The VHA New England Medication Error Prevention Initiative as a model for long-term improvement collaboratives.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Quality Improvement Science
• Organizational Change

Background:

• Quality Improvement Collaboratives (QICs) are a common strategy for driving change in healthcare.
• Understanding the nuances of different collaborative methodologies is key to optimizing QIC success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare alternative collaborative methodologies for Quality Improvement Collaboratives (QICs).
• To identify critical elements contributing to the success of QICs.

Main Methods:

• A modified QIC evaluation tool was employed.
• Compared the Medication Error Prevention Initiative (MEPI) with two other long-term QICs (Vermont-Oxford Network, Northern New England Cardiovascular Disease Study Group) and short-term Breakthrough Series QICs (Institute for Healthcare Improvement).

Main Results:

• The modified QIC assessment tool provided a valuable framework for evaluating and comparing collaborative initiatives.
• Significant differences were observed in the scope, team composition, and improvement methods between MEPI and other QICs.

Conclusions:

• Long-term QIC methodologies, exemplified by MEPI, demonstrate particular utility for addressing broad, complex, or organization-wide improvement challenges in healthcare.