Which Attributes of Credibility Matter for Quality Improvement Projects in Hospital Care—A Multiple Case Study among Hospitalists in Training

Healthcare professionals have to give substance to the role of a champion in order to successfully lead quality improvement (QI) initiatives. This study aims to unravel how hospitalists in training shape their role as a champion within the context of QI projects in hospital care and why some are more effective in leading a QI project than others. We focus on the role of credibility, as it is a prerequisite for fulfilling the role of champion. This multiple-case study builds upon 23 semi-structured interviews with hospitalists in training: quality officers and medical specialists. We first coded data for each case and then described the different contexts of each case in detail to enable comparison across settings. We then compared the cases and contrasted the attributes of credibility. Four attributes of credibility emerged and were identified as essential for the hospitalist in training to succeed as a champion: (1) being convincing about the need for change by providing supportive clinical evidence, (2) displaying competence in their clinical work and commitment to their tasks, (3) generating shared ownership of the QI project with other healthcare professionals, and (4) acting as a team player to foster collaboration during the QI project. We also identified two contextual factors that supported the credibility of the hospitalist in training: (1) choosing a subject for the QI project that was perceived as urgently required by the group of stakeholders involved, and (2) being supported by the board of directors and other formal and informal leaders as the leader of a QI project. Further research is needed to gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between credibility and sustainability of change.