QI Tools and resources

Resources to help you complete QI

Model for Improvement (MFI) 

The MFI uses the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle, a tried and tested approach to achieving successful change. It offers the following benefits:

• It is a method to plan, develop and implement change that anyone can apply.

• It reduces risk by testing small changes before wider implementation.

• By starting small, there is less resistance to change.

• You can achieve team unity on common goals.

• It encourages individual creativity and ideas from team members.

The model consists of two parts that are of equal importance.

Step 1: The ‘thinking’ part consists of three fundamental questions that are essential for guiding improvement:

Step 2: The ‘doing’ part is made up of Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) cycles that will help to bring about rapid change. This includes:

• Helping you test the ideas

• Helping you assess whether you are achieving your desired objectives

• Enabling you to confirm which changes you want to adopt permanently.

The PDSA cycle is a useful tool for documenting a test of change. Running a PDSA cycle is another way of testing a change —you develop a plan to test the change (Plan), carry out the test (Do), observe, analyze, and learn from the test (Study), and determine what modifications, if any, to make for the next cycle (Act).

How to use the MFI  

For a step-by-step approach and detailed instructions on how to use the MFI, download and read the Quality Improvement Toolkit: Overview.  

Each QI toolkit also has recommendations on how to use the MFI and PDSA cycle to achieve the QI activities in the toolkits.

Driver diagram

A driver diagram is a simple, visual tool that will assist you to systematically plan and structure your improvement project. It will help you understand the logic of your project and where you are going with your improvement initiative. It is a living document that can be updated at every team meeting where drivers and change concepts can be discussed and agreed upon.

Driver Diagram* 

*Instruction document included. The first page of this document can be printed as a blank template or completed online then printed.  

QI register

 The QI register is designed to be used as a summary record of all QI activities that your primary care team undertake. Record the details of your QI activities (including dates of activity, topic, measures and whether PDSA cycles have been documented). There is an example included in the register.

Data analysis tools  

Brisbane South PHN has committed to adopting Primary Sense – a population health management, clinical decision support and data extraction tool. Primary Sense has been developed by GPs, for GPs and:      

• is easy to use

• can be quickly installed

• provides real time medication safety alerts, patient care prompts and near real time data extractions

• remains free for general practices that share data with Brisbane South PHN

• all data extracted from Primary Sense is privacy protected, securely stored and managed in Australia.  

QI toolkits

Brisbane South PHN has developed 34 quality improvement toolkits for general practices, covering a range of topics:  

1.      General quality improvement

2.      Specific conditions

3.      Mental health

4.      Prevention

5.      Patient populations 

6.      Quality records and business 

7.      Planning and management of pandemics and disasters.  

Modules included in these toolkits are designed to support practices to achieve the PIP QI requirements.  

As practice teams complete the activities within the toolkits, they are shown how to analyse practice data, to develop comprehensive knowledge about their patient population and the care pathways being provided in their practice. Reflections from completion of these activities and the related data may support the identification of improvement opportunities that can be actioned using the Model for Improvement.  

Note: The QI toolkits are in the process of being updated to allow you to search for your patients in Primary Sense. Feel free to use these resources and use the data sources that you have available at your practice. If you need assistance with this, contact the QI team at support@bsphn.org.au

Completing QI toolkit electronically 

All the activities that are included in the QI toolkits have been created in a PDF fillable document. This allows you to complete the workbooks on your computer. They can be accessed from DiscoverPHN (select learning from the toolbar and search QI toolkits)

These workbooks are also able to be shared amongst team members to allow a team approach to completion. 

MFI/PDSA examples  

DiscoverPHN: Self-paced online learning portal

DiscoverPHN is Brisbane South PHN’s learning and collaboration portal that provides self-paced online education modules, resources and support to primary health professionals in the Brisbane south region. More specifically, DiscoverPHN has useful modules surrounding topics such as digital health technologies, resources to assist in meeting the RACGP accreditation standards and QI courses and resources.

Contact us for more support

Our Quality Improvement Team works with general practices to provide practical advice and resources to help plan, implement, and review your QI activities. To request further practice support, please contact the Quality Improvement team on Phone: 3864 7540 or email: support@bsphn.org.au.  

Our team is dedicated to providing the best possible support for your practice.