Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT): transforming cardiology care

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Clinical Quality Improvement
• National Health Service (NHS) Initiatives

Background:

• The Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) program originated to address unwarranted variation in elective orthopaedic surgery.
• Its clinically led, in-depth review methodology proved effective in enhancing care standards and generating cost savings.
• GIRFT has expanded significantly, now covering 40 clinical specialties and receiving national NHS funding in England.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detail the application and demonstrated benefits of the GIRFT process within the field of cardiology.
• To provide a data-driven evidence base for improving cardiology services in the NHS.

Main Methods:

• Clinically led deep dives into individual orthopaedic units (initial phase).
• Benchmarking of services and data-driven evidence generation.
• Expansion of the GIRFT model across multiple clinical specialties, including cardiology.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements in standards of care observed.
• Substantial cost savings identified, allowing reinvestment into clinical services.
• Successful application of the GIRFT model to diverse clinical specialties.

Conclusions:

• The GIRFT process is a valuable and scalable model for improving healthcare quality and efficiency across the NHS.
• Its data-driven, clinically led approach offers a robust framework for identifying and reducing unwarranted variation in patient care.
• The GIRFT methodology shows significant promise for optimizing cardiology services and patient outcomes.