Quality improvement module 6: An introduction to the run chart and using data for improvement

The run chart is a powerful visual tool that can be used to guide quality improvement initiatives in healthcare. Providing a method that enables teams to analyse health data in real time, it allows services to make quality improvements ‘on the job’, rather than having to stop work for interminable, unproductive meetings that may move away from the clinical area at hand.

In this module we will show you how to use this straightforward technique to improve your service. The method involves measuring significant results after making a change to a process. It does not require significant mathematical ability or computer programming skills – a pen and paper are all you need.

We will explain how to analyse your run chart by introducing concepts of ‘signal change’. These happen when the points being measured start to show consistent change and can flag up a problem in real time. They include shifts, trends and runs as well as outlier measurements such as ‘astronomical points’.