Musculoskeletal conditions health care quality indicators (WP6)
Work package Leader: Lund University, Sweden
Duration: M12 - M30 (19 months)
Deliverables
D 13 Health Care Quality Indicators for key musculoskeletal conditions (specific to this WP). The HCQI will be disseminated through the network developed during the project and, in particular, through 80 EULAR member organisations, Associated and Collaborating Partners' communication channels, through the website and scientific publications. Target users: health practitioners, NGOs, Patients Associations and policy makers.
D 14 An Audit Tool will be developed to assess the current status of meeting the SOC. The audit tool will be disseminated through EULAR 80 member organisations, the project network, Associated and Collaborating partners website, newsletter, meetings, workshops. Target users: health practitioners, NGOs and policy makers.
D 15 A full report of the HCQI and current status of meeting these standards (specific to this WP) for key musculoskeletal conditions (specific to this WP). A summary of HCQI and of the current status of meeting these standards will be produced for distribution at the EULAR congress 14.000 delegates (specific to this WP). The full report, including the audit tool, and the summary will be disseminated through EULAR 80 member organisations, the project network, Associated and Collaborating partners website, newsletter, meetings, workshops. Target users: health practitioners, NGOs and policy makers.
Tasks and methods
1. Form a Working Group
The Working Group will be formed by 7 people drawn from the Associated Partners based on expertise relevant to the WP. The other APs, CPs and other members of the Surveillance Network will act as advisors to the WP.
2. Develop health care quality indicators (HCQI)
The Working Group will work with a researcher under the supervision of the WP Lead to develop health care quality indicators (HCQI) which can be used to monitor the processes and outcome of health care for musculoskeletal conditions and meet criteria of HCQI OECD Project. A preliminary list of indicators will be developed by review by the researcher of SOC, recommended targets for individuals and considering what human and physical resources within health systems are needed for their delivery. Indicators should consider structures, processes and outcomes relevant to achieving optimal musculoskeletal health. They need to be scientifically sound (face validity, content validity, reliability) and fit for international comparison.
Consensus for the final recommended HCQI among the Working Group will be reached through the organisation of two meetings by the WP Lead of the Working Group and on line communication with APs and CPs. Availability of the data will be considered in developing recommended HCQI - whether already routinely collected in the Member States or whether feasible to collect if not currently available.
3. Develop audit tool for Standards of Care and Health Care Quality Indicators
The WP Lead with the researcher and support of the Working Group will develop an audit tool that can be used across the Member States to measure the achievement of the agreed SOC and HCQI.
4. Audit of SOC and HCQI
A survey will be conducted by the researcher using the audit tool within at least 4 Member States in order to pilot the SOC and HCQI identified.
5. Identification of examples of good practice
Examples of good practice that are achieving SOC and meeting HCQI will be identified from this audit and from other Member States via collaborating partners. The audit tool will set criteria to identify good practices. It will be a sort of check list including indicators and a range between which the measures of the indicators should fall.
6. Dissemination
The HCQI, audit tool and examples of good practice will be disseminated to all target groups, including health practitioner, patients associations, advocates, NGOs, policy makers through EULAR 80 member organisations, the project network, Associated and Collaborating partners website, newsletter, meetings, workshops.
A full report on the HCQI will be prepared by the WP Lead with contribution by the Working Group. The full report will be available on the web site in English and printed in a limited n. of copies in English for relevant stakeholders including policy makers. A summary will be prepared, translated in all the 23 EU official languages and printed for a wide distribution at the EULAR congresses. It will also be available on the website.
Responsibilities of Work Package Leader
Lund, Sweden is responsible for the delivery of all the tasks in this Work Package and of the deliverables linked to this Work Package, according to the agreed schedule and within the agreed budget. In detail:
1. WP Lead and the Steering Committee will form a Working Group from the Associated Partners.
2. WP Lead will appoint and supervise a researcher who will, with the support of the Working Group, develop health care quality indicators (HCQI), which can be used to monitor the outcome of health care for musculoskeletal conditions and meet criteria of HCQI OECD Project. This will be by review of SOC, recommended targets for individuals and agreeing how health systems can be monitored for their delivery.
3. WP Lead will reach consensus for the HCQI among the Working Group through on line communication and meetings.
4. WP Lead will organise two meetings of the Working Group to help reach consensus. 5. WP Lead with the researcher and support of the Working Group will develop an audit tool that can be used across the MS to measure the achievement of the agreed SOC and HCQI.
6. The researcher, under supervision of the WP Lead, will conduct a survey using the audit tool within at least 4 MS in order to pilot the SOC and HCQI identified.
7. WP Lead will, via associated and collaborating partners, identify examples of good practice from this audit and from other MS.
8. WP Lead will prepare, with contribution by the Working Group, a full report on the HCQI. The report along with the audit tool and examples of good practice will be available on the web site in English and printed in a limited number of copies in English and disseminated to relevant stakeholders and policy makers.
9. WP Lead will prepare a summary, translated in all the EU official languages and printed for a wide distribution. It will also be available on the website.
