources for quality improvement in Home and Community Care

• Preliminary results of an evaluation of the uptake and impact of Quality Compass resources and opportunities for future refinement

Quality Compass Development• Launched in June 2013, the Quality Compass was developed to

promote change leading to sustainable improvement.

• This tool was developed with experts and partners as a one-stop resource to catalyze uptake of best practices and support improvement efforts.

The Quality Compass strives to provide:• Information that is focused and aligned with key priority topics

and subtopics in Ontario • Implementation information to support bridging the knowledge

to action gap in care • A sustainable and expandable tool with updates of new

evidence and emerging innovative approaches

• An evidence-informed searchable tool designed to support leaders and providers in improving the quality of health care, aligned with provincial quality improvement initiatives and sector priorities

• A repository of: • Evidence-based best-practices and experience-based change ideas• Quality and performance indicators and measures • Resources and tools linked to quality improvement and change

methodology• Stories of quality improvement

Development of the TopicThe Home and Community Care topic was developed with input and guidance from an advisory group of home and community care experts and provider representatives.

Advisory Group Members:• Ontario Home Care Association• Ontario Association of Community Care Access Centres• Ontario Community Support Association• Ontario Home Care Research Network • Personal Support Network of Ontario • Registered Nurses Association of Ontario• Institute for Safe Medicines Practices• Alliance for Professional Associations of Community-Based Therapy Services• Saint Elizabeth Health Care• ParaMed Home Health Care• Revera Home Health• Red Cross Partners

http://www.hqontario.ca/

http://qualitycompass.hqontario.ca/language/en-us/home.html

Reducing Falls: Overview

Quality Improvement: Getting Started

Best Practices

Best Practices

Best Practices

Measurement

Tools and Resources

Stories

Evaluation of Quality Compass

Purpose:• To evaluate usage, experience and

impact

Methods: • Website analytics to determine usage• Responses to a website pop-up survey

(n=33)• In-depth targeted end-user survey

(n=29)• End-user interviews (n=5)• Internal HQO staff interviews (n=6)

Website pop-up survey respondents

Targeted end-user survey respondents

Usage of Quality CompassData from Quality Compass metrics show steady and sustained visits to the site since launch

HQT conference

QIP submissions

MOHLTC release ofQIP guidance documents

Evaluation: Perceived Value

Evaluation: Key Findings• Majority of users view Quality Compass as a

valuable and credible source of information

• Key reasons for accessing tool were to: 1. Collect best practice and change ideas for

implementation2. Inform quality improvement plans 3. Guide quality improvement work

• Opportunities identified to increase awareness of the Quality Compass among targeted users

Quality Compass: Continuing the Journey

• Refinement of Quality Compass to ensure greater accessibility, awareness and usability

• New topic development and regular updates of all topics

• Upcoming Home and Community Care Subtopics:• Medications management• Client and caregiver experiences• Reducing emergency department visits and hospital

readmissions• Wound care• Wait times

Conclusion

HQO’s Quality Compass provides a valuable resource for providers involved in quality improvement to make improvements leading to sustainable change.

http://qualitycompass.hqontario.ca

Questions

Questions? Feedback?

Thank-you!Contact: Shilpi.Majumder@hqontario.ca

www.hqontario.ca