Programs Chartbook - Quality of Healthcare in NSW
This program is current
The Chartbook is designed to stimulate both discussion and action across the system that will lead to improvements in the quality and safety of health services. The Chartbook is not a scorecard, nor does not include information on adverse events, which are presented in detail in other CEC and NSW Health publications.
The CEC will produce The Chartbook annually as a quality improvement monitoring tool to monitor and respond to changes in key areas of safety and quality.
Program Overview
What is it?
The Chartbook is:
- a tool for measuring and reporting safety and quality in the NSW health system at a state and area health service level
- a key resource to drive change within the NSW health system
- a plain English overview of the state of knowledge of the quality of healthcare services in NSW, designed for use by clinicians, but importantly, available to public and non-specialist audiences and
- a source of relevant information for area health services and Clinical Governance Units, in both tabular and graphical format with accompanying text that will interpret the findings, discuss their importance and evaluate their implications.
How will it be used?
The CEC expects The Chartbook will be used by different groups in different ways:
- by clinicians (looking at speciality-related data)
- by members of the public (looking at the relative performance of the health system across 63 charts and 13 clinical specialities)
- by members of the area health service executive/clinical governance units (looking at area comparators and get a broad understanding of their AHSs' relative performance, and an understanding of where to target future improvement activities)
- by academics and health system commentators (to provide a broad overview of the issues underlying quality health service delivery in NSW).
The Chartbook reports on the population of each area health service. Most charts show a five-year trend with 95% confidence intervals. In attempting to draw comparisons, care must be taken to consider other population variables.
The Chartbook demonstrates that the NSW health system is doing a number of things well, e.g. a significant sustained reduction in asthma admission rates following the introduction of the State Asthma Plan in 2001, and the rate of live term births with a low APGAR (viability) score is declining.
The Chartbook also highlights areas in which we can concentrate our efforts, e.g. increasing need for treatment of diabetes across most of NSW, and areas that require further investigation, e.g. differences in hysterectomy rates between urban and rural areas for women under 35 that may indicate differences in practice.
The Chartbook will be produced annually. Additional reports will be issued every twelve months and will be available as a matter of course on the CEC's website. Expert input has been sought and received on all indicators.
The Chartbook is a tool to drive change; to facilitate self-examination by clinicians and managers of our health care system. The real value of a tool such as The Chartbook, is that it allows us to monitor quality improvement initiatives over time and keep our eyes firmly focused on those areas where the greatest quality gains are to be made.
Resources
Chartbook 2009
The CEC released the third edition of Chartbook on Safety and Quality in Healthcare in NSW 2009 (The Chartbook 2009) on 16 December 2010. Chartbook 2009 continues the series' aims to make the NSW health system better and safer for patients. It assists health services and health professionals to to identify issues and stimulate action across the health system that will lead to continued improvements in the quality and safety of NSW health services. Importantly it is also aimed at the people we serve - to inform them about safety and quality issues, how these are changing over time and the importance and implications of these changes.
This third edition of The Chartbook continues to provide an expert-informed overview of key safety and quality issues and trends in the NSW public health system. Along with other recently released reports, it confirms that NSW residents have access to an excellent health care system. The Chartbook provides analysis and commentary on a broad range of indicators of safety and quality. It shows where the health system is doing well, but also highlights areas for improvement. This year, Chartbook 2009 includes two new chapters on Patient Experience and Cancer Services (incidence and mortality); and expands certain existing indicators (e.g. Population Health, Mental Health Services, Ambulance Services, Aboriginal Health and CEC initiatives in safety and quality). New presentation formats have also been debuted.
Professor Cliff Hughes, CEO of the Clinical Excellence Commission, said that "The clinical leaders in the area health service has attested to its value, and the CEC has started preparing a fourth edition, continuing the process of adding new indicators, reviewing existing indicators and providing new and additional views of the data."
- Chartbook on Safety and Quality in Healthcare in NSW 2009 - PDF ~1.47mb
Chartbook 2008
The CEC released the Chartbook on Safety and Quality in Health Care in NSW 2008 (The Chartbook) today, March 31 2010. The second edition of The Chartbook provides analysis and commentary on a broad range of indicators of safety and quality. It shows where the health system is doing well, but also highlights areas for improvement. This year, The Chartbook includes new chapters on Aboriginal health, neonatal intensive care, ambulance, and indicators of safety and quality.
It is aimed at health services and health professionals to enable them to identify and take up opportunities for improvement and to make the NSW health system better and safer for patients. Importantly it also informs the people of NSW about safety and quality issues and how these are changing over time.
Professor Cliff Hughes, CEO of the Clinical Excellence Commission, said "The CEC has started preparing the third edition, continuing the process of adding new indicators, reviewing existing indicators and providing new and additional views of the data. The real value of a tool such as The Chartbook is that it allows us to monitor quality improvement initiatives over time and keep our eyes firmly focussed on those areas where the greatest quality gains are to be made."
- Chartbook on Safety and Quality in Health Care in NSW 2008 - PDF ~1.5mb
Chartbook 2007
The Clinical Excellence Commission is pleased to release Quality of Healthcare in NSW: A Chartbook 2007. The Chartbook aims to make the NSW health system better and safer for patients.
Chartbook users please note an errata has been published. A revised edition of The Chartbook is available which incorporates the changes in the errata. For those with printed copies of Chartbook 2007, please print the errata page and keep it with the document.
The CEC Chartbook and additional materials can be downloaded here:
- Quality of Healthcare in NSW: A Chartbook 2007 (Revised Edition) - PDF ~1.0mb
- Chartbook 2007 Errata - PDF ~36kb
- How to Use The Chartbook - PDF ~24kb
- Chartbook 2007 Vol. 2: Statistical Methods and Technical Appendix - PDF ~262kb
Contact
Inquiries about additional copies of the CEC Chartbook are available from:
Clinical Excellence Commission
Level 13, 227 Elizabeth St
Sydney NSW 2000
Tel: (02) 9269 5500
Fax: (02) 9269 5599
