Developing a hospital-wide quality and safety dashboard: a qualitative research study

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Health Informatics
• Quality Improvement

Background:

• National policies mandate hospital use of quality and safety (QS) indicators.
• Hospital-wide QS (HWQS) dashboards are developed to provide an overview of these indicators.
• Limited evidence exists on the development process of these dashboards.

Purpose of the Study:

• To retrospectively study the challenges faced in developing HWQS dashboards in Dutch hospitals.
• To identify the key phases and considerations in the HWQS dashboard development process.

Main Methods:

• Conducted 24 focus group interviews with hospital managers and support staff in 12 large Dutch hospitals.
• Utilized open and axial coding for data analysis.

Main Results:

• Identified a five-phase heuristic tool for HWQS dashboard development.
• Phase 1: Data inventory, overemphasis on quantitative data for accountability.
• Phase 2: Indicator development, challenges in translating data for diverse users.
• Phase 3: Layout design, catering to varying cognitive abilities.
• Phase 4: Organizational integration for systematic data review and action.
• Phase 5: Enhancing dashboard flexibility for adaptability.

Conclusions:

• Existing literature focuses on technical and content aspects of dashboards, neglecting the organizational development process.
• This study highlights the critical interplay of technical and organizational factors in successful HWQS dashboard development.