Quality Improvement

All residents are required to design, carry out and report the results of a quality improvement project prior to the end of their PGY3 year in order to satisfy requirements for graduation. Regular meetings during Thursday conferences are designed to allow for updating on progress towards QA completion.

Resources

Dartmouth clinical improvement site http://www.clinicalmicrosystem.org

Institute for Health Care Improvement http://www.ihi.org/ihi/topics

AMA CQI Measurement Sets http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/4837.html

AAFP CQI Tools website http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/practicemgt/quality.html

National Quality Measures Clearinghouse http://www.qualitymeasures.ahrq.gov/

Elective Planning for QI Projects

PGY2 and PGY3 electives can be used to work on designing and carrying out your QI project. To schedule an elective for QI use the elective form and submit to Darcy at least three months in advance.

A set of learning goals and objectives along with methods might include:

Goal:

To systematically analyze one element of my practice using quality improvement methods, and

implement changes with the goal of practice improvement.

Objectives:

1. List three statistical methods for process control
2. Diagram at least one clinical process that influences my practice (e.g. lab results, patient flow, call handling)
3. Identify and review online QI tools (see above)
4. Participate in one PFC practice operations committee and one PPMC CEQI (Clinical Effectiveness and Quality Improvement) committee meeting
5. Define my own QI project to include methods, resources needed, and timeline for implementation
6. Present project results with recommendations to the residency after review with faculty.

Methods:

• Readings - online above
• Observation - through review of PPMC and PFC committees
• Independent work - creation and carrying out of plan and presentation

What your predecessors have done (powerpoint or word documents for download)

Monica Crane ACE and DM

Millen Gebreselassie Lead Screening

Carrie Gittings ß-Blockers and ASA

Kenyatta Lee Abnormal Pap Smears

Raquel Szlanic and Kathy ZeiglerPneumovax

Anup Desai Pap Smear Reporting

Huan Vu HIV testing consent in prenatal patientsj

Joe Graham Practice Policy Handbook online at General PFC policies and resources