2005 Finalist

ProExcellence: Harnessing the knowledge and creativity of the practice team - the CQI (Continuous Quality Improvement) power walk

A voluntary programme designed for GP teams to improve the quality of their everyday practice is enjoying success in Auckland.

ProExcellence: Quality in Practice is a programme designed to capture the knowledge and creativity of general practice teams to find the best way of delivering health services. The programme involves workshops, practice team facilitation, ongoing mentoring and the use of a ProExcellence website.

The programme was established by ProCare Health, a management services organisation supporting three primary health organisations (PHOs), caring for approximately 700,000 patients from diverse ethnic backgrounds in greater Auckland.

Those involved in the programme are encouraged to look for better ways of doing things in their practices leading to Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) in the areas of improving safety and services, reducing waste, and improving staff satisfaction and self motivation. The ethos is that positive results and team success equals happy practices equals happy consumers.

The underpinning aim of the ProExcellence programme is to produce long-term quality benefits for all stakeholders - general practice providers, funders and most importantly, health consumers. ProExcellence is also about teams sharing the knowledge and experience of best practice procedures.

Seventy five per cent of the practices covered by ProCare Health are involved in the ProExcellence programme. Feedback from the doctors, nurses, receptionists and practice managers involved has been positive, and has highlighted the importance of improved teamwork.

ProCare Health Limited
Contact: Dr Chris Boberg 0274 495 9727
Email: cb@sunnymed.co.nz