About objectives and measurements

3. Set objectives and measure change

What is the objective of what we are doing? How do we know whether what we are doing is actually an improvement? It is always good to be as clear as possible about what we want to achieve and to systematically follow up how we are doing.

Start by identifying what your objectives are. For the partnership in particular, one objective may be that the patient and the team shall have the same view of what is happening now and going forward. Or that the patient is an active part of the team. It can also be a wider perspective, where we want to know whether the patients have a greater sense of security and feel better. Or whether the healthcare is more relevant and of a higher quality. Or whether time and resources are being used more efficiently.

Then agree upon how this could be measured, and followed up. This could be by asking the patients questions verbally or by using a simple form; – Do you feel heard? – Do you know what will happen going forward? Or other questions that help us understand. Another way of following up is to ask the professionals questions. Either as a checklist where we evaluate what our partnership with the patient is like and whether we have made any clear agreements. Or as more open-ended reflections and discussions we have together over a cup of coffee.

Another way is to measure more tangible events. How often do patients or relatives contact us because they do not understand what it is that will happen? Perhaps by ringing the alarm by the bed, getting in touch by phone or showing up at the reception. How often do patients react in a certain way?

Finally, you should decide who is responsible for following up and ensuring that lessons learned are shared with colleagues. It is a good idea to get help from your head of department or the person responsible on your unit when deciding on this. Also ensure that you are measuring and evaluating the current situation so that you have something to use for comparison once you have begun making changes.