Dare County: Consumer and Community Survey
- Details
- Last Updated on Tuesday, 10 March 2015 22:01
Name of Health Department: Dare County Health and Human Services
Project Title: Dare County: Consumer and Community Survey
Project Team Lead & Contact Information
Laura Willingham
Human Service Planner
Dare County Health and Human Services
109 Exeter St
Manteo, NC 27954
Phone: 252-475-5079
Project Summary
We aim to improve our consumer and community survey tools and data collection process (Phase 1) by August 2013, and develop a data analyses process and implementation of improvements based on quality feedback from our consumers and community (Phase 2) by January 2014. This is important because it will help us continually improve the services we provide to assure they meet the needs of our community. We will utilize QI methods and tools to understand our current process and identify ways to improve.
Background Information on the Area for Improvement
Problems being addressed: Poor Survey tools, Poor data collected, Lack of consistent data collection processes, Lack of process for implementation of improvements. Goals: Get better Feedback from our consumers and community and better understand the needs of our consumers and community. Improve our survey tools, Improve our survey processes, Improve our survey analyses and change implementation processes. Collect and utilize feedback to make improvements to our department and services to better meet the needs of our consumers and community. Make improvements based on quality feedback to better meet the needs of our consumers and community.
Need for the QI Initiative
How was the need for the QI Initiative determined?Support for project: A Strong QI team, Accreditation support, 4 benchmarks associated with this process (Benchmark 27.1, 27.2, 27.3, 30.8) Large gap between current and desired status, Can be completed in 2-3 months, Low resistances from staff, Feedback from clients/community could help direct us to other QI areas/projects.
Project Aim:
We aim to improve our clinic consumer and community survey tools and data collection process (Phase 1) by August 2013, and develop a data analyses process and implementation of improvements based on quality feedback from our consumers and community (Phase 2) by January 2014. This is important because it will help us continually improve the services we provide to assure they meet the needs of our community. We will utilize QI methods and tools to understand our current process and identify ways to improve.
Project Dates
Initiative Begin Date: August 2012Initiative End Date: September 2013
Accreditation Status
Are you accredited by the NC Accreditation Program? YesAre you PHAB accredited? Yes
QI Tools/Methods Used
- Value Stream Map
- PDSA Worksheet,
- 8 Waste Worksheet
- Surveys
- Standard Work
- Gemba Walk
- Gemba Walk Worksheet
Root Cause
- Poor Survey tools
- Poor data collected
- Lack of consistent data collection processes
- Lack of process for implementation of improvements
- No roles or responsibilities established
- No department wide support No team approach
Implementation of the QI Initiative
- 1st PDSA cycle 1- Consumer Survey, Get Patient feedback on survey
- 1st PDSA cycle 2- Consumer Survey, Get Staff input on patient survey
- 1st PDSA cycle 3- Consumer survey, Patient Focus Groups with “new” consumer survey
- 1st PDSA cycle 4-Consumer survey, Staff Focus Groups on “new” Consumer Survey
- 2nd PDSA cycle 1-Community Survey, Get community input on community surveys
- 2nd PDSA cycle 2- Community survey, Get Staff input on “new” Community Survey
- 2nd PDSA cycle 3-Community survey, Test “new” Community Survey with Community Focus Groups
- 2nd PDSA cycle 4- Community survey, Test revised Community survey with final round of staff
Measurable QI Outcomes
- Measure: Staff satisfaction with current surveys and processes
- Operational Definition: The opinion of clinic and HEO staff regarding satisfaction of the current process for collecting feedback from our patients and our community.
- Baseline:
- Patient: 28% of staff were satisfied with current process
- Community: 15% of staff were satisfied with current process
- Goal 40%, 40%
- Post data 87.5%, 87.5%
- Measure: Staff familiarity with current surveys and processes
- Operational Definition: The opinion of clinic and HEO staff regarding familiarity of the current process for collecting feedback from our patients and our community.
- Baseline:
- Patient: 54% of staff were familiar with the current process
- Community: 22% of staff were familiar with the current process
- Goal: 60%, 60%
- Post data: 81.3%, 75.1%
- Measure: Increase the number of consumer surveys completed
- Operational Definition: The number of physical Patient Input Surveys completed.
- Baseline: 35
- Goal: 70
- Post data: 115
- Measure: Increase the number of community surveys completed
- Operational Definition: The number of physical Community Input Surveys completed.
- Baseline:5
- Goal: 25
- Post data:76
- Measure: Increase the response rate of our community surveys
- Operational Definition: The number of Community Input Surveys completed compared to the number of surveys administered.
- Baseline: 5%
- Goal: 50%
- Post data: 75%
Intangible Benefits
- Staff gained QI skills
- Team approach worked well
- Regular Staff Communication worked well
- QI culture has improved
- Staff feedback is all positive
- Needed processes were established
- Sustainability is key
Areas for Improvement and Change Ideas Implemented
Improvement 1
- 1st PDSA Cycle 1- Consumer Survey, Get Patient feedback on survey
- 1st PDSA Cycle 2- Consumer Survey, Get Staff input on patient survey
- 1st PDSA cycle 3- Consumer survey, Patient Focus Groups with “new” consumer survey
- 1st PDSA cycle 4-Consumer survey, Staff Focus Groups on “new” Consumer Survey
Improvement 2
- 2nd PDSA cycle 1-Community Survey, Get community input on community surveys
- 2nd PDSA cycle 2- Community survey, Get Staff input on “new” Community Survey
- 2nd PDSA cycle 3-Community survey, Test “new” Community Survey with Community Focus Groups
- 2nd PDSA cycle 4- Community survey, Test revised Community survey with final round of staff
Lessons Learned
- Lessons Learned Patient Satisfaction Survey:
- Communication was key.
- All staff emails and huddles were vital.
- More “Stars” and reminders needed to be provided in toolkits.
- Toolkits really helped staff feel supported.
- HEO role was important to lighten load on clinic and make them fell supported department wide.
- Providing incentives to patients as a thank you was very well received.
- Lessons Learned Community Satisfaction Survey:
- Get surveys to school nurses earlier.
- Don’t rely on interoffice mail to school nurses at various school locations.
- Try to get a better idea of number of surveys needed-we underestimated.
- School nurses were asked to have all surveys turned in to HEO by a specific date so HEO knew when to expect them.
Other Information
- Sustainability Plan:
- Established Roles & Responsibilities
- Document in Polices & Procedures
- Document in Job Descriptions
- Team supports initial year of project
- Team meetings 1x a year to review, update and tweak process
- Reminders are built into events calendar
