Measurement

Measurement is an integral part of the quality improvement process and of the use of Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles. Measurement allows teams to prioritise issues; create a shared understanding of a problem; develop testable improvements and identify the effectiveness of their tests of change. Clarity on definitions and on how change will be measured is important. The chapter discussed types of data and the development of measurement plans. The use of driver diagrams to support a measurement plan is also reviewed as they can be very useful in larger projects. Much information for improvement can be collected by the clinical team, and analysed and displayed using straightforward tally charts, absolute numbers and percentages. Change over time can be monitored using a Run Chart and their construction is described. Statistical Process Control (SPC) charts and their use are discussed.