CCFPEM Quality Assurance Project
Suggested outline
Find an area of interest. You might pick an area with established guidelines and review how closely our department practice is. (Or it could be a continuation of earlier work). If you need some inspiration, contact me (Kelly.Regan@lhsc.on.ca) or review the attached list of suggestions, or discuss with faculty advisor. Think of a very focused research question; i.e. how long does it take to give antibiotics after the diagnosis of pneumonia is made? How many asthmatics are given steroids on D/C? You will need a measurable primary outcome.
Conduct a literature search and then meet with Shelley McLeod (Shelley.McLeod@lhsc.on.ca or 685-8500 ext 76089) or your Faculty advisor to discuss project by the end of August.
Prepare an ethics application by the end of September and submit to Shelley by the end of Sept. This is a level 1 expedited review, which will not have to actually be submitted, but is required for the experience and will help to organize your project.
Data extraction tool needs to be prepared (part of usual ethics application), by the end of October
Chart reviews in Nov/Dec. Medical Records will need some time if the chart extraction is not straightforward and 4 days over a weekend to pull charts. (10-20 charts max) With the few number of charts, there will not be a statistical analysis, but use of means, medians, confidence intervals, and frequencies.
Analysis in January to prepare some conclusion or suggestion, with poster construction in Feb. Shelley can help with poster construction and the Division will have them printed.
Resident Research day is in March.
There will be a monetary award for the best project.
Proposed Timeline
Kelly