title: The cost-effectiveness of quality improvement projects: a conceptual framework, checklist and online tool for considering the costs and consequences of implementation-based quality improvement.
abstract: In resource constrained systems, decision makers should be concerned with the efficiency of implementing improvement techniques and technologies. Accordingly, they should consider both the costs and effectiveness of implementation as well as the cost-effectiveness of the innovation to be implemented. An approach to doing this effectively is encapsulated in the 'policy cost-effectiveness' approach. This paper outlines some of the theoretical and practical challenges to assessing policy cost-effectiveness (the cost-effectiveness of implementation projects). A checklist and associated (freely available) online application are also presented to help services develop more cost-effective implementation strategies.
authors.affiliation: School of Healthcare, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Studies, University of York, York, UK.
authors.forename: Ryan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pulleyblank
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Studies, University of York, York, UK.
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parrott
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Studies, University of York, York, UK.
authors.forename: Holly
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Essex
mesh_terms: D057189:Checklist; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D058996:Quality Improvement / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration
keywords: cost-consequence analysis; cost-effectiveness analysis; guideline recommendations; quality improvement; research implementation