Cholecystectomy Quality Improvement Collaborative 3 (Chole-QuIC3)
Chole-QuIC3 is our third Quality Improvement (QI) collaborative that focuses on improving the quality of care for patients with acute gallstone disease. The project aims to improve outcomes for patients with gallstone disease by reducing variation and reducing time to surgery for this patient group.
Background
Chole-QuIC
Cholecystectomy Quality Improvement Collaborative (Chole-QuIC) ran from October 2016 to January 2018. Hospitals in our successful 13 sites demonstrated significant improvement.
Our published evaluation in BJS Open demonstrated that participating hospitals substantially improved outcomes for patients by significantly reducing time to surgery for patients needing an emergency cholecystectomy. Our linked paper in Implementation Science reports the results of a process evaluation, and provides information on some of the influences on success.
For more information please visit the Chole-QuIC webpage.
CholeQuIC-ER
Cholecystectomy Quality Improvement Collaborative – Extended Reach (CholeQuIC-ER) launched in July 2019 and will close in December 2020. The aim of the project is to radically improve outcomes for patients with gallstone disease by reducing time to surgery for this patient group. The project expands on the learning from Chole-QuIC. The sites have been making good progress so far in achieving the project's aims.
For more information, including our July update report, please visit the CholeQuIC-ER webpage.
Join Chole-QuIC3
Cholecystectomy Quality Improvement Collaborative 3 (Chole-QuIC3) offers the opportunity for trusts/health boards across the UK to radically improve outcomes for patients with gallstone disease.
It is clear that COVID-19 will be with us for the foreseeable future and that it has put extreme pressure on surgical services. Chole-QuIC 3 will focus on how you can improve your pathways for emergency gallstone patients, this will not only improve patient care but also relieve pressure on the system. Our current CholeQuIC-ER cohort (2019-20) have continued to make excellent progress since laparoscopic surgery restarted in May 2020, with better average times to surgery and reduced variation compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic. They have demonstrated that Quality Improvement tools are effective ways to drive change in this environment that is dynamic and can change rapidly at short notice. We will be utilising lessons learned during CholeQuIC-ER to help Chole-QuIC3 sites improve their emergency gallstone service.
The project will use proven Quality Improvement methods and offer ongoing support to clinicians and managers to drive improvements in their hospitals. Each site will be given tailored support to make improvements depending on their local context and unique set of challenges. For sites that already have excellent eight-day surgery rates the focus will be on 'sustaining excellence'.
What are the benefits?
- Support from clinical and QI experts through coaching sessions, email support and teleconferences.
- Access to a local data platform.
- Peer collaboration with colleagues at participating sites.
- Attendance at webinars and collaborative events.
- Specially designed programme to meet your trust or health board’s specific needs.
- The opportunity to improve emergency gallstone pathways, relieve pressure on the system and save your service money.
Timeline
Initiation: recruitment, payment and set-up
October 2020 – March 2021
Launch and testing
April 2021 – June 2021
Testing improvement ideas in practice
July 2021 – January 2022
Demonstrating sustained improvement
February 2022 – April 2022
Collaborative close
May 2022
Evaluating and reporting
June 2022 – August 2022
Chole-QuIC3 requirements
The cost per trust or health board to participate in Chole-QuIC3 is £8,000 (exc VAT). In addition, trusts and health boards need to cover their travel and expenses to any in-person meetings.
The named project lead should be allocated time in their job plan to lead the project locally.
- Email cholequic@rcseng.ac.uk to receive your registration form and secure your trust or health board's place on the project.
The closing date to join the project is 7 March 2021.
- Email cholequic@rcseng.ac.uk if you have any questions about the project.