Quality Improvement with Outcome Data in Integrated Obstetric Care Networks: Evaluating Collaboration and Learning Across Organizational Boundaries with an Action Research Approach

• Published in: International journal of integrated care Vol. 23; no. 2; p. 21
• Main Authors: Depla, Anne Louise, Kersten, Anna W, Ruiter, Marije Lamain-de, Jambroes, Marielle, Franx, Arie, Evers, Inge M, Pluut, Bettine, Bekker, Mireille N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Ubiquity Press 01-04-2023
• Subjects: Action research; Collaboration; Consortia; integrated care; Integrated delivery systems; interprofessional learning; Maternal child nursing; Midwifery; Obstetrics; patient-reported outcome measures; Patients; perinatal care; Primary care; Quality improvement; Research and Theory; value-based healthcare; interprofessional learning; perinatal care; integrated care; value-based healthcare; patient-reported outcome measures; collaboration
• ISSN: 1568-4156; 1568-4156
• DOI: 10.5334/ijic.7035

Patient-reported outcome and experience measures (PROM and PREM) are used to guide individual care and quality improvement (QI). QI with patient-reported data is preferably organized around patients, which is challenging across organisations. We aimed to investigate network-broad learning for QI with outcome data.
In three obstetric care networks using individual-level PROM/PREM, a learning strategy for cyclic QI based on aggregated outcome data was developed, implemented and evaluated. The strategy included clinical, patient-reported, and professional-reported data; together translated into cases for interprofessional discussion. This study's data generation (including focus groups, surveys, observations) and analysis were guided by a theoretical model for network collaboration.
The learning sessions identified opportunities and actions to improve quality and continuity of perinatal care. Professionals valued the data (especially patient-reported) combined with in-dept interprofessional discussion. Main challenges were professionals' time constraints, data infrastructure, and embedding improvement actions. Network-readiness for QI depended on trustful collaboration through connectivity and consensual leadership. Joint QI required information exchange and support including time and resources.
Current fragmented healthcare organization poses barriers for network-broad QI with outcome data, but also offers opportunities for learning strategies. Furthermore, joint learning could improve collaboration to catalyse the journey towards integrated, value-based care.