Initiative Assessment – Does it qualify?
Both clinical and administrative initiatives qualify. The inclusion of data, analyses, data interpretation and the action taken in response to the intervention is critical to a successful application. Performance improvement results must demonstrate sustained improvement. It is important to understand that the award is given for improvement, not for having reached a target or become the best benchmark in the country.
The recipients presented sufficient data to demonstrate that the initiative was performance measure based and sustained over time. The applications demonstrated a positive impact to patients or patient care processes, with significant involvement from the organization's leadership. Also, organizations that have used innovative approaches to improving patient care usually stand out in the evaluation process. This is especially true when the creative approaches to patient care may be duplicated in similar facilities.
Are You Ready?
Start the Codman Award process by asking your performance improvement team the following questions to find out if your initiative is Codman-worthy. If the answer to any of the following questions is yes, your organization may be a prime candidate for the prestigious Codman Award.
- Has your organization achieved significant improvements in care?
- Did your team use process or outcomes measures to prove improvements?
- Is your organization’s performance improvement work unique?
- Are you a pioneer in a new area of quality improvement?
- Have others commented that one of your performance improvement initiatives could lead to a quality improvement breakthrough?
- Have your efforts been recognized by others? To find out if your initiative meets the data requirements of the application, see the Codman Award Data Checklist below (also provided in the 2008 Codman Application Data Guide).
Codman Award Data Checklist
The Codman Award application lists a number of data requirements to illustrate an organization’s performance improvement project. The checklist below can help ensure that the submission includes all of the data and other information required by The Joint Commission in order to be considered for the Codman Award.
- The data support (validate) the conclusions drawn from the project.
- The problem or purpose of the performance improvement project is identified and clearly stated.
- The criteria for measuring the success of the project is defined or described.
- The outcome measures used are described.
- The baseline data are identified and defined.
- The factors (co-variants) that may have affected the outcomes are reported. For example, elderly populations, population changes, dependence or changes in equipment.
- Appropriate charts, graphs and/or tables used in the initiative are included in the application and clearly link the data to the conclusions drawn from the initiative.
- Evidence of sustainability.
Depending on the project, these items may be needed:
- The comparison group used is defined. These might be national, state, or local benchmarks, CMS data, internal patient/client populations (control groups). If the results are better than benchmark data, explain the significance—clinical and/or statistical.
- The data analysis includes a hypothesis test, comparison data, and/or p-values. The goal is to show data that supports the hypothesis or purpose of the initiative.
Please direct questions to Teena Wilson, twilson@jointcommission.org or (630) 792-5562.