Challenges and Strategies for Improving COPD Primary Care Services in Quebec: Results of the Experience of the COMPAS+ Quality Improvement Collaborative.

INTRODUCTION: Management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains a challenge in primary care and multiple barriers can limit implementation of COPD guidelines. Since 2016, a quality improvement (QI) collaborative, called COMPAS+, has been implemented across the province of Quebec (Canada) to support improvement of chronic disease management in primary care. The aim of this study was to describe the main COPD quality problems reported by participating teams and the strategies they proposed and implemented to improve COPD primary care services in Quebec. METHODS: Sixteen sites in four different regions of Quebec were engaged in the COMPAS+ intervention to improve primary care services delivered to people living with COPD. A total of 14 workshop reports, 31 QI action plans and 4 regional final reports underwent content analysis. Key COPD quality problems were first identified and, for each of them, root causes were classified according to the domains and constructs of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. Proposed strategies were organized according to the intervention function types described in the Behavior Change Wheel. RESULTS: Four key COPD quality problems were identified: 1) lack of organization/coordination of COPD services, 2) lack of screening services coordination, 3) lack of interprofessional communication and collaboration and 4) lack of treatment adherence. Main root causes explaining these quality gaps were 1) lack of awareness of COPD, 2) lack of professional knowledge, 3) lack of definition of professional roles, 4) lack of resources and tools for COPD prevention, diagnosis, and follow-up, 5) lack of communication tools, 6) lack of integration of the patient-as-partner approach, and 7) lack of adaptation of patient education to their specific needs. Multiple strategies were proposed to improve healthcare professionals' education and interprofessional collaboration and communication. CONCLUSION: QI collaborative activities can support achieving understanding of QI challenges healthcare organizations face to improve COPD services.

Evaluating implementation and impact of a provincial quality improvement collaborative for the management of chronic diseases in primary care: the COMPAS+ study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Chronic conditions such as diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are common and burdensome diseases primarily managed in primary care. Yet, evidence points to suboptimal quality of care for these conditions in primary care settings. Quality improvement collaboratives (QICs) are organized, multifaceted interventions that can be effective in improving chronic disease care processes and outcomes. In Quebec, Canada, the Institut national d'excellence en santé et en services sociaux (INESSS) has developed a large-scale QIC province-wide program called COMPAS+ that aims to improve the prevention and management of chronic diseases in primary care. This paper describes the protocol for our study, which aims to evaluate implementation and impact of COMPAS+ QICs on the prevention and management of targeted chronic diseases like diabetes and COPD. METHODS: This is a mixed-methods, integrated knowledge translation study. The quantitative component involves a controlled interrupted time series involving nine large integrated health centres in the province. Study sites will receive one of two interventions: the multifaceted COMPAS+ intervention (experimental condition) or a feedback only intervention (control condition). For the qualitative component, a multiple case study approach will be used to achieve an in-depth understanding of individual, team, organizational and contextual factors influencing implementation and effectiveness of the COMPAS+ QICs. DISCUSSION: COMPAS+ is a QI program that is unique in Canada due to its integration within the governance of the Quebec healthcare system and its capacity to reach many primary care providers and people living with chronic diseases across the province. We anticipate that this study will address several important gaps in knowledge related to large-scale QIC projects and generate strong and useful evidence (e.g., on leadership, organizational capacity, patient involvement, and implementation) having the potential to influence the design and optimisation of future QICs in Canada and internationally.