Facility Engagement (FE) and Island Health collaborated to offer a virtual learning series in February 2025 to optimize medical staff quality improvement (QI) expertise and data requests for FE-funded QI work.
This series resulted from the Facility Engagement & Physician Quality Improvement Data Consultation, which identified four main themes:
- Opportunities for partners to improve their shared understanding and perception of QI work.
- Opportunities to improve communication and understanding between partners with respect to data requests and data pathways.
- Opportunities to improve availability and awareness of QI expertise and training.
- Opportunities to explore time and resource allocation for QI.
Below are the recordings, summaries, and resources from the 3-part learning series.
Presenters: Rachael Montgomery - Consultant, PQI, Shruti Kaushik - Data Consultant, PQI, Angelica Miller – Consultant, PQI Alum, Michelle Bamford - Manager, Strategic Initiatives & Education, Clinical Information Support, Jody Macdonald - Engagement Partner, Facility Engagement , Dr Ava Butler - Cowichan District Hospital, Dr Jennifer Kask - North Island Hospital Campbell River and District
SERIES TAKEAWAYS, RECORDINGS, AND RESOURCES
Develop clear, actionable problem statements and discover resources for QI training and FE funding.
This session defined quality improvement, distinguishing it from project management and emphasizing the importance of data in confirming problems and measuring impacts.
The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) Model for Improvement was introduced, followed by discussions on challenges and opportunities for obtaining quantitative data to support FE project work.
An example of a project that used the Model of Improvement was provided, illustrating how different metrics can identify areas for improvement and flag unintended consequences.
The webinar concluded with information on funding and supports from the SSC Physician Quality Improvement program (PQI) and FE for quality improvement projects within facilities, including data access support.
Resources:
Presentation slides
Session recording
Demonstrating Impact:
When asked to reflect on the sessions content, physicians responded that they are motivated to change their work in the following ways:
“I am planning a sabbatical from my leadership work and plan to get back into QI on my return.”
“I have a better sense of how to navigate IH to identify key data to support QI projects.”
“I will take the PQI Level 1 training.”
“I will continue to take a QI approach rather than acting on opinions.”
71% of respondents said they were very likely to use a QI approach to their next FE project and/or take QI training as a result of this session.
Understand how to utilize under-utilized data sources for QI planning and learn how available QI and FE resources can support data-driven initiatives.
This session explored existing data sources for physician-led projects, focusing on measuring outcomes using various data sets. It emphasized the value in having a clear problem statement, aim statement, and measurement plan before requesting data.
Dr. Jennifer Kask from North Island Hospital Campbell River District shared her experiences demonstrating the outcomes of an FE-funded QI project aimed at reducing preterm birth rates, which successfully decreased preterm birth rates from 15% to 5.8% over just a few years.
Dr. Kask highlighted the importance of surveys and data collection from various sources, such as the Island Health Decision Support Team, to help gain key insights into the effectiveness of your interventions, stressing the need for collaboration with health authorities to enact larger-scale changes in healthcare.
The webinar reviewed health care data sources available within Island Health, including:
- The Discharge Abstract Database (DAD) for inpatient and day surgery data
- National Ambulatory Care Reporting System (NACRS) for emergency department data, and
- Specialized databases for rehabilitation, perinatal care, and trauma.
- Reporting Portal for self-service data access
- Patient Safety and Learning System for safety event reporting, and patient experience surveys.
Resources:
Demonstrating Impact:
When asked to reflect on the sessions content, physicians responded that they are motivated to change their work in the following ways:
- “I will try to use some of the pathways identified to obtain data for QI projects” – physician
- “I try making a data request” – physician
- “Now I know how to better support and direct the physicians to the data sources” – MSA Administrator
- 100% of respondents agreed that after participating in this session, they felt confident to apply at least one key tactic and/or process learned from another sites successes and/or the training at their own site/project work.
Learn how to effectively request data from Island Health and explore the QI and FE support available for accessing and analyzing data.
In the final webinar, updated Facility Engagement funding guidelines were discussed, a successful emergency room QI project was reviewed, and the process for submitting data requests through Island Health was reviewed in detail.
Dr. Ava Butler from Cowichan District Hospital shared her experience with two emergency room QI projects. Her first project lacked data measurement, while her second project successfully reduced equipment gathering time for difficult airway management from 319 to 76 seconds through a colour-coded cart system.
Collecting and sharing data demonstrated concrete improvements and boosted team morale, leading to publication in the Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine and international recognition.
The session focused on Island Health’s data request processes. It outlined two main pathways:
- A simple email form for basic requests.
- a comprehensive three-page form for complex requests.
The webinar explained how to access the data request forms through the intranet as well as key components of the form, including project description, population, data requirements, data storage practices, and security.
Key takeaways:
- Some data is easily accessible, while other data sets require more effort and longer timelines to pull.
- Requests are reviewed by Decision Support every couple of weeks and assigned consultants based on their areas of expertise.
- Thorough preparation is key to a successful data request, including having a clear project aim, problem statement, and literature review.
- Discussions included available data sources, quality improvement project supports, and upcoming QI training for physicians and administrators.
Resources:
- Presentation slides
- Session recording
- Island Health Data Request Workflow
- Island Health Data Request Form
- Island Health Decision Support Contact List
