Note: This article was originally posted in our August 2017 newsletter, and has not been updated.
In November 2016, the College held member focus groups in four locations across the province (Toronto, Ottawa, Thunder Bay & Guelph) to discuss the Quality Assurance Program (QAP). We also reached out to rural and remote midwifery practice groups to obtain a better understanding of the challenges that members practicing in rural and remote environments face in meeting QAP reporting requirements.
The focus groups and questionnaires from rural and remote practices provided valuable information about what works in the current program and what challenges are encountered in meeting the program’s requirements.
Some of the things we heard were that people wanted a longer reporting cycle, that the Quality of Care Evaluations and the Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) do not meet the goals of the QAP, and that the flexibility of the Continuing Professional Development activities supported the goals of the QAP.
We also heard that members required more guidance about what the College does with Quality Assurance information and how to conduct rigorous peer case reviews. To read the report on the QAP, click here.
The feedback received will inform the upcoming changes to the QAP; however, the new program will not be implemented until the Quality Assurance Regulation has been approved by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC). The proposed revisions to the Quality Assurance Regulation were posted to the College website for public consultation in December 2016. Council approved the proposed changes at their March 22, 2017, meeting, and the regulation will be submitted to the MOHLTC for their review.
The proposed changes to the regulation will allow the College to create a more flexible QAP that meets the goals of the QAP while responding to best practices in the field of Quality Assurance.
Because of all the negative feedback the College received about the SAQ both before and after the focus groups, the College’s Quality Assurance Committee recently approved a revised SAQ which will be in place until the new QAP is rolled out. This interim SAQ and accompanying guideline will be posted to the Member Portal in the coming months.
There are no changes to how members will report on QAP activities for the 2016-2017 reporting year. To review the program’s current requirements, please review the information and guidelines posted on our website. QAP reports can be accessed through the Member Portal throughout the reporting year allowing members to easily log in and add activities as they occur.
QAP reports for the October 1, 2016 – September 30, 2017 reporting period are due no later than October 1, 2017. Should you have any questions regarding the QAP, please contact qap@cmo.on.ca.