Abstract
AimA Quality Improvement Project in one of the Special Care Dentistry (SCD) specialist centres in the School of Dentistry in Belfast aimed to improve the identification of the specific dental care needs of SCD patients from information available in the clinical record.MethodsThe Model for Improvement was used to define project objectives and subsequently implement changes to practice aimed at achieving those objectives through Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles. Continuous data collection to monitor performance was undertaken throughout.DesignA Patient Needs Assessment Tool to be used during new SCD patient assessments was designed and introduced, with subsequent changes to the defined process for use following analysis of the success of the initial intervention.ResultsThe amount of information on relevant dental care needs identifiable from clinical records following new SCD patient assessments increased from 30 to 90%, whereas the time taken to identify the relevant information decreased from 2 min and 31 s to 17 s.ConclusionThe use of a Patient Needs Assessment pro-forma can achieve significant improvements in the extent and accessibility of information available to assist in the planning and delivery of appropriate and equitable care for SCD patients.
Highlights
Setting Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health Board (BCUHB), making up almost one third of the landmass of Wales and serving a population of ~694,000 is the largest local health board in Wales, in terms of both population and geography
DESIGN Making the aim smart Having assessed baseline performance, two more specific aims were defined using the SMART criteria: 1. To increase the percentage of information on specific dental care needs identifiable from the clinical record of Special Care Dentistry (SCD) patients following a New Patient Assessment from 30 to 70% in a 12-week period
PDSA cycle 1 Monitoring performance following the introduction of the Patient Needs Assessment pro-forma showed that small improvements were achieved in the percentage of relevant care needs assessed for and documented during new SCD patient assessments
Summary
Setting Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health Board (BCUHB), making up almost one third of the landmass of Wales and serving a population of ~694,000 is the largest local health board in Wales, in terms of both population and geography. It covers the six main areas in North Wales; Anglesey, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd and Wrexham providing a full range of primary, community and secondary care services.[4]. Within BCUHB, the North Wales Community Dental Service and evolving area, which involves collaboration between patients employs over 200 staff across 27 clinics, health centres and community hospitals, with ten dentists on one or more of the GDC Specialist lists. Compassion and respect patients with mental health needs, anxious patients, housebound
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