CONCLUSION

1. A Change Project to Introduce a Multidisciplinary Quality Improvement Forum Within a Rehabilitation Unit St. James’s Hospital MedEl Rehabilitation Quality Committee INTRODUCTION Improving quality of care in a post acute elderly rehabilitation unit is an important service goal. The multidisciplinary rehabilitation team (MDT) of a large Dublin teaching hospital have an ongoing commitment to improving service delivery. Previous quality improvement projects (QIPs) developed among individual disciplines were invariably difficult to implement and sustain. Quality improvement projects which combine multidisciplinary expertise increases communication, improves motivation, encourages responsibility, facilitates commitment among staff and ultimately delivers high quality services1. The aim of this change project was to introduce a forum for healthcare professionals to engage in quality improvement initiatives within a rehabilitation unit. • Planning – During the initial meetings terms of references were agreed. An idea-generating session determined QIPs for the year.A detailed plan of each QIP developed including the description and scope of the change project, objectives, sequence of actions and who was responsible, timeframe, performance measures and resource requirements. • Examples include: • Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire • Rehabilitation Folder • Stroke Information Sessions • Implementation – A clear implementation plan for all staff, including commencement dates and staff training was developed. • Patient satisfaction questionnaire – an aphasia friendly questionnaire was devised and piloted with specific patients. From patient feedback sessions the necessary changes were implemented and now the MDT are able to monitor patients perception of the service they have experienced. • Rehabilitation Folder – all patients on the rehabilitation unit now benefit from individual rehabilitation folders which include goal plans, exercise programmes and condition specific leaflets. • Stroke Information Sessions – the MDT now host regular information sessions to ensure patients and family members have access to relevant, specific information on stroke and rehabilitation. • Mainstreaming – QIPs have now been integrated into established work practices within the unit. The rehabilitation team continue to meet on a regular basis to ensure each QIP is implemented as initially outlined. METHODOLOGY The HSE Change Model was selected to facilitate the introduction of the Quality Improvement Forum. The Model comprises initiation, planning, implementation and mainstreaming phases. Results were based on tasks achieved under each phase of the Model. HSE Change Model CONCLUSION The Quality Improvement Forum was successfully initiated and has implemented a number of QIPs. An audit of each QIP will be performed to determine if the initiative is sustainable in the long term. RESULTS Initiation – the Quality Improvement Forum was established in November 2012. All stakeholders within the rehabilitation unit were approached to partake in the forum. There is currently involvement from speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, clinical nutrition, medical social work, nursing, the medical team and the service user. REFERENCES 1. HSE 2008. Improving Our Services: A Users’ Guide to Managing Change in the Health Service Executive Email: Sinead Coleman (Chair) scoleman@stjames.ie