Improve Education for Patients with Cirrhosis of the Liver

Patient education is a crucial part of the patient journey. It plays a vital role in the management of chronic disease, where patients have to manage the disease long-term. However, for a variety of reasons, education and information given to patients is often lacking, leading to poorer health outcomes. Cirrhosis and chronic liver diseases are major causes of morbidity and mortality globally. In 2018, liver disease accounted for 322 deaths in Ireland, which constitutes 1.24% of total deaths. Liver disease is set to overtake ischaemic heart disease as the leading cause of working days lost, due to its association with the increasing incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Cirrhosis is widely prevalent and places a significant burden on healthcare systems and patients annually. The focus of this quality improvement project (QIP) plan is to improve education for liver cirrhosis patients. In the setting of an acute public hospital, the patient pathway was reviewed for patients with liver cirrhosis. The Lean Six Sigma QI model and DMAIC Framework provided a structured approach to the project and QI tools aided in highlighting areas in which improvements could be made. In reviewing the patient pathway, the information the patient was given did not adhere to any particular standard and no information resources were available. This plan suggests an improvement to patient education through the introduction of a liver passport. The expected results of this project include an improvement in patient knowledge, satisfaction and ability to self-manage their cirrhosis.