Team-Based Care Pathway Stage 4
Team Performance and Quality Improvement
In this stage the focus may be on strengthening, sustaining and optimizing team performance. The team may be working towards quality improvement, targeted patient support needs and/or developing an evaluation of patient-centred, team-based care.
Build a quality improvement mindset as a team
Here’s what to consider in the ‘Team Performance and Quality Improvement’ phase:
What have we learned as a team, and how can we apply that to quality improvement initiatives?
Implementing team-based care is a process of change management and quality improvement (QI). It involves a long-term commitment to a culture of collaboration and shared leadership. By continuously reflecting on current practices, team vision and goals, teams can set the stage to improve and optimize team performance and, ultimately, patient care.
- Optimizing the team should include assessing the patient experience and identifying areas for the team to set improvement goals. The Family Practice Services Committee’s Practice Support Program can support your practice’s quality improvement goals.
- A key focus of TBC is to ensure that services are information technology enabled. See Family Practice Services Committee’s series on EMR optimization for helpful tips.
- Watch: Leadership in Quality Improvement video for inspiration on leading QI.
- Try the QI Team Members Matrix Worksheet to help you get started.
- See liberating structures for other facilitation ideas to get your team talking about QI.
How do we test a change to see if it results in an improvement?
Quality involves engaging in continuous attempts to improve. As a team, learn how to set a goal, create a clear aim statement and start with small, measurable tests of change.
- Try the PDSA Worksheet to set goals and test changes as a team.
- The Division of Family Practice QI Toolkit outlines how to plan, measure, implement and sustain your QI ideas.
- Remember, QI is a team sport! Involve all members of the team, and patients and families whenever possible, when working on improvement efforts.
Looking for other quality improvement and team functioning ideas?
Health Quality BC has a wide variety of resources, webinars and toolkits on quality improvement in health care.
- Use the BC Health Quality Matrix to frame your quality improvement focus.
- The Engaging People in Quality Improvement (EPIQ) toolkit is a great foundation for QI basics to get your team working together to improve.
- Consider sharpening your skills around Psychological Safety for Teams.
- Listen to the Team Up! Podcast on High-Functioning Teams.
For additional supports for your TBC journey see:
- Doctors of BC: Practice Improvement Program Team-Based Care Coaches – psp@doctorsofbc.ca
- Rural Coordination Centre of BC (RCCbc) Quality Coaching Program
- Your local Health Authority may have Team-Based Care supports available
- If you are part of a Primary Care Network there may be Change Management supports available. See your local Division of Family Practice for more information
- UBC Innovation Support Unit – Department of Family Practice
- Team-Based Care BC maintains an expert list of leaders and content experts across the province and can help you find the support you need
As always, if you know of a great resource or tool that should be added to this pathway or the teambasedcarebc.ca website, please contact us at info@teambasedcarebc.ca.
Even for well-established teams, it can be useful to revisit things like vision and purpose, and consider elements like team complement and efficient space design. Communication is an essential element to effective, high-quality team-based care, so finding time to work on this is key! Investing in time to huddle, connect and communicate will pay off in the long run for your patients, and your practice. Finally, the most important aspect of team-based care is the patient. Remember to place the patient at the centre of the team, and ensure that cultural safety and humility are guiding your practice. We wish you all the best in your TBC journey!