Continuous Self-Improvement: Systems Thinking in a Personal Context

Systematic review of continuous self-improvement interventions

“…Ap health care indu ting behaviors rather of enviro Studies, 2013 guide to assist people in personal system-based changes to improve health behaviors [1] . Personal system thinking is conceptually defined as the process of understanding how people and circumstances are linked [2] . Alemi and colleagues called this approach Continuous Self-improvement (CSI).…”

“…Alemi proposes four mechanisms in the framework: "the system is the cause of change; habits involve linked decisions; process owners need to join in supporting change; system change is based on data" (p. 81) [2] . The first assumption of continuous self-improvement is that the system is the cause of the behavior [2] .…”

“…The first assumption of continuous self-improvement is that the system is the cause of the behavior [2] . Since individual behavior occurs within a system, any change in that system results in a change in behavior; Berwick (1996) wrote, "Every system is perfectly designed to achieve the results it achieves" (p. 619) [5] .…”

“…Personal systems can create negative health behavior, and therefore the system must change at the personal level to influence the desired behavior. Alemi et al (2000) state "discipline and will power are not a personality trait, but a function of the environment in which the individual functions … motivation itself is manipulated, engineered, or influenced by the system with which the persona has surrounded himself or herself" (p. 81). Although this framework removes blame from individuals, they remain responsible for participating in care or accountable for selecting the environment that produces the behavior [2] .…”

“…Alemi et al (2000) state "discipline and will power are not a personality trait, but a function of the environment in which the individual functions … motivation itself is manipulated, engineered, or influenced by the system with which the persona has surrounded himself or herself" (p. 81). Although this framework removes blame from individuals, they remain responsible for participating in care or accountable for selecting the environment that produces the behavior [2] . This personal system approach is consistent with a recent World Health Organization's report on adherence, which suggests that shifting blame from the patient to his or her environment may enhance adherence [41] .…”