Launch of Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) eLearning module
AMSANT is pleased to announce the launch of the new CQI eLearning module, which has been created in collaboration with the Remote Area Health Corps (RAHC).
John Paterson, CEO of AMSANT said “We are proud to lead the NT CQI Strategy and to support both Aboriginal Community Controlled and NT Government Primary Health Services to provide high quality health care to Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory. This eLearning module will build skills and knowledge in CQI for NT health staff.”
The eLearning module will be hosted on the RAHC eLearning site and linked through the AMSANT CQI webpage. The RAHC modules provide free, high quality and easy-to-access education on health issues prevalent in the remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health context.
The CQI eLearning module is available to all Health Professionals (HPs) and anyone interested in remote and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.
The CQI eLearning module introduces Health Professionals (HPs) to continuous quality improvement. It provides important information and practical strategies for improving the quality of care provided to individuals, their families and the wider community.
This eLearning module aims to:
- introduce CQI and discuss its implementation in primary health care centres and services throughout the NT
- provide a framework for improving systems of care and health outcomes
- provide information about the support and training available through the NT CQI strategy
- demonstrate how data can be used to help teams improve the quality of care they deliver.
- explore some of the tools and strategies used for implementing CQI.
This module will be a valuable resource for all team members involved in providing care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in remote communities, regional towns and urban centres.
“We are so pleased to be able to make this module available free of charge to anyone who wants to know more about the basics of Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI). This module will explain the Northern Territory’s approach to supporting all Aboriginal Primary Health care services to implement CQI in their own health centres to achieve local improvement priorities” Kerry Copley – AMSANT CQI Program Coordinator Top End and Louise Patel – AMSANT CQI Program Coordinator Central Australia and the Barkly.
THE NORTHERN TERRITORY CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT STRATEGY
The NT Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Strategy is part of a suite of primary health care (PHC) reforms implemented to improve the quality of health service delivery and health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in the NT.
The NT CQI Strategy has been funded by the Commonwealth Government since 2009 – initially under the Expanding Health Services Delivery Initiative and now by the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO). Aboriginal community controlled and government managed health services participate in the Strategy, which is endorsed by the NT Aboriginal Health Forum. Governance is provided by the NT CQI Steering Committee.
Aims
- The NT CQI Strategy aims to support sustainable, long-term health service improvement by:
- embedding CQI across Aboriginal* PHC in the Northern Territory
- ensuring CQI is core business for every PHC service
- ensuring CQI is everybody’s business.
Embedding CQI requires an enabling organisational environment and a skilled workforce. To achieve the aims of the strategy, there has been sustained investment in building CQI knowledge and skills at local and strategic levels, and providing health services with a range of tools and strategies to enable them to actively engage in quality improvement.
What is continuous quality improvement?
There are various definitions of CQI. A widely accepted definition of CQI is “… a structured organisational process for involving health service managers and staff in planning and implementing a continuous flow of improvements to provide health care that meets or exceeds expectations.”
For the purposes of comprehensive PHC in the NT, we define CQI as …
… an ongoing process of identifying strengths and gaps in health service systems and implementing and testing changes to increase safety and efficiency and improve client and staff satisfaction.
Or put simply …
… best quality care delivered to EVERY person EVERY time
CQI should be responsive to local needs and priorities. Clinical and non-clinical data are used to drive and inform change for improvement, and PHC teams are encouraged to use of a range of CQI tools and processes to achieve their quality improvement goals.
To download the ‘NT CQI Strategy’ document click on the image below
