Table 1 Quality improvement taxonomy

1. Provider education

Dissemination of information

Educational outreach visits

Component separation training and recurrence rates

Distribution of educational material

Cadaveric training and surgeon confidence

2. Provider reminder systems

Any ‘clinical encounter-specific’ information intended to prompt a clinician to recall information or consider a specific process of care

Decision aids

MEWS

Reminders

The WHO surgical safety checklist

3. Patient reminders

Any methods of encouraging patient compliance to self-management

Appointment reminders

SMS exercise reminders before bariatric surgery

4. Promotion of self-management

Access to a resource that enhances the patients' ability to manage their condition

BP devices

Follow up phone calls with recommended adjustments to care

Fit Bits/pedometers

5. Audit and feedback

Any feedback of clinical performance

PROMs

Percentage of patients achieving target LOS

LOS

Morbidity and mortality

6. Patient education

Dissemination of information

Distribution of educational material

Tri-modal pre-habilitation programme compliance and effect on LOS

Individual or group sessions

7. Organizational change

Any change in organizational structure

Multidisciplinary teams

Changes to staff rota to facilitate early patient mobilization after elective arthroplasty

Communication

Health records

8. Financial, regulatory, or legislative incentives

Any financial bonus, reimbursement or provider licensure scheme

Positive or negative incentives for providers or patients

18-week wait target for elective orthopaedic surgery

9. Facilitated relay of clinical data to providers

Transfer of clinical information from patients to the provider when data was not collected during a patient visit

Telephone call

Relay of BP measurements to the pre-assessment team

Postal contact

Collection of postoperative complication data through postal survey