PI01: Coaching the coach: a community of practice for practice coaches engaged in deprescribing improvement efforts
Patricia O'Brien, MSc, RN; christina southey; Jianmin Wang, MHS, MBBS, BHSc; Michelle Greiver, MD, MSc, CCFP
Abstract
Background and significance: In 2018, a pan-Canadian QI-research team representing seven practice-based research networks, collaborated to design, develop and implement a study - Structured Process Informed by Data, Evidence and Research (SPIDER). SPIDER’s goal is safer prescribing for complex older patients in community-based primary care. The SPIDER study includes 3 facets: quality improvement (QI) focused Learning Collaboratives; practice coaching; and electronic medical record data for audit & feedback. Access to a practice coach has been a positive highlight of the study experience for the teams and has spurred an effective and supportive coaching community (CC). Setting: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a pivot in early 2020 to primarily virtual practice coaching. To support the varied resources of respective study sites and to share and spread effective coaching techniques and approaches, a CC of practice was developed. Methods: The SPIDER CC has been designed as a virtual monthly drop-in session accompanied by a website rich with resources - either already in existence or developed by members of the community in response to a shared need. Attention to facets of practice coaching such as change management, application of QI methods, assessment of adaptive reserve, and attention to team function, has been accomplished through the ‘safe space’ of sharing approaches, challenges, and accomplishments by coaches during the virtual sessions. The CC has collectively developed virtual collaboration tools, detailed best practices, and designed a series of questions for coaches to use in their respective study environments. Results: The coaches who participated in the CC reflected that the support and sharing of their peers was a positive experience and has improved their respective knowledge, skills, and confidence in coaching for practice improvement. Preliminary results indicate highly positive perceptions of the coaches by study participants. Conclusions: Practice coaching is a key pillar of SPIDER. Our pan-Canadian team of improvement-focused coaches has embraced the challenges of the pivot to virtual as an opportunity to collaboratively improve skills and knowledge. Through ‘coaching the coach’, the practice coaches have designed and implemented a community of practice approach to grow and sustain the important skills and approaches to improve quality in primary care, with the goal of embedding these in practices long after the SPIDER study is complete.
Connie van Eeghen
cvaneegh@med.uvm.edu 8/5/2021Great poster and speed-presentation. Do you have a structured way of guiding these coaching the coach sessions?