Research skills in surveyors: design of a self-assessment questionnaire 26th International Conference. The International Society for Quality in Health Care Dublin 11th - 14th October 2009

1. 26th International Conference
The International Society for Quality in Health Care
Dublin 11th - 14th October 2009
RESEARCH SKILLS IN SURVEYORS:
DESIGN OF A SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE
Authors: Reyes-Alcázar V., Sotillos-González B., Torres-Olivera A.
Andalusian Agency for Healthcare Quality
1. OBJECTIVE
To assess the research potential of surveyors from an organisation geared to boosting healthcare quality Andalusian Agency for
Healthcare Quality; Spain by means of a self-assessment tool on research skills which contains specific questions dealing with
research capability and activity.
2. METHODS
1. Designing a self-assessment questionnaire on research skills.
2. Running a pre-test of the questionnaire among in-house staff from
the organisation.
3. Applying the questionnaire to personnel from the organisation (n:
30).
4. Data collection and analysis of results.
presenting results, etc.). (b) Proficiency in documental resources and
bibliography management tools (EMBASE / Elsevier, Pubmed, ScIELO,
Reference Manager, Endnote, etc.).
The second dimension explores research activity through questions
about: post-graduate and post-doctorate training, attendance of
congresses and participation in international projects, responsibilities
such as principal investigator, publication of articles or other materials.
The questionnaire has two basic dimensions: firstly, it analyses research
capability on two levels: (a) Research-related functions (study design,
literature review, critical reading, collecting data, writing reports,
Timeframe: this study has been carried out between November 2008
and February 2009.
3. RESULTS
1. The Research Potential among interviewees was seen to be highly
variable with a mean score of 8.5 and an interquartile range of 13.32.
2. Specifically, the Research Capability dimension (from 0 to 10)
disclosed a mean score of 6.19 (± 3.37). The three aspects of this
Dimension in which the largest number of professionals responded
affirmatively are: information searching through the Internet (100%);
writing up contents for a congress to be held in their mother tongue
(90.3%); data collection and analysis (80.6%). Meanwhile, those
aspects that need strengthening refer to article writing (48.4%) and oral
expression in foreign languages (38.7%).
3. On another note, 7 out of 10 documental resources and bibliography
4. CONCLUSIONS
1. The use of a self-assessment questionnaire on research skills in
surveyors from an organisation aimed at enhancing healthcare quality
helps professionals to identify improvement areas, which, in this case,
were those referring to acquiring knowledge and skills for the various
stages of the research process.
2. Applying the self-assessment questionnaire helped the interviewee
surveyors to reflect on the significance of research in organisations
devoted to healthcare quality and accreditation programmes.
3. The application of the self-assessment questionnaire enabled people
with a high research potential to be identified in different areas
throughout the organisation, which in turn opens the door to
collaborative projects in the future.
management tools in the questionnaire had been used by 30% of the
interviewees. A highlight here was Pubmed, used by 64.5% of the
subjects of the study.
organisation’s research strategy for the coming years.
4. Finally, with regard to Research Activity, contributions to congresses
5. Likewise, the analysis carried out on research skills proved to be a
held in the home country (90.3%) far outnumbered those to foreign
congresses (41.9%).
4. The study was a useful way of shaping the design of the
line of work with an enormous potential for member organisations of
ISQua, given its applicability to the field of healthcare quality and
accreditation.
In all cases, the results revealed the highest scores occurred among the
group of accredited physicians compared to non-accredited doctors.
www.juntadeandalucia.es/agenciadecalidadsanitaria