Skip to main content
PMC home page
Quality & Safety in Health Care logoLink to Quality & Safety in Health Care
. 2003 Jun;12(3):210–214. doi: 10.1136/qhc.12.3.210

Methods for evaluation of small scale quality improvement projects

G Harvey 1, M Wensing 1
PMCID: PMC1743722  PMID: 12792012

Abstract



 Evaluation is an integral component of quality improvement and there is much to be learned from the evaluation of small scale quality improvement initiatives at a local level. This type of evaluation is useful for a number of different reasons including monitoring the impact of local projects, identifying and dealing with issues as they arise within a project, comparing local projects to draw lessons, and collecting more detailed information as part of a bigger evaluation project. Focused audits and developmental studies can be used for evaluation within projects, while methods such as multiple case studies and process evaluations can be used to draw generalised lessons from local experiences and to provide examples of successful projects. Evaluations of small scale quality improvement projects help those involved in improvement initiatives to optimise their choice of interventions and use of resources. Important information to add to the knowledge base of quality improvement in health care can be derived by undertaking formal evaluation of local projects, particularly in relation to building theory around the processes of implementation and increasing understanding of the complex change processes involved.

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (88.2 KB).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Black N. Why we need observational studies to evaluate the effectiveness of health care. BMJ. 1996 May 11;312(7040):1215–1218. doi: 10.1136/bmj.312.7040.1215. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Cox S., Wilcock P., Young J. Improving the repeat prescribing process in a busy general practice. A study using continuous quality improvement methodology. Qual Health Care. 1999 Jun;8(2):119–125. doi: 10.1136/qshc.8.2.119. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Dawson S., Sutherland K., Dopson S., Miller R. Changing clinical practice: views about the management of adult asthma. Qual Health Care. 1999 Dec;8(4):253–261. doi: 10.1136/qshc.8.4.253. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Dopson S., Miller R., Dawson S., Sutherland K. Influences on clinical practice: the case of glue ear. Qual Health Care. 1999 Jun;8(2):108–118. doi: 10.1136/qshc.8.2.108. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Dopson Sue, FitzGerald Louise, Ferlie Ewan, Gabbay John, Locock Louise. No magic targets! Changing clinical practice to become more evidence based. Health Care Manage Rev. 2002 Summer;27(3):35–47. doi: 10.1097/00004010-200207000-00005. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Eccles M., Grimshaw J., Campbell M., Ramsay C. Research designs for studies evaluating the effectiveness of change and improvement strategies. Qual Saf Health Care. 2003 Feb;12(1):47–52. doi: 10.1136/qhc.12.1.47. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Ferlie E., Wood M., Fitzgerald L. Some limits to evidence-based medicine: a case study from elective orthopaedics. Qual Health Care. 1999 Jun;8(2):99–107. doi: 10.1136/qshc.8.2.99. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Fitzgerald L. Case studies as a research tool. Qual Health Care. 1999 Jun;8(2):75–75. doi: 10.1136/qshc.8.2.75. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Freemantle N., Wood J., Crawford F. Evidence into practice, experimentation and quasi experimentation: are the methods up to the task? J Epidemiol Community Health. 1998 Feb;52(2):75–81. doi: 10.1136/jech.52.2.75. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Hulscher M. E. J. L., Laurant M. G. H., Grol R. P. T. M. Process evaluation on quality improvement interventions. Qual Saf Health Care. 2003 Feb;12(1):40–46. doi: 10.1136/qhc.12.1.40. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Johnston G., Crombie I. K., Davies H. T., Alder E. M., Millard A. Reviewing audit: barriers and facilitating factors for effective clinical audit. Qual Health Care. 2000 Mar;9(1):23–36. doi: 10.1136/qhc.9.1.23. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Locock L., Dopson S., Chambers D., Gabbay J. Understanding the role of opinion leaders in improving clinical effectiveness. Soc Sci Med. 2001 Sep;53(6):745–757. doi: 10.1016/s0277-9536(00)00387-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Selim P., Bashford C., Grossman C. Evidence-based practice: tap water cleansing of leg ulcers in the community. J Clin Nurs. 2001 May;10(3):372–379. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2702.2001.00516.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Shih F. J. Triangulation in nursing research: issues of conceptual clarity and purpose. J Adv Nurs. 1998 Sep;28(3):631–641. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2648.1998.00716.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Solberg L. I., Mosser G., McDonald S. The three faces of performance measurement: improvement, accountability, and research. Jt Comm J Qual Improv. 1997 Mar;23(3):135–147. doi: 10.1016/s1070-3241(16)30305-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Quality & safety in health care are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES