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Table 2 Overview of self-reported effects, general characteristics and supplementary features of the included projects

From: Can quality improvement improve the quality of care? A systematic review of reported effects and methodological rigor in plan-do-study-act projects

Self-reported effects of QI project

 

27%

32/120

Quantitative aim was achieved

57%

68/120

Positive change - no quantitative aim

15%

18/120

Positive change - quantitative aim not reached

2%

2/120

No quantitative aim and no improvement

Included projects (n = 120)

General characteristics

Journal

44%

53/120

BMJ Quality Improvement Reports

5%

6/120

Pediatrics

4%

5/120

Journal of Oncology Practice

47%

56/120

Other journals

Country

43%

52/120

USA

36%

43/120

The UK

5%

6/120

Canada

4%

5/120

Singapore

3%

4/120

Saudi Arabia

2%

2/120

Australia

7%

8/120

Other

Reach

86%

103/120

Local

11%

13/120

Regional

3%

3/120

Nationwide

1%

1/120

Not stated

Area of healthcare

57%

68/120

Department

30%

36/120

Hospital-wide

13%

16/120

Other

Department specialty

30%

28/94

Pediatrics

14%

13/94

ICU/ED

13%

12/94

Surgery

12%

11/94

Psychiatry

11%

10/94

Internal Medicine

21%

20/94

Other

Supporting framework

58%

70/120

Not stated

33%

40/120

Model for Improvement

9%

11/120

Lean, Six-sigma or other frameworks

Documentation of PDSA cycles

Documentation category

19%

23/120

No details of cycles

21%

25/120

Themes of cycles but no additional details

50%

60/120

Details of individual cycles but not stages of cycles

10%

12/120

Details of cycles including separate information on stages of cycles

Included projects (n = 72), 48 excluded due to lack of documentation criteria

Iterative approach characteristics

Nature of cycles

3%

2/72

Single isolated cycle

18%

13/72

Multiple isolated cycles

57%

41/72

Iterative chain

5%

4/72

Multiple chains of isolated cycles

17%

12/72

Mix of iterative chains and isolated cycles

Several tests of change in a cycle

76%

55/72

Yes

24%

17/72

No

Small scale testing characteristics

Scope of QI effort

40%

29/72

Testing

46%

33/72

Implementing

0%

0/72

Spreading

13%

9/72

Testing and implementing

1%

1/72

Testing, implementing and spreading

Pre-project intention of testing under different conditions

0%

0/72

Yes

100%

72/72

No

Type of scaling when using small scale

10%

1/10

Unclear

70%

7/10

Increasing

20%

2/10

Non-increasing

Continuous data collection characteristics

Main type of data used

72%

52/72

Quantitative data

22%

16/72

Quantitative data with supplementary qualitative data

4%

3/72

Quantitative & qualitative data

1%

1/72

Quantitative data but not presented

Measurement type

67%

48/72

Regular three or more data points

25%

18/72

Before and after or per PDSA cycle(s)

7%

5/72

Single data point after PDSA cycle(s)

1%

1/72

No quantitative data reported

Use of baseline

90%

65/72

Yes

10%

7/72

No

Type of time series diagram

50%

24/48

Run Chart

50%

24/48

Control Chart

Theoretical rationale characteristics

Evidence based inspiration for the need for improvement

94%

68/72

Yes

6%

4/72

No

Origin of inspiration for QI intervention

36%

26/72

External knowledge, scientific literature, previous QI or benchmarking

29%

21/72

Internally developed knowledge, logical thinking

14%

10/72

A combination of internal and external

21%

15/72

Not stated