Quality Improvement

Getting Ready for Quality Improvement: A Quick Guide

This compilation of resources was prepared by MCHB’s Division of MCH Workforce Development and its Office of Policy and Coordination to support the MCH community in becoming better acquainted with quality improvement. An attempt has been made to identify resources for those with extremely limited time for exploring the concepts and skills, as well as for those who can allocate larger blocks of time for learning about quality improvement. In addition, this MCH Navigator “Spotlight” was prepared so that those who learn better through reading, viewing presentations, or through web tutorials can find material that they are most comfortable with.

Quick References for Predominant QI Methodologies and Tools

“Quick Study” Youtube.com Videos

Short Web Tutorials on PDSA

Resource Organizations and Compendiums

Institute for Healthcare Improvement

An independent not-for-profit organization based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, IHI focuses on motivating and building the will for change; identifying and testing new models of care in partnership with both patients and health care professionals; and ensuring the broadest possible adoption of best practices and effective innovations. The “Knowledge Center” section of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s website includes QI tools and templates, case studies, white papers, presentations, a calendar of conferences and upcoming trainings, and other resources. Some are focused on clinical healthcare, but many are broadly applicable to any type of organization. For instance, a general primer on the Model for Improvement, a framework for accelerating QI processes, can be found in the Knowledge Center under “How to Improve.” A list of Resources for Public Health Quality Improvement is located under “Tools” in the Knowledge Center.

The IHI also hosts an Open School for Health Professions, which is an interprofessional educational community that gives students the skills to become change agents in health care improvement. There are no applications, no admissions requirements, and no due dates. Subscription fees are applied; students, however, can access for free

National Initiative for Children’s Healthcare Quality

NICHQ (the National Initiative for Children’s Healthcare Quality; pronounced “nich-cue”) is an independent, nonprofit organization working to make children’s health and healthcare better through quality improvement.

The “Resources” section of NICHQ’s website includes toolkits, publications, videos, and summary sheets that explore quality improvement in the following categories :

Medical home
Sickle cell disease
Autism
Systems of Care (epilepsy and newborn screening)
Obesity
Breastfeeding

NICHQ’s website hosts a very helpful slideset on Models for Quality Improvement

Improving the System of Care: Toolkit for Title V Leaders

This toolkit provides Title V leaders with practical tools for systems level quality improvement for children and youth with special health care needs. The toolkit includes resources that were developed and used by Title V teams as part of the “Improving the System of Care for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) Learning Collaborative” sponsored by the Division of Services for Children with Special Health Care Needs, Maternal and Child Health Bureau.
Source: Division of Children with Special Health Care Needs, MCH Bureau, HRSA

Public Health Performance Improvement (PHPI) Toolkit

The PHPI Toolkit is a collection of free resources that have been created for local, state, and national public health performance improvement and accreditation activities. The resources include presentations from trainings, templates, and examples of processes used in specific states and localities, most presented in PDF format. One section of the Toolkit is devoted to Quality Improvement, with resources covering:

Intro to QI
Building QI Culture
QI Plan
QI Tools & Frameworks
QI Leadership
Data & Measurement
Managing QI Collaboratives

Journal Articles and White Papers

Journal of Public Health Management and Practice – Open Access Issues

The journal’s special QI editions (January/February 2010, and 2012) focus on the current and future states of QI in public health. The authors provide information on issues that affect QI in public health and processes that can serve to implement effective change.

Quality Improvement in Public Health: It Works!
American Public Health Association’s (APHA); 2012

The Breakthrough Series: IHI’s Collaborative Model for Achieving Breakthrough Improvement. IHI Innovation Series white paper. Boston: Institute for Healthcare Improvement; 2003.

Additional IHI White Papers

Selected Introductory Presentations, Training or Tutorials

Note: some require registration.

CQI for Public Health: The Fundamentals

In this three-module course, Racquel Graham introduces quality improvement principles and how to appropriately apply quality improvement in one’s work. The first module covers basic principles and methods of continuous quality improvement (CQI). The second module identifies problem-solving techniques and helps participants think about CQI projects relevant in their own work. When to use and how to develop effective CQI teams are covered in the final module. CQI tools, and application exercises are included. 180 minutes; 3 modules.

**Registration on LMS is required. To access the course, enter “CQI for Public Health: The Fundamentals” in the “Catalog Search” on the left column and click the “Search” button. Click “View” to the left of the course name and click the “LCMS Registration” button at the bottom of the screen. Then click on the “My Training” tab and click “View” to the left of the course name.

Heartland Centers: Quality Improvement Concepts

In this short course, Marty Galutia describes quality improvement concepts and how to apply them to improve processes and systems. The presentation reviews the reasons why quality improvement is sought, the process considered broadly, and provides information specific to the Kano Model of Quality. The roles of customers and consumers in QI also are considered. Interactive exercises are built into the presentation throughout. MICH; 45 minutes.

**Registration in TRAIN is required. After logging in, the course can be accessed by entering the course id (1025091) into the “Search By Course ID” box on the right side of the landing page. On the next page, click on the “Registration” tab and then click on “Launch.”

MCH QI in Practice: Selected Example(s)

Tennessee Initiative for Perinatal Quality Care
Succinct material shows users how to form a team, the various tools including a Driver Diagram.