Quality improvement in practice—part 1: creating learning systems
Updated: Jan 12, 2025
Quality improvement in practice—part 1: creating learning systems (British Journal of Healthcare Management, August 2021)
Summary:
This article explores how to build "learning systems" to support quality improvement in healthcare. These systems help staff and patients work together to improve care.
The key elements of a learning system are:
Shared purpose: Everyone needs to be clear on the goal and feel connected to it.
Common language: Using quality improvement tools and methods helps everyone understand each other and contribute.
Autonomy: Staff and patients need to feel empowered to try new ideas without fear of failure.
Collective leadership: Encourage leadership at all levels, not just from managers.
Connections and relationships: Build strong relationships within and across teams.
Data and measures: Use data to understand how things are working and track improvement.
Infrastructure: Provide the right support, including access to improvement expertise and resources.
The article gives examples of learning systems in action, both within a single organisation and across multiple organisations working together.
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