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Collaboratives method and innovation: The souffle effect |
 Jane Barach (Lennox), Lynne Davies (Tintenbar) and Heather O'Hehir (Keen St)
The collaboratives program continues to achieve its aim of improving systems for managing chronic disease.
The Wave 3 practice representatives attending their first learning workshop in Melbourne in July found it an inspiration and returned enthusiastic to begin to reshape their chronic disease management. As with the two previous waves, these GPs and practice staff were very motivated to share ideas and empowered by the awareness that they could help each other achieve improvements.
Dr Ken White from Keen St Clinic and Ros Hollis, RN at the Clarence Medical Centre both delivered excellent presentations on diabetes and Kingsley Pearson inspired participants with the developments in Prema House that have freed up access to chronic disease management (see accompanying article).
Tony Lembke remains the clinical chair of the National Primary Chair Collaborative for wave 3 and Lynne Davies has been appointed chair of the coronary heart disease expert reference panel.
Collaboratives method assists the spread of innovation.
Eight practices in the Northern Rivers began the collaboratives journey eighteen months ago, another eight joined them twelve months ago and now another seven have embarked. They represent 39% of practices in the area,
Representatives from 12 of the first 16 practices met in July at Paupiettes to share ideas and stories of their journeys. It was an inspiring evening for all, and it certainly validated that they were on the right track.
The National Primary Care Collaborative program has taught them a proven methodology and given them the areas of diabetes, coronary heart disease and access, as well as the tools, to hone their skills on. If this was all they learned, it would be hugely beneficial.
But they learned much more. They learned to question the status quo.
The improvement journey invites you to question why things are the way they are. Questioning is the pre-requisite to studying and analysing any situation. When we have the facts, then we can consider what we would like to see happen. This in turn leads to action and that action will hopefully lead to improvement.
They learned that the word ‘spread’ is a misnomer, that a better word is reinvention because innovations always change as they spread. In a successful diffusion process, the original innovation itself mutates into many different but related innovations. This universal reinvention process may be related to Gerald Nadler’s insufficiently famous ‘uniqueness principle’ that states “no two problems are the same”. And neither are any two solutions.
They also learned that
Improving is like peeling an onion. Each change idea leads to many new layers and more ideas. They never could have known at the start where they would be now, and that the process never stops.
They acknowledged what all change leaders know, that it is a good but hard road, and that at times, change leaders need to recharge their energy for change. For the Hippicratics (Wave 1 team) and the Waveriders (Wave 2 team), getting together, enjoying a meal, good company and the chance to share stories of their journeys, is one such rejuvenator.
As Jane Barach from Lennox Head Medical Centre said: “Had a ball Sandi, thanks for organising it, loved the round table (ideas factory) and the fast paced format.”
Creating time for change is another important factor. They all agreed that the journey has only just begun and they look forward to meeting again to share their progress as well as to embrace the Wave 3 practices into the group.
Sandi Hill is the division’s collaboratives program manager.
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