MedEdPORTAL (Jul 2014)
An Experiential Quality Improvement Curriculum for the Inpatient Setting — Part 1: Design Phase of a QI Project
Abstract
Abstract Formal training in quality improvement (QI) has become increasingly important. Both the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and the American Board of Internal Medicine(ABIM) have created competencies in the areas of practice-based learning improvement (PBLI), systems-based practice (SBP) and communication that must be met. Most QI curricula for internal medicine (IM) residents are implemented in the outpatient setting and are often limited to resident learners. As part of an inpatient training program for IM residents, we developed the Quality Improvement Project (QuIP) curriculum to improve residents' knowledge, attitudes, and skills in QI, and to meet competency requirements set by the ACGME in the realms of PBLI, SBP, and communication. The QuIP curriculum is a 2-year program that incorporates didactic teaching, targeted coaching sessions, and mentored implementation of a QI project embedded in hospital-led initiatives. Didactic components were delivered in two settings: monthly educational sessions, and a 1-month dedicated QI rotation. Learners, which includee IM residents, medical students, and pharmacy residents, work in faculty-mentored teams (QuIP Teams) to design, implement, and measure a QI project in conjunction with the relevant hospital committees as part of the curriculum. Learners also complete online QI educational content provided by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Faculty mentors and QuIP Team members attend educational and coaching sessions together to facilitate team learning. We evaluated the program using three different methods: pre-/postsurveys of learners' perceptions, the Quality Improvement Knowledge Assessment Test (QIKAT), and the San Francisco Project Assessment Tool (SFPAT). We will plan to compare residents' QIKAT and SFPAT scores over time.
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