Quality improvement
Quality improvement is an ongoing activity that is undertaken in general practice to monitor, evaluate and improve the quality of healthcare that is delivered to patients. It can help practices to refine systems and workflows that result in sustainable improvements.
How your Quality Improvement Consultant can help you
Quality improvement programs ensure practices are moving towards high performing primary care and meet the requirements of the PIP QI Incentive. Murray PHN's Quality Improvement Consultants can help to guide practices in the design and implementation of meaningful activities, specifically the:
- adoption of best practice methods to improve quality of care
- meaningful use of digital systems to maximise the flow of patient information across the health provider community
- use, collection and reporting of clinical data via a clinical audit tool
- requirements of the PIP QI Incentive and RACGP Standards for general practices (5th edition)
- education and professional development for all practice staff.
Why undertake quality improvement?
Benefits of engaging in quality improvement activities include:
- a strong practice team that welcomes contribution from all staff
- a culture of collaboration and continuous quality improvement
- a safe and comprehensive healthcare experience for patients
- improved health outcomes for patients
- improved workflows, systems and business performance
- support to meet the requirements for PIP QI and accreditation
- a practice that is prepared for future models of care.
Model for improvement
Practice Incentives Program (PIP) – Quality Improvement (QI) Incentive
The PIP QI Incentive is designed for general practices to encourage changes that are relevant to patient populations. It focuses on improving patient outcomes and access to care while also developing a more effective business.
General practices seeking to qualify for the incentive need to work with Murray PHN to undertake the collection, submission and review of a de-identified set of data.
As with all other PIP incentives, registration and payment for the PIP QI Incentive is through Services Australia which administers the PIP on behalf of the Australian Department of Health.
Participation in the incentive is voluntary, and practices may withdraw at any time by completing the following form: servicesaustralia.gov.au/ip007
Eligibility criteria and how to apply
To be eligible to receive a PIP QI Incentive payment, general practices must:
- be eligible for the PIP and hold a PIP identifier
- register for the PIP QI Incentive payment
- electronically submit the PIP Eligible Data Set (comprising of 10 improvement measures) to Murray PHN quarterly
- undertake quality improvement activities in partnership with Murray PHN.
Qualifying for the PIP QI payment
To qualify for the PIP QI payment, general practices must:
- participate in continuous quality improvement activities
- submit the PIP Eligible Data Set to Murray PHN.
For answers to frequently asked questions, click here.
PIP QI improvement measures
To meet the PIP QI Incentive eligibility requirements, general practices must submit the below PIP Eligible Data Set (MDS). The MDS is comprised of 10 improvement measures that represent key health priority areas. The areas of chronic disease are those that are largely responsible for the burden of disease in Australia, and their associated risk factors.
Data-informed quality improvement in these areas may help to delay progression of chronic conditions, improve quality of life, increase life expectancy and decrease the need for high-cost interventions. The de-identified data will also aid public health policy, planning, service delivery and trend analysis.
Practices can focus quality improvement activities on these 10 improvement measures, noting there are no prescribed targets associated with any of the measures. Practices will also be required to show evidence of quality improvement activities in other areas that meet the needs of their practice population.
Quality improvement focus areas
There are 10 priority areas that frame the work of Murray PHN, which is also guided by community and clinical input:
Resources and tools
Men's health
The primary male-specific chronic disease is prostate cancer and while the Murray PHN region has low rates compared with the rest of the state, this may be due to fewer men seeking help for their symptoms. Mental health issues are often a concern for older men.
Immunisation and winter wellness
Immunisation is a safe and effective way to protect against harmful diseases and prevent the spread of these among community.
- Change Ideas Template - COVID Boosters 2023
- Change Ideas Template - Influenza 2023
- Change Ideas Template - Cold Chain Management
- PDSA - Varicella (Zostavax) - updated March 2023
- Best Practice guide – Recording patient vaccines not given in the practice
- Medical Director guide – Recording patient vaccines not given in the practice
Eye health
General practice plays a crucial role in reducing avoidable blindness and vision loss and its associated burden of disease.
To assist and support general practices in our region, Murray PHN and Vision Initiative co-designed and developed an eye health quality improvement toolkit that focuses on improving identification and screening of those at risk of eye-related health conditions and illness, through implementation of eReferral systems from general practices to optometrists and ophthalmologists.
Click here to download the toolkit or watch the introductory video below:
Diabetes
Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in the Murray PHN region and is often associated with other chronic conditions, including cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease.
- Pre-diabetes management change ideas template
- Diabetes coding and best practice guideline management change ideas template
Healthy lifestyle
There are many health determinants that can protect your good health or pose a risk to it. Protective behaviours include physical activity, vaccination and good nutrition, while risks include the use of tobacco or illicit drugs, excessive alcohol intake or being a victim of violence.
Population health: Cancer
Through the Community-led Cancer Screening Program, funded by the Victorian Department of Health, the development of a Cancer Screening Quality Improvement Tool Kit was commissioned by a consortium of three PHNs (Murray PHN, Western Victoria PHN, and North Western Melbourne PHN) to support ongoing quality improvement activities within general practice. Click the links below to download the toolkit:
- Focus on cancer resource | September 2022
- Bowel screening change ideas template
- Breast screening change ideas template
- Cervical screening change ideas template
- Liver screening change ideas template
- Cancer screening quality improvement tool kit 2019 | full version
- Cancer screening quality improvement tool kit 2019 | quick guide
Heart health
Congestive heart failure is higher than average in Shepparton, Bendigo and Towong, and combined with circulatory diseases, causes more premature death than average in Buloke, Mildura, Moira and Campaspe local government areas.
Aged care
A health assessment of an older person is an in-depth assessment of a patient aged 75 years and older. It provides a structured way of identifying health issues and conditions that are potentially preventable or amenable to interventions to improve health or quality of life.
Mental health
We have created a suite of quality improvement activities that focus on different aspects of mental health in general practice. The aim of these activities is to enhance the general practice response to patients experiencing mental illness or poor mental health through building knowledge, skills, confidence and response at a local level. Practices can use the resources and work with their Murray PHN Quality Improvement Consultant to explore key areas of improvement and opportunity specific to their practice and staff.
This area of quality improvement acknowledges that mental illness and poor mental health can impact many areas of an individual’s life including health outcomes, and has been designed to align with the National Health Plan.
Please watch the following two videos that provide an introduction to the activities and an overview of what's included in each one. You can download the activities by scrolling down to the document links.
To download each PDSA, click the link and a Word file will automatically save:
- Focus on mental health resource | October 2022
- PDSA 1: Stepped Care
- PSDA 2: eMental health
- PDSA 3: Mental Health Treatment Plans
- PDSA 4: Medication reviews
- PDSA 5: Suicidality and suicide prevention
Alcohol and other drugs
To assist and support general practice in our region, Murray PHN has developed a suite of quality improvement activities that focus on different aspects of AOD-related topics in general practice. AOD is a major cause of preventable disease and illness in our region, and commonly, patients presenting with AOD concerns and issues often have an overlap with related and broader health issues, especially mental health.
Please watch the following two videos that provide an introduction to the activities and an overview of what's included in each one. You can download the activities by scrolling down to the document links.
To download each PDSA, click the link and a Word file will automatically save:
- PDSA - Embed smoking cessation conversations into routine care
- PDSA - Increase recording of smoking status for patients over 15
- PDSA - Increase recording of alcohol status for patients over 15
- PDSA - Improve opioid management and reduce risk
- PDSA - Increase uptake of Hep C therapy and treatment
Quality improvement resources
- Quality improvement for general practice 2022 handbook (pdf)
- Plan Do Study Act (PDSA) Model for Improvement template (doc)
- Plan Do Study Act (PDSA) on a page template (doc)
- Simplified QI template (doc)
- Continuous Quality Improvement 12 month plan - example template (doc)
- PIP QI Improvement Register (xlsx)
- PIP QI and Continuous Quality Improvement webinar:
For more information
Contact our Quality Improvement Consultants e: gpsupport@murrayphn.org.au or p: 03 4408 5600 (Central Victoria head office).
Page last updated 1 June 2023