As a catalyst for continuous quality improvement (QI), the OHQC is involved in championing evidence on how to achieve the best possible care, in encouraging the adoption of QI methodologies and skills, and in providing expertise in QI to healthcare organizations.

For example, in May 2008, in conjunction with the Ontario Hospital Association and the Canadian Institute for Healthcare Information, we offered a “QI 101,” two-day program for Ontario hospitals, which focused on the Hospital Standardized Mortality Rate. In the past year, we have been working with Family Health Teams (FHTs) and Community Health Centres (CHCs) to improve access to primary care, as part of the Quality Improvement and Innovation Partnership (QIIP) . Our role has been to act as faculty for access and a portion of the efficiency curriculum, but also to provide training in access concepts to QIIP facilitators.

Currently, with the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO) and the Canadian Association of Wound Care (CAWC) as our partners – and with the support of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s Performance Improvement and Compliance Branch – we are involved in the Pressure Ulcer Awareness Program (PUAP). Our role has been to contribute to the design of a learning collaborative involving 30 long-term care sites, to develop the QI portion of the curriculum and provide training to a group of 35 facilitators. These facilitators will ultimately play a lead role in supporting implementation of measures designed to prevent pressure ulcers in 30 LTC homes across the province.

On January 19th, all 30 sites came together over a period of two days, for the first of three PUAP collaborative sessions, followed by the one on May 21 & 22.   Learning Session 3 will be held Sept 29-30 and final Congress on December 1st .

On March 16th and 17th, Long Term care facilitators came together for a two-day workshop in Toronto. The workshop drew over 120 participants from several long-term care homes (follow this link to access materials from this workshop). The second workshop was on April 20 & 21 with over 80 participants from the Long Term Care sector.

For more information about our QI activities, or if you have any questions about QI, please contact Kavitha Ganapathy by e-mail at Kavitha.Ganapathy@ohqc.ca