Improvement Foundation wins tender to build OATSIH web portal
The Improvement Foundation and OBS are proud to announce they will be implementing a project to develop a web based reporting tool (web portal) for the Department of Health and Ageing’s Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health (OATSIH)… Click here to read more.

Quality Improvement Tools
A new addition to our newsletter is an introduction to quality improvement tools. There are a range of quality Improvement tools that can be used for mapping processes, generating ideas and identifying opportunities for improvement. This edition explores the use of the Pareto Principle.

Pareto
The Pareto Principle is a useful tool that works on the principle that 20% of causes are generally responsible for 80% of the results. Using this information, users are able to identify the most efficient causes and implement new processes to utilise these.
To download the Pareto Principle fact sheet, click here.

Upcoming CQI Workshops - Adelaide

If you’d like to learn about quality improvement tools and how to use them, the Improvement Foundation is pleased to announce there are still a few spots left in the upcoming Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) workshops in Adelaide. Register now and pay only our discounted price of $500 + taxes, per person.

Introduction to CQI – Thursday 29^th July 2010
Exploring QI tools – Friday 30^th 2010

Click here for more information and to register for the workshops.

Building Champion Teams

Having a happy and motivated team is essential for a productive workforce and successful organisation. For example, at the Improvement Foundation, we  pulled together a group of volunteers from within the team, and called them the EPIC (Enhancing Performance Improving Culture) team. EPIC focuses on enhancing the working life of all staff at the Improvement Foundation by giving us opportunities to suggest ideas and offer feedback of office processes and activities, through a suggestion box. EPIC looks at professional development opportunities for staff and also coordinates fun team building activities, such as: health promotion initiatives; outside of work social activities; lunchtime office activities; and involvement in charity fundraising events.

Visit the ‘Ideas for Improvement’ page on the APCC website for more team building ideas. http://www.apcc.org.au/sharing_ideas/change_ideas/

What has your workplace done to build the team? Send your ideas for improvement to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and we’ll share them generously through the APCC website.

Microsoft Features the Improvement Foundation in Case Study

Recently, the Improvement Foundation was approached by Microsoft to do a case study on their use of Microsoft's SharePoint technology. "We are proud to be seen by Microsoft as leaders with regards to the way we use this technology. We have seen a range of opportunities for its application in primary healthcare and we continue to embrace that as we move forward" says Colin Frick, IF Chief Operating Officer. To view the video case study, please click here.

APCC in the Media
‘The Collaboratives Experiment’ Medical Observer

"The Australian Primary Care Collaboratives has received glowing reviews from GPs. But does it have a long term future?" Click here to read the full article.

Closing the Gap Local Waves

The Improvement Foundation commenced its first round of ‘Closing the Gap' local waves in July. This local wave was launched in Queensland, with a second wave commencing in Victoria in August. For more information about the ‘Closing the Gap' local waves, please click here, email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or phone (08) 8422 7400.

APCC Measures updated to align with Closing the Gap Local Wave

An APCC Expert Reference Panel met recently to discuss measures for the Closing the Gap (CtG) local wave. It was recommended that the changes be adopted not only for the CtG wave, but for all current and future APCC waves. A list of all of the updated measures can be found in the document titled ‘APCC Summary of Measures’. Click here to view this resource. The Improvement Foundation encourages health services to get into good habits and submit all available measures each month. This supports the health service team to effectively monitor data across a broad range of areas, and identifies opportunities for further improvement work.

Wave 4 & 5 Results

The latest result graphs for waves 4 and 5 have now been uploaded to the APCC website. Visit the Results page on the APCC website to view the full reports.

COPD & CDPSM LW3

The third and final workshop of wave 5 (COPD & CDPSM), was held in Brisbane in May. More than 150 delegates from 89 health services across Australia attended the event.

Some comments from the evaluations are below:

"Really motivating to hear how others address our common issues. Great to see how we are all moving forward to improve patient outcomes in the community."

"Table top presentation very good. Speakers seem to be more relevant and better presentations."

"Thanks so much for the excellent organisation of this workshop. A credit to all involved. We will certainly take more ideas back to our practice and will certainly remember to embrace the Collaborative principles."

Suffering PDSA Fatigue?

Suffering from PDSA fatigue? When you feel like you couldn’t possibly face another PDSA, spare a thought for the engineering team at Dyson. In 1978, James Dyson thought he could improve the way the humble vacuum cleaner worked, so he set to work. 5 years and 5,127 prototypes later, the world's first bagless vacuum cleaner from Dyson arrived.  http://www.dyson.com.au/about/story/default.asp?searchType=story&story=newidea

What’s the highest number of PDSAs you’ve completed to implement change in your Division or health service?  Send us your stories of improvement to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) so we can share them generously through the APCC website.