Follow-up actions

A rate that moves the wrong way needs someone to act on it. A follow-up action records that work: a title, the cohort it came from, the person it is assigned to, a due date, a status and, when it is finished, the completion date and resolution. Because each action points at its cohort, a reviewer can see which published result prompted it and what was done about it.

The Analytics Manager raises follow-up actions from a published cohort and assigns each one to a person with a due date. The assignee moves it Open → InProgress → Completed and records the resolution, or moves it to Cancelled with a reason in the resolution field. Actions that are still open or in progress after their due date appear in the overdue exception queue on the Healthcare Analytics Overview page.

• One assignee per action. assigned to names a single person, and the “My follow-up actions” view shows only their work.
• A resolution on every close. Completed and cancelled actions keep a written resolution and a completion date.
• Linked to the source cohort. Each action keeps its cohort reference, so the outcome that prompted it stays one click away.

Agree which published outcomes should prompt a follow-up action, for example a readmission rate above an agreed threshold for two consecutive windows. Agree who raises actions, how due dates are set and who can reassign or cancel an action. Decide what a resolution must contain before an action can be completed, such as the change made, the owner and the date it took effect. Agree how often the overdue queue is reviewed and by whom.

Publish a cohort whose readmission rate has risen. Ask the Analytics Manager to raise a follow-up action against it, assign it to a Quality Improvement Lead and set a due date in the past for the test. The action should appear in the “Follow-up actions due” view and in the overdue queue on the overview page.

Ask the Quality Improvement Lead to move it to InProgress, then try to complete it without a resolution. Once the agreed resolution rule is configured, completion should be refused until the resolution text is recorded. Once completed with a resolution, the action should leave the overdue queue and keep its completion date. A second assignee should not see it in their “My follow-up actions” view.

• Follow-up actions due — open and in-progress actions at or past their due date, with cohort, assignee and status.
• My follow-up actions — actions assigned to the signed-in person, with due date, status, completion date and resolution.

• Follow-up action to resolution: Assign, work and close corrective actions raised from published outcomes.
• Independent review to publication: Approve the exact revision and publish its outcome rates.

Review the implementation plan and the data model before preparing your import files.