TY - JOUR
T1 - Understanding the conditions for improvement
T2 - research to discover which context influences affect improvement success
AU - Øvretveit, John
PY - 2011/4
Y1 - 2011/4
N2 - Context can be defined as all factors that are not part of a quality improvement intervention itself. More research indicates which aspects are 'conditions for improvement', which influence improvement success. However, little is known about which conditions are most important, whether these are different for different quality interventions or whether some become less or more important at different times in carrying out an improvement. Knowing more about these conditions could help speed up and spread improvements and develop the science. This paper proposes ways to build knowledge about the conditions needed for different changes, and to create conditional-attribution explanations to provide qualified generalisations. It describes theory-based, non-experimental research designs. It also suggests that 'practical improvers' can make their changes more effective by reflecting on and revising their own 'assumption-theories' about the conditions which will help and hinder the improvements they aim to implement.
AB - Context can be defined as all factors that are not part of a quality improvement intervention itself. More research indicates which aspects are 'conditions for improvement', which influence improvement success. However, little is known about which conditions are most important, whether these are different for different quality interventions or whether some become less or more important at different times in carrying out an improvement. Knowing more about these conditions could help speed up and spread improvements and develop the science. This paper proposes ways to build knowledge about the conditions needed for different changes, and to create conditional-attribution explanations to provide qualified generalisations. It describes theory-based, non-experimental research designs. It also suggests that 'practical improvers' can make their changes more effective by reflecting on and revising their own 'assumption-theories' about the conditions which will help and hinder the improvements they aim to implement.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79953182768&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1136/bmjqs.2010.045955
DO - 10.1136/bmjqs.2010.045955
M3 - Review article
C2 - 21450764
AN - SCOPUS:79953182768
SN - 2044-5415
VL - 20
SP - i18-i23
JO - BMJ Quality and Safety
JF - BMJ Quality and Safety
IS - SUPPL. 1
ER -