Does quality improvement improve quality?

The authors of this article in Future Hospital Journal describe the issue of quality improvement; “Although quality improvement (QI) is frequently advocated as a way of addressing the problems with healthcare, evidence of its effectiveness has remained very mixed. QI work is often pursued through time-limited, small-scale projects, led by professionals who may lack the expertise, power or resources to instigate the changes required. There is insufficient attention to rigorous evaluation of improvement and to sharing the lessons of successes and failures. Too many QI interventions are seen as ‘magic bullets’ that will produce improvement in any situation, regardless of context. Too much improvement work is undertaken in isolation at a local level, failing to pool resources and develop collective solutions, and introducing new hazards in the process.”

Dixon-Woods, Mary, Martin, Graham. (2016). Does Quality Improvement Improve Quality. Future Hospital Journal, 3(3), 191-194