Methods and Tools for Quality Improvement

HPM 268 Subject & Catalog Number

Description

Students will learn the fundamental skills of improvement through a mix of presentation, application, and group work. The class will provide a historical overview of different quality methods and then center on the Model for Improvement as the approach for in-depth exploration. In addition to gaining the fundamental skills necessary to participate in quality improvement initiatives, students will earn the components necessary to lead quality improvement. Furthermore, by taking a deep dive into reliability science, students will gain the ability to formulate and create changes that can have a lasting impact in health care, and to build the infrastructure in an organization necessary to accommodate those changes.

Throughout the course students will work in a group on a quality improvement project. The project will be an opportunity to do real-time application of the skills learned in class and will
form the basis of the student’s grade in the course.

All classes will contain four components: (1) a description of the applicable principles and structures that primarily influence the theory being discussed; (2) an exercise that enables
immediate application/practice of the theory taught; (3) an example and/or opportunity to apply the theory in health care; (4) dedicated time to work with a group on an improvement project and
get real-time coaching from faculty. Students will be expected to actively engage in all four components of the class.