Quality Improvement

Quality in healthcare is the degree to which health services increase the likelihood of desired health outcomes and are consistent with current professional knowledge (National Academy of Medicine).

Quality Improvement (QI) focuses on systematic and continuous actions that lead to standardizing processes.

Performance Improvement (PI) systematically identifies and resolves performance problems, through analysis, interventions, and evaluation, with the goal of sustaining the new process.

The Quality Improvement 101 video provides a brief introduction to quality management concepts and tools. Furthermore, when developing a PI project, it is important to follow structured steps to support success.

Most importantly, QI can be done at any level without requiring a degree or certification. Securing leadership support and aligning QI efforts with organizational strategic plans is essential, along with pre- and post-project data collection relevant to the QI problem.

Some of the benefits of QI include:

• Reduce costs and/or waste
• Improve service delivery and outcomes
• Support strategic planning
• Enhance accountability for actions
• Foster positive intra- and inter-professional team relationships
• Recognize excellence

The below graph shows the recommended steps for any QI/PI project. However, there is flexibility for smaller initiatives. The Quality and Process Improvement Basics 30-minute video explains at depth each of the steps in the structure and offers some examples for some of the key components.

With this structure in mind, this action plan can support QI/PI project teams in achieving their goals. Having a plan in place can greatly support the steps to achieve the project goal.