Lessons learned from implementing a responsive quality assessment of clinical ethics support

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Ethics
• Quality Improvement
• Organizational Development

Background:

• Various forms of Clinical Ethics Support (CES) exist in healthcare organizations.
• There is a growing focus on improving the quality of ethics support services.
• A quality assessment project using a responsive evaluation design was implemented in the Netherlands.

Purpose of the Study:

• To qualitatively evaluate a Responsive Quality Assessment (RQA) project.
• To understand the experiences and perspectives of CES practitioners involved in the RQA.
• To assess the impact of RQA on fostering the quality of CES.

Main Methods:

• Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with CES practitioners.
• Data collection and analysis followed a stepwise approach.
• Continuous peer review and documentation were integral to the process.

Main Results:

• The RQA demonstrated relevance in enhancing CES quality by addressing context-specific issues.
• Practitioners reported increased acknowledgement of CES' importance for care quality.
• CES practices became more formalized, inspiring new activities and self-reflection.

Conclusions:

• The RQA method promotes an open learning process through active practitioner involvement.
• Servant leadership and intensive guidance can further enhance RQA's critical and learning dimensions.
• The RQA effectively facilitated quality improvement in Clinical Ethics Support services.