ECHO+: An Innovative Technology-Enabled Collaborative Learning and Quality Improvement Program Strengthening Rural Primary Care in Arkansas, West Virginia, and Oklahoma.

In this paper, we describe the Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes+ (ECHO+) model and evaluation plan for incorporating changes to primary care delivery, improving patient and clinician outcomes, and making long-term system improvements.

Quality and resilience of clinical laboratories in Rwanda: a need for sustainable strategies.

BACKGROUND: Quality healthcare is a global priority, reliant on robust health systems for evidence-based medicine. Clinical laboratories are the backbone of quality healthcare facilitating diagnostics, treatment, patient monitoring, and disease surveillance. Their effectiveness depends on sustainable delivery of accurate test results. Although the Strengthening Laboratory Management Towards Accreditation (SLMTA) programme has enhanced laboratory quality in low-income countries, the long-term sustainability of this improvement remains uncertain. OBJECTIVE: To explore the sustainability of quality performance in clinical laboratories in Rwanda following the conclusion of SLMTA. METHODS: A quasi-experimental design was adopted, involving 47 laboratories divided into three groups with distinct interventions. While one group received continuous mentorship and annual assessments (group two), interventions for the other groups (groups one and three) ceased following the conclusion of SLMTA. SLMTA experts collected data for 10 years through assessments using WHO's StepwiseLaboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA) checklist. Descriptive and t-test analyses were conducted for statistical evaluation. RESULTS: Improvements in quality were noted between baseline and exit assessments across all laboratory groups (mean baseline: 35.3%, exit: 65.8%, p < 0.001). However, groups one and three experienced performance declines following SLMTA phase-out (mean group one: 64.6% in reference to 85.8%, p = 0.01; mean group three: 57.3% in reference to 64.7%, p < 0.001). In contrast, group two continued to enhance performance even years later (mean: 86.6%compared to 70.6%, p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: A coordinated implementation of quality improvement plan that enables regular laboratory assessments to pinpoint and address the quality gaps is essential for sustaining quality services in clinical laboratories.

Main findings: We found that continuous laboratory quality improvement was achieved by laboratories that kept up with regular follow-ups, as opposed to those which phased out these followups prematurely.Added knowledge: This study has affirmed the necessity of maintaining mentorship and conducting regular quality assessments until requisite quality routines are established to sustain laboratory quality services.Global health impact for policy and action: These findings emphasise the significance of instituting a laboratory quality plan, with regular assessments, as policy directives to uphold and enhance quality standards, which benefits both local and global communities, given the pivotal role of laboratories in patient treatment, disease prevention, and surveillance.

[Reduction in malaria case-fatality rate after implementation of an emergency plan for improved case management in the Bittou health district, Burkina Faso]. / Réduction de la létalité du paludisme après la mise en œuvre d'un plan d'urgence pour l'amélioration de la prise en charge des cas dans le district sanitaire de Bittou, Burkina Faso.

Objective: To observe the evolution in malaria case-fatality rate among children under 5 years of age receiving care at the Bittou district hospital (CMA) after an improvement of the care practices. The management team implemented an emergency plan in 2016 with 5 components: i) health facilities staff sensitization to enable rapid referral of severe malaria cases to CMA; ii) reorganization of CMA paediatric emergencies to make a physician as the mainpoint of contact; iii) ensuring availability of supplies for severe malaria case management, including the availability of blood; iv) daily medical check-ups of hospitalized patients; v) reinforcement of clinical staff skills at all peripheral health facilities. At the same time were introduced i) free care for children under 5 years; ii) municipality involvement to finance ambulance fuel for the referrals of patients; iii) free blood collection in professional schools and soldiers; iv) a free telephone line between the health structures; v) presence of 5 medical doctors at the CMA. Material and methods: Analysis of data collected from the statistical yearbooks of the Ministry of Health of Burkina Faso from 2014 to 2021. Results: The malaria case-fatality rate (CFR) in under-five in the Bittou health district (1.39% and 1.52% in 2014 and 2015) was higher than the average for all districts in this region (1.08%). After implementation of the emergency plan, the malaria CFR in Bittou declined to 0% in 2016 and 2017, 0.2% in 2018, 0% in 2019, 0.07% in 2020 and 0.05% in 2021. The same trend was observed at the CMA level with 2.94% and 2.59% in 2014 and 2015, 0% in 2016 and 2017, 0.38% in 2018, 0% in 2019, then 0.17% and 0.47% in 2020 and 2021. Conclusion: Malaria control remains a challenge in Burkina Faso. However, the improved malaria CFRs observed in Bittou show that effective involvement of health district teams could potentially contribute to substantial reductions in malaria case-fatality risk.

Improving Barriers to Timely Colonoscopies: A New Approach to Overcoming Gaps in Medical Care.

This study investigates delays in transitioning from positive noninvasive multitarget stool DNA test results to scheduled diagnostic colonoscopies and identifies strategies aimed at improving patient care. A retrospective review revealed a 53% reduction in the average time from positive multitarget stool DNA test results to ordering colonoscopies postintervention. The findings demonstrate the significance of implementing a new communication system to expedite transitions in health care processes, showcasing its potential to significantly improve efficiency in patient care and health care provider workflows across various clinical testing scenarios. The findings emphasize the transformative impact of this communication system, shedding light on its ability to streamline processes and enhance patient care and staff experience.

Barriers and facilitators to health professionals' engagement in quality improvement initiatives: a mixed-methods systematic review.

Quality improvement (QI) initiatives in healthcare are crucial for enhancing service quality and healthcare outcomes. The success of these initiatives depends on the active engagement of healthcare professionals, which can be influenced by several factors within the healthcare system. This systematic review synthesized the factors influencing healthcare professionals' engagement in QI projects, focusing on identifying both barriers and facilitators. A mixed methods systematic review (MMSR) was conducted using the JBI methodology for MMSR. Databases such as MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, and Embase were searched for studies that explored barriers and facilitators to QI engagement of health professionals in the clinical setting. Methodological quality was assessed using the Mixed-Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). The extracted data were synthesized using the JBI convergent integrated approach to MMSR. Eighteen studies (seven qualitative, nine quantitative, and two mixed-methods) published between 2007 and 2023 were included in the review. The analysis revealed barriers and facilitators to engagement in QI initiatives at different levels of the health system. At the QI program level, the engagement of health professionals to QI was influenced by the approach to QI, evidence underpinning the QI initiative, QI knowledge and training, and access to QI specialists. At the health professional level, barriers and facilitators were related to their organizational role, motivation, perceptions about QI, and collaborations with individuals and groups. At the organizational level, factors related to culture and climate, leadership, available resources (including human resource and workload, infrastructure, and incentives), and institutional priorities influenced health professionals' participation in QI. This review highlights the complex interplay of organizational, individual, and QI program level factors that influence the engagement of healthcare professionals in QI. Overcoming these complex barriers and leveraging facilitators is crucial for enhancing participation in QI efforts. The findings underscore the need for a multi-level strategy that focuses on creating a conducive organizational culture, providing robust leadership, and ensuring adequate resources and training for healthcare professionals. Such strategies hold the potential to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of QI initiatives in healthcare settings.

Improving Maternal Health Care Quality and Outcomes: Evaluation of a Pregnancy Medical Home.

Current maternal care recommendations in the United States focus on monitoring fetal development, management of pregnancy complications, and screening for behavioral health concerns. Often missing from these recommendations is support for patients experiencing socioeconomic or behavioral health challenges during pregnancy. A Pregnancy Medical Home (PMH) is a multidisciplinary maternal health care team with nurse navigators serving as patient advocates to improve the quality of care a patient receives and health outcomes for both mother and infant. Using bivariate comparisons between PMH patients and reference groups, as well as interviews with project team members and PMH graduates, this evaluation assessed the impact of a PMH at an academic medical university on patient care and birth outcomes. This PMH increased depression screenings during pregnancy and increased referrals to behavioral health care. This evaluation did not find improvements in maternal or infant birth outcomes. Interviews found notable successes and areas for program enhancement.

The CLABSI Playbook: Design and Implementation of a Multipronged Approach to Decrease CLABSIs.

ABSTRACT: Central line-associated blood stream infections (CLABSIs) are a quality marker for the critical care environment. They have become an area of particular interest because they cost the healthcare system close to a billion dollars per year and have a significant impact on patient safety. Through a preliminary analysis of our system's CLABSI rates, we found significantly higher rates than the national average, prompting further investigation. We decreased our CLABSI rate by over 40% from 2021 (1.6 per 1,000 line days) to the fourth quarter of 2022 (0.91) and kept the rate below or around the national rate (0.86) for the last three quarters of 2022. Through looking at current outcome data, identifying key stakeholders, developing dedicated committees, conducting root cause analyses, monitoring progress, adjusting procedures, scaling to the system, and continuously monitoring and reporting results, we have shown the efficacy of this kind of quality improvement structure and strive to reduce our hospital system's impact on avoidable healthcare-associated patient harm.

Exploring the content and delivery of feedback facilitation co-interventions: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Policymakers and researchers recommend supporting the capabilities of feedback recipients to increase the quality of care. There are different ways to support capabilities. We aimed to describe the content and delivery of feedback facilitation interventions delivered alongside audit and feedback within randomised controlled trials. METHODS: We included papers describing feedback facilitation identified by the latest Cochrane review of audit and feedback. The piloted extraction proforma was based upon a framework to describe intervention content, with additional prompts relating to the identification of influences, selection of improvement actions and consideration of priorities and implications. We describe the content and delivery graphically, statistically and narratively. RESULTS: We reviewed 146 papers describing 104 feedback facilitation interventions. Across included studies, feedback facilitation contained 26 different implementation strategies. There was a median of three implementation strategies per intervention and evidence that the number of strategies per intervention is increasing. Theory was used in 35 trials, although the precise role of theory was poorly described. Ten studies provided a logic model and six of these described their mechanisms of action. Both the exploration of influences and the selection of improvement actions were described in 46 of the feedback facilitation interventions; we describe who undertook this tailoring work. Exploring dose, there was large variation in duration (15-1800 min), frequency (1 to 42 times) and number of recipients per site (1 to 135). There were important gaps in reporting, but some evidence that reporting is improving over time. CONCLUSIONS: Heterogeneity in the design of feedback facilitation needs to be considered when assessing the intervention's effectiveness. We describe explicit feedback facilitation choices for future intervention developers based upon choices made to date. We found the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change to be valuable when describing intervention components, with the potential for some minor clarifications in terms and for greater specificity by intervention providers. Reporting demonstrated extensive gaps which hinder both replication and learning. Feedback facilitation providers are recommended to close reporting gaps that hinder replication. Future work should seek to address the 'opportunity' for improvement activity, defined as factors that lie outside the individual that make care or improvement behaviour possible. REVIEW REGISTRATION: The study protocol was published at: https://www.protocols.io/private/4DA5DE33B68E11ED9EF70A58A9FEAC02 .

The use and application of Lean Management methods to research processes-a scoping review protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Waste in medical research is a relatively well-known issue. However, only a few initiatives exist to address this issue. Lean Management methods (Lean) were developed in industrial manufacturing and later applied within healthcare improvement. Overall, the results from studies of the application of Lean to healthcare appear to be positive in terms of greater efficiency regarding treatment outcomes and patient care. Nevertheless, the application of Lean to improve research processes is not well studied and, given that research alongside clinical practice and experiential knowledge provides the foundation for the treatment and care of patients, it is paramount to identify approaches and review the degree to which they increase efficiency within research procedures. Therefore, this review will scope the landscape of studies that investigated Lean and how to implement Lean in research processes, particularly regarding healthcare research. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Our approach follows the methodological framework of Arksey and O'Malley for conducting scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR). The search strategy for this scoping review was developed using the PCC model. We will identify the relevant literature by searching four search databases: Scopus, Web of Science, Academic Search Premier and Business Source Complete. Next, we will use citation pearl growing to identify all relevant published literature. The data charting process will follow the PRISMA-ScR checklist and will be organised using NVivo. We will generate qualitative and quantitative assessments of the extracted data by using NVivo, RStudio and Excel. We will follow the PRISMA-ScR guideline when reporting the results. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The review will comprise existing published studies and no primary data will be collected. Our findings will be shared through open access peer-reviewed journals, national and international conferences and emails to all relevant collaborative relationships. We plan to disseminate our findings via academic social media platforms, newspaper articles and blogposts.

Lessons Learned from a National Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Implementation Project.

BACKGROUND: The goal of antibiotic stewardship programs (ASPs) is to ensure that patients receive effective therapy while minimizing adverse events. To overcome barriers commonly faced in implementing successful ASPs, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) established a multifaceted, nationwide Safety Program for Improving Antibiotic Use in 2018. This report summarizes the lessons learned from the implementation of this initiative based on structured interviews of personnel from participating sites. METHODS: At the completion of the one-year initiative, semistructured exit interviews were conducted with site leaders at 151 of the 402 hospitals that participated. These interviews consisted of open-ended questions about the perceived effectiveness of components of the Safety Program. Qualitative analyses incorporated both deductive coding themes (based on existing literature) and an iteratively developed inductive coding framework (based on salient themes that emerged from a subset of interviews). RESULTS: Several components of the Safety Program were identified as effective in expanding local stewardship activities, including techniques and strategies to implement sustainable ASPs, access to Implementation Advisors to keep sites engaged, provision of local benchmarked antibiotic use data to compare to similar hospitals, and Safety Program materials such as the antibiotic time-out tool to integrate stewardship techniques into daily work flows. The biggest challenges to greater effectiveness were suboptimal frontline staff engagement and difficulty changing antibiotic prescribing culture. Some approaches used to overcome these barriers (peer-to-peer communication and education through team huddles, identifying physician champions, informal rounds to enhance collegiality and buy-in, and engagement of hospital leadership) were identified. CONCLUSION: Lessons learned from the Safety Program can be applied by other teams looking to promote an effective ASP at their hospital or system. The themes that emerged in this study likely also have relevance across a wide range of large-scale quality improvement initiatives.

Programmatic evaluation of interprofessional education: a quality improvement tool.

Robust demonstration of high-quality, fit-for-purpose interprofessional education (IPE) is essential for today's health professional students, staff, curricula, and regulatory bodies. As IPE moves from discrete "events" to fully embedded spirals of learning across degree programme curricula, effective mechanisms for monitoring continuous quality improvement are paramount. An accreditation tool was therefore developed for all learning activities contributing to the IPE curriculum of a university in Aotearoa New Zealand. We worked over 15 months, introducing a user-friendly tool to collect data, managing accreditation processes, and integrating with wider systems. We identified key levers to monitor, adjust, and continuously improve quality in IPE teaching and learning at individual-activity and programmatic levels.

Continuous Quality Improvement in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Technology Transfer Center Network: A Process Evaluation.

In healthcare and related fields, there is often a gap between research and practice. Scholars have developed frameworks to support dissemination and implementation of best practices, such as the Interactive Systems Framework for Dissemination and Implementation, which shows how scientific innovations are conveyed to practitioners through tools, training, and technical assistance (TA). Underpinning those aspects of the model are evaluation and continuous quality improvement (CQI). However, a recent meta-analysis suggests that the approaches to and outcomes from CQI in healthcare vary considerably, and that more evaluative work is needed. Therefore, this paper describes an assessment of CQI processes within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Technology Transfer Center (TTC) Network, a large TA/TTC system in the United States comprised of 39 distinct centers. We conducted key informant interviews (n = 71 representing 28 centers in the Network) and three surveys (100% center response rates) focused on CQI, time/effort allocation, and Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) measures. We used data from each of these study components to provide a robust picture of CQI within a TA/TTC system, identifying Network-specific concepts, concerns about conflation of the GPRA data with CQI, and principles that might be studied more generally.

Barriers and enablers for externally and internally driven implementation processes in healthcare: a qualitative cross-case study.

BACKGROUND: Quality in healthcare is a subject in need of continuous attention. Quality improvement (QI) programmes with the purpose of increasing service quality are therefore of priority for healthcare leaders and governments. This study explores the implementation process of two different QI programmes, one externally driven implementation and one internally driven, in Norwegian nursing homes and home care services. The aim for the study was to identify enablers and barriers for externally and internally driven implementation processes in nursing homes and homecare services, and furthermore to explore if identified enablers and barriers are different or similar across the different implementation processes. METHODS: This study is based on an exploratory qualitative methodology. The empirical data was collected through the 'Improving Quality and Safety in Primary Care - Implementing a Leadership Intervention in Nursing Homes and Homecare' (SAFE-LEAD) project. The SAFE-LEAD project is a multiple case study of two different QI programmes in primary care in Norway. A large externally driven implementation process was supplemented with a tracer project involving an internally driven implementation process to identify differences and similarities. The empirical data was inductively analysed in accordance with grounded theory. RESULTS: Enablers for both external and internal implementation processes were found to be technology and tools, dedication, and ownership. Other more implementation process specific enablers entailed continuous learning, simulation training, knowledge sharing, perceived relevance, dedication, ownership, technology and tools, a systematic approach and coordination. Only workload was identified as coincident barriers across both externally and internally implementation processes. Implementation process specific barriers included turnover, coping with given responsibilities, staff variety, challenges in coordination, technology and tools, standardizations not aligned with work, extensive documentation, lack of knowledge sharing. CONCLUSION: This study provides understanding that some enablers and barriers are present in both externally and internally driven implementation processes, while other are more implementation process specific. Dedication, engagement, technology and tools are coinciding enablers which can be drawn upon in different implementation processes, while workload acted as the main barrier in both externally and internally driven implementation processes. This means that some enablers and barriers can be expected in implementation of QI programmes in nursing homes and home care services, while others require contextual understanding of their setting and work.

Process management program to prevent falls in hospitalized patients with neuropsychiatric disorders: a quality improvement program.

BACKGROUND: Falls were among the most common adverse nursing events. The incidence of falls in patients with neuropsychiatric disorders was high, and the occurrence of falls not only caused physical and psychological harm to patients but also led to medical disputes. Therefore, interventions for falls prevention were essential, but evaluations of the intervention process were lacking. METHODS: In this study, a process management program to prevent falls based on the "structure-process-outcome" quality evaluation model was designed and applied to the clinical practice of falls prevention in hospitalized patients with neuropsychiatric disorders. The process quality evaluation checklist to prevent falls was used to supervise the implementation effect of intervention measures to prevent falls, identify the problems in the intervention measures, and make continuous improvements, to reduce the incidence of falls in such hospitalized patients as the final index. RESULTS: The incidence of inpatient falls decreased from 0.199‰ (0.199 per 1000 patient-days) to 0.101‰ (0.101 per 1000 patient-days) before and after the implementation of the process management program for 12 months, 24 months, and 36 months, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P < .05). The probability of falls was reduced by 49% after 36 months of monitoring. Furthermore, the proportion of patients at high risk of falls exhibited a downward trend. CONCLUSION: This quality improvement program was feasible and effective at reducing falls in hospitalized patients with neuropsychiatric disorders. Therefore, attention should be given to monitoring process quality in the management of falls.

Bypassing the Brick-and-Mortar Hospital: Increasing Direct Admissions from the Emergency Department to Inpatient Hospital-at-Home.

Home hospital programs continue to grow across the United States. There are limited studies around the process of patient selection and successful acquisition from the emergency department. The article describes how an interdisciplinary team used quality improvement methodology to significantly increase the number of admissions directly from the emergency department to the Advanced Care at Home program.

Improving Parental Knowledge of Medically Complex Neonates Through Scheduled Conferences.

Reports of parental dissatisfaction from incomplete or inconsistent information led to a quality improvement (QI) project to establish planned family conferences at 10 days and 1 month of life, for 50% of the medically complex neonates admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit within 1 year. A QI team instituted a system in which social workers scheduled family conferences and a neonatologist conducted the conferences. Team members tracked measures using statistical process control charts over 21 months. The QI team scheduled conferences for greater than 80% of eligible families, with an 86% completion rate on days 10 and 30, exceeding project goals of 50%. The majority of the families surveyed were satisfied with the meetings. Only 2% of parents surveyed found meetings burdensome, compared to 14% of physicians. A sustainable method for scheduling meetings and preparation for conferences, including the use of a template led to success.

Integrating a Community-Based Health Information System with a Patient-Centered Medical Home to improve care of patients with hypertension: a longitudinal observational study protocol.

BACKGROUND: The primary healthcare system in Pakistan focuses on providing episodic, disease-based care. Health care for low-middle income communities is largely through a fee-for-service model that ignores preventive and health-promotive services. The growing burden of cardiovascular illnesses requires restructuring of the primary health care system allowing a community-to-clinic model of care to improve patient- and community-level health indicators. METHODS: We propose a model that integrates a Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) with a Community-Based Health Information System (CBHIS) using hypertension (HTN) as an example. This protocol describes the integration and evaluation of the PCMH-CBHIS infrastructure through a population-based, observational, longitudinal study in a low-middle income, urban community in Pakistan. Participants are being enrolled in CBHIS and will be followed longitudinally over two years for HTN outcomes. A mixed-methods approach is adopted to evaluate the process of integrating PCMH with CBHIS. This involves building partnerships with the community through formal and informal meetings, focus group discussions, and a household health assessment survey (HAS). Community members identified with HTN are linked to PCMH for disease management. A customized electronic medical record system links community-level data with patient-level data to track changes in disease burden. The RE-AIM evaluation framework will be used to monitor community and individual-level metrics to guide implementation assessment, the potential for generalization, and the effectiveness of the PCMH in improving HTN-related health outcomes. Ethical clearance has been obtained from the Ethics Review Committee at Aga Khan University (2022-6723-20985). DISCUSSION: This study will evaluate the value of restructuring the primary care health system by ensuring systematic community engagement and measurement of health indicators at the patient- and community-level. While HTN is being used as a prototype to generate evidence for the effectiveness of this model, findings from this initiative will be leveraged towards strengthening the management of other acute and chronic conditions in primary care settings. If effective, the model can be used in Pakistan and other LMICs and resource-limited settings.

Development of a Web-Based Oxygenation Dashboard for Preterm Neonates: A Quality Improvement Initiative.

BACKGROUND: Preterm neonates are extensively monitored to require strict oxygen target attainment for optimal outcomes. In daily practice, detailed oxygenation data are hardly used and crucial patterns may be missed due to the snapshot presentations and subjective observations. This study aimed to develop a web-based dashboard with both detailed and summarized oxygenation data in real-time and to test its feasibility to support clinical decision making. METHODS: Data from pulse oximeters and ventilators were synchronized and stored to enable real-time and retrospective trend visualizations in a web-based viewer. The dashboard was designed based on interviews with clinicians. A preliminary version was evaluated during daily clinical rounds. The routine evaluation of the respiratory condition of neonates (gestational age < 32 weeks) with respiratory support at the NICU was compared to an assessment with the assistance of the dashboard. RESULTS: The web-based dashboard included data on the oxygen saturation (SpO2), fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2), SpO2/FiO2 ratio, and area < 80% and > 95% SpO2 curve during time intervals that could be varied. The distribution of SpO2 values was visualized as histograms. In 65% of the patient evaluations (n = 86) the level of hypoxia was assessed differently with the use of the dashboard. In 75% of the patients the dashboard was judged to provide added value for the clinicians in supporting clinical decisions. CONCLUSIONS: A web-based customized oxygenation dashboard for preterm neonates at the NICU was developed and found feasible during evaluation. More clear and objective information was found supportive for clinicians during the daily rounds in tailoring treatment strategies.

A multiphase, multicentre development and validation of two maturity tools assessing the implementation of the FlaQuM co-creation roadmap.

As part of the new Flanders Quality Model (FlaQuM) towards sustainable quality management systems, a co-creation roadmap with 6 primary drivers and 19 building blocks that guides healthcare organizations has been developed. Currently, no assessment tool is available to monitor hospitals' quality management systems implementation according to this co-creation roadmap. Therefore, we aimed to measure the maturity of the implementation of the FlaQuM co-creation roadmap in hospitals. A three-phase approach in co-design with 19 hospitals started with defining the scope, followed by establishing content validity through a literature review, involvement of content experts (n = 47), 20 focus groups with content experts (n = 79), and a Delphi round with healthcare quality managers (n = 19) to test the content validity index. Construct validity was assessed by confirmatory factor analyses and convergent validity by Spearman's ρ correlation coefficients. Based on 17 included existing maturity instruments and subcomponents of content experts, two maturity tools were developed according to the implementation of the FlaQuM co-creation roadmap: (i) a maturity matrix with 52 subcomponents and (ii) a co-creation scan with 19 statements. The overall scale-content validity index varied between 93.3% and 90.0% in terms of relevance and clarity, respectively. In a sample of 119 healthcare professionals, factor analyses revealed a six-factor structure and 16 (84.2%) of the 19 hypothesis for testing convergent validity between both maturity tools were statistically significant. Measuring the implementation of the FlaQuM co-creation roadmap and monitoring its maturity over time should be feasible by using these comprehensive maturity tools in hospitals. Results of both tools should be able to describe the current state of hospitals' implementation of the co-creation roadmap as basis for strategic improvement plans and next steps.

Contextual factors and mechanisms in the implementation of Value Stream Mapping in breast cancer centres - A multiple case study.

INTRODUCTION: Lean, especially Value Stream Mapping is increasingly used in hospitals to optimize processes. This method, which originated in the automotive industry, enables all staff involved in the process to make it more customer-friendly. Despite the widely reported success of Lean projects, they have failed in some cases. This study investigated the contextual factors and mechanisms that contribute to a successful implementation of Value Stream Mapping. METHODS: Value Stream Mapping was applied to the discharge process in four breast cancer centers. A mixed-method approach was used in two steps. First, to verify the successful implementation, defined as time optimization, time measurement was conducted at three points in time and analyzed using an ANOVA. Second, an analysis of contextual factors was combined with a qualitative content analysis of mechanisms based on normalization process theory, using routine data, meeting protocols, field notes, and interview transcripts as data source. RESULTS: At one of the four breast cancer centers, lead- and waiting time were significantly reduced; at the others, these reductions did not occur. Failure/success cannot be explained by the size of the hospital, the number of cases or staffing levels. The variable project team composition is evident, especially leadership involvement. DISCUSSION: A comparative analysis was conducted to identify the factors that led to success. These factors were: participation of all leaders relevant to the process, in the case of the discharge process including medical and nursing leaders; dissemination of the changes from the project team to colleagues including its sense and possibility to discuss it; joint reflection of the implementation process in regular work team meetings. CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm the important role of leadership in implementation projects. Leadership support enabled the mechanisms found. The used combination of theoretical approaches from management research and implementation science determined the interpretation and should be applied more often in implementation science.