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Collaboratives program goes from strength to strength |
The GPs and practice representatives of the eight practices involved in Wave 2 of the National Primary Care Collaboratives (The Waveriders) recently attended the third and final learning workshop in Melbourne. Their enthusiasm for the collaboratives process and the shared learning that occurred was as great as that of the wave 1 practice representatives says the collaboratives program manager, Sandi Hill.
It is clear that the collaborative method, which originated in the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (http://www.ihi.org/IHI) in America, has been successfully applied to improving primary health care in Australia.
The method uses:
- knowledge about what already works;
- a change management method that is designed to identify where a change actually leads to an improvement;
- changes that are tested in small cycles so they are manageable; and
- changes that are measured so that improvement can be demonstrated.
The NPCC applied the methodology to three topic areas – diabetes, coronary heart disease and access to primary care. The improvements have been significant.
However, it is worth noting that the collaborative process is not so much about implementing specific programs within a practice (such as diabetes clinics), but more about developing skills in system analysis, improvement models and change implementation. These skills are transferable to all medical conditions, and to business management within the practice.
Therefore, the 16 practices that have already implemented more advanced strategies in disease management benefited most from the collaborative process. They are our division’s clinical leaders.
As Tony Lembke says: “The collaborative process derives its power from working together ‘to turn the possible into the usual’. Participants were inspired by the interaction, newly forged friendships and the fun our team had learning and laughing together.
“We also discovered that we all loved dancing and as you can see from the photos we had a ball. Our performance of ‘Surfing PDSA’ and ‘Ain’t Time Wasting’ wowed the audience and demonstrated the cohesiveness of the fun loving Northern Rivers team.”
Sandi Hill says she is impressed with the myriad talents and achievements of the Wave 1 & 2 practices and admits enthusiastically that this is the best, most fun and rewarding change program with which she has ever been involved.
Wave 3 of the collaboratives program is just getting underway. The practices involved are: Shirley Street Family Clinic, Byron Bay, Lismore Clinic, Moon Street Medical Centre, Ballina, Ocean Shores Medical Centre, Cape Byron Medical Centre, Union Street Family Practice, Maclean, Holdsworth House, Byron Bay, and Mullumbimby Medical Centre.
For more information about the program, contact Sandi on 6622 4453 or shill@nrdgp.org.au.
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