Starting Your Quality Improvement Project with Lazomis QI

Why this topic matters

Quality Improvement is a core component of modern healthcare delivery, aimed at enhancing patient safety, improving clinical effectiveness, increasing efficiency, and optimising the patient experience. However, the initial phase of a QI project — defining the problem, setting aims, identifying stakeholders, and navigating local governance — can be a significant barrier.

Without a clear, structured approach, projects can suffer from scope creep, lack of sustained engagement, or failure to align with strategic objectives. For busy NHS clinicians, having a system that simplifies these initial steps allows more time to be spent on the actual improvement work. A well-defined start, supported by appropriate tools, fosters better project management, clearer communication, and a higher likelihood of achieving desired outcomes, ultimately contributing to better patient care.

Practical explanation: How Lazomis QI supports project initiation

Lazomis QI provides a structured framework within the platform to guide users through the essential steps of setting up a new QI project. It acts as a digital assistant, prompting for key information and ensuring that critical aspects are considered from the outset. This isn't just about filling in boxes; it's about embedding good QI practice and governance principles into the project's foundation.

The tool helps you to:

• Define your project clearly: Guiding you to articulate the problem statement, aim, and scope.
• Identify stakeholders: Prompting you to consider all relevant individuals and groups, from frontline staff to senior management and patients.
• Establish baseline data: Encouraging early thought about how you will measure current performance before intervention.
• Consider ethical and governance requirements: Signposting the need for local approval, data protection, and clinical safety considerations.
• Plan your resources: Encouraging reflection on the team, time, and budget needed.

By systematising these elements, Lazomis QI helps ensure that projects are not only well-conceived but also appropriately positioned within the local organisational context, increasing their chances of gaining necessary approvals and ultimately, of success.

Common pitfalls in QI project initiation

Even with the best intentions, several common issues can derail a QI project before it truly begins. Recognising these can help mitigate their impact:

• Vague aims: Without specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) aims, it's difficult to know what you're trying to achieve or whether you've succeeded.
• Lack of stakeholder engagement: Failing to involve key individuals – including those who will be impacted by the change or those whose support is critical – can lead to resistance and project failure.
• Insufficient baseline data: Without understanding the current state, it's impossible to demonstrate improvement or identify the true impact of interventions.
• Ignoring local governance: Bypassing or underestimating the importance of local audit, QI, or R&D department approvals can lead to significant delays or even project cessation.
• Scope creep: Projects can become too broad if the initial scope isn't clearly defined and adhered to, leading to resource strain and loss of focus.
• No clear team or roles: Without designated roles and responsibilities, tasks can be duplicated or overlooked, causing inefficiency.

Lazomis QI addresses many of these pitfalls by embedding prompts and structured fields that require users to think through these aspects before progressing, thereby front-loading the critical planning work.

Step-by-step approach to starting your QI project with Lazomis QI

Utilising Lazomis QI for project setup follows a logical progression, ensuring all vital components are addressed. While specific fields may vary, the general flow is consistent with good QI practice:

1. Define your Project Title and Area

Start with a clear, concise title. Lazomis QI will ask you to categorise your project (e.g., patient safety, efficiency, patient experience) and identify the clinical area or department involved. This helps with future reporting and locating projects within your organisation.

2. Craft your Problem Statement

Articulate the issue you are trying to address. Lazomis QI guides you to describe the current state, the impact of the problem (e.g., on patients, staff, resources), and why this problem matters now. This forms the foundation for your project's justification.

3. Develop your Aim Statement (SMART)

This is where you define what you intend to achieve. Lazomis QI will encourage you to formulate a SMART aim – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For example, "Reduce the average waiting time for specialist cardiac outpatient appointments from 12 weeks to 8 weeks for 80% of new referrals within 6 months."

4. Identify your Project Scope

Clearly delineate what your project will and will not cover. This helps prevent scope creep. Lazomis QI prompts you to consider the boundaries of your intervention and the specific patient groups, processes, or units that will be included or excluded.

5. Identify Key Stakeholders

Lazomis QI provides fields to list all individuals and groups whose input, support, or buy-in is essential. This includes the project lead, team members, senior sponsors, clinical leads, ward managers, patient representatives, and relevant support services (e.g., IT, finance, governance). Documenting these roles early ensures engagement planning.

6. Outline Measurement Strategy and Baseline Data

Consider what data you will need to collect to understand the current situation (baseline) and to track progress. Lazomis QI prompts you to think about specific metrics (process measures, outcome measures, balancing measures) and potential data sources. This early consideration is vital for demonstrating impact.

7. Address Governance and Ethical Considerations

This is a critical section. Lazomis QI will ask about local approvals required (e.g., from the clinical governance team, audit department, R&D office). It prompts you to consider data protection implications (GDPR, Caldicott principles), clinical safety, and the distinction between audit, service evaluation, and research. This ensures your project is compliant and appropriately reviewed.

8. Document Resources and Initial Plan

Finally, Lazomis QI will guide you to document the initial resources required (team members, time commitment, potential costs) and a high-level plan for your initial cycles of change (e.g., PDSA cycles). This helps in resource allocation and early planning.

Example in clinical practice: Reducing Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) incidence on a surgical ward

A surgical team identifies that despite prophylaxis guidelines, their VTE rates post-operatively are higher than national benchmarks. They decide to initiate a QI project using Lazomis QI.

1. Project Title: Reducing Post-operative VTE Incidence on Ward 4
2. Problem Statement: Post-operative VTE incidence on Ward 4 is currently 3.5%, exceeding the trust target of 2% and national average of 2.5%, leading to preventable harm and increased length of stay for affected patients.
3. Aim Statement: To reduce the incidence of post-operative VTE on Ward 4 from 3.5% to 2% within six months for all elective abdominal surgery patients, as measured by documented VTE events within 30 days post-op.
4. Scope: Focus on elective adult abdominal surgery patients on Ward 4 only. Exclude emergency admissions and non-abdominal surgeries.
5. Stakeholders: Surgical registrars, ward nurses, junior doctors, ward manager, consultant surgeon lead, pharmacy lead, thrombosis nurse specialist, QI lead, patient representatives.
6. Measurement Strategy: Collect monthly data on VTE incidence (number of VTE events / total elective abdominal surgery patients) using ward incident reports and theatre logs. Baseline data from the last 12 months is available.
7. Governance: Project registered with the Trust's Clinical Governance department as a QI project. Caldicott Guardian consulted for data anonymisation. Project deemed service evaluation, not research, by the R&D office.
8. Resources/Plan: Team meeting fortnightly. Initial PDSA cycle to focus on improving documentation of VTE risk assessment and timely administration of prophylaxis by nursing staff, using a new ward checklist.

By structuring their project through Lazomis QI, the team ensures all critical elements are considered, approved, and clearly documented before implementing any changes.

How Lazomis can help

Lazomis QI specifically streamlines the initial project setup phase. Our intuitive interface provides a step-by-step wizard that prompts you for all the necessary information, ensuring you don't miss crucial details. It offers:

• Structured project templates: Pre-defined fields guide you through problem definition, aim setting, stakeholder identification, and governance considerations.
• Version control and audit trail: All changes and approvals are recorded, providing a clear history of your project's evolution.
• Centralised documentation: Keep all your project initiation documents in one accessible place for your team and for review by governance bodies.
• Collaboration features: Easily invite team members and stakeholders to view or contribute to the project setup, fostering early engagement.
• Alignment with NHS QI standards: Our templates are designed with best practices in mind, helping ensure your project aligns with established QI methodologies and local NHS requirements.

This resource supports, but does not replace, clinical judgement. Local policy, formulary and specialist advice should be followed. Always consult with your local clinical governance, audit, and R&D departments for specific guidance on project classification and approval processes.

Key takeaways