IHI QI 102
Which of the following statements is true? - answer All of the above
The Model for Improvement is appropriate for all types of improvement efforts and has
been used successfully by thousands of health care organizations in many countries to
improve a variety of health care processes and outcomes. However, there are other
useful models to guide improvement out there. Studies have shown that it is more
important for an organization to have a standard road map to conduct improvement
projects rather than have any specific framework. Lean focuses on improving value from
the customer's point of view, by reducing waste of time and resources.
An orthopedic clinic in a busy metropolitan area would like to improve its patient
scheduling process. More specifically, the clinic wants to improve its efficiency and the
satisfaction of its patients.The orthopedic clinic plans the change to improve scheduling,
and then it carries out a small test of change with three patients on Tuesday morning.
What's the next thing the clinic's improvement team should do? - answerMeasure to see
if the change led to improvement.
The team has planned a test of change and now they've done the test. The team must
now study how the test went (the "S" part of the PDSA cycle). They can look at a mix of
process measures (such as how often appointments started on time) and outcome
measures (such as how satisfied the patients were with the new process).
An orthopedic clinic in a busy metropolitan area would like to improve its patient
scheduling process. More specifically, the clinic wants to improve its efficiency and the
satisfaction of its patients.
Applying the Model for Improvement to the clinic's improvement goal, which of the
following is the most reasonable aim statement? - answerIncrease the number of
patients reporting they are "very satisfied" with the clinic's scheduling by 50 percent
within six months.
An aim statement must specify "how good, by when." Improving patient satisfaction with
scheduling is a reasonable goal. Answer D is best described as an opportunity
statement, as it contains no specifics about how much the clinic must improve, nor by
when. Answer C is more of a "change" statement than an aim statement.
The Model for Improvement begins with three questions designed to clarify the following
concepts: - answerAims, measures, changes
The Model for Improvement begins with three fundamental questions about any given
improvement, designed to address the aim (what are we trying to accomplish?), the
, measures to be used (how will we know a change is an improvement?) and the
changes to be used (what changes can we make that will result in an improvement?).
When trying to improve a process, one reason to use PDSA cycles rather than a more
traditional version of the scientific method (such as a randomized, controlled trial) is
that: - answerPDSA cycles provide a mechanism to adjust improvement ideas as the
project progresses.
PDSA cycles allow for rapid and frequent review of data and then adjusting the test of
change based upon those findings. For example, if a new guideline that's meant to
improve pneumonia care isn't working, PDSA cycles allow you to change the guideline
quickly and test its efficacy, rather than waiting until the end of a long study period.
An orthopedic clinic in a busy metropolitan area would like to improve its patient
scheduling process. More specifically, the clinic wants to improve its efficiency and the
satisfaction of its patients.After assembling a team and working through the three
questions of the Model for Improvement, the orthopedic clinic decides to implement an
automated reminder phone call 24 hours prior to each clinical appointment. The clinic's
improvement team hopes that this small change will improve scheduling.
What is the team's next step? - answerTest their change plan using the PDSA cycle.
Once you have worked through the first three questions of the Model for Improvement
— the questions about aims, measures, and changes — it's time to do a small test of
change using the PDSA cycle. The clinic should have already developed their
measures, and now is not the time for a break — because the hard work of
improvement is just beginning!
Having a clear aim statement is important in quality improvement work because: -
answerAim statements provide a clear and specific goal for the team or organization to
reach.
An aim statement should include the following: - answerNumeric goals, specific time
frame, and the patient population or system affected
Aim statements should specify measurable numeric goals, a time frame for attainment,
and the group or system affected. Costs and team members, while important to the
success of the quality improvement project, are not part of the aim statement itself.
Brenda, the office manager at a dental practice, noticed many patients were missing
their appointments. With the support of her colleagues, she decided to conduct a small
improvement project to improve the process for reminding patients of upcoming visits,
with the goal of having fewer "no shows."
Which of the following is the most effective aim statement for this project? -
answerWithin three months, 90 percent of patients will show up for their appointments.
Which of the following statements is true? - answer All of the above
The Model for Improvement is appropriate for all types of improvement efforts and has
been used successfully by thousands of health care organizations in many countries to
improve a variety of health care processes and outcomes. However, there are other
useful models to guide improvement out there. Studies have shown that it is more
important for an organization to have a standard road map to conduct improvement
projects rather than have any specific framework. Lean focuses on improving value from
the customer's point of view, by reducing waste of time and resources.
An orthopedic clinic in a busy metropolitan area would like to improve its patient
scheduling process. More specifically, the clinic wants to improve its efficiency and the
satisfaction of its patients.The orthopedic clinic plans the change to improve scheduling,
and then it carries out a small test of change with three patients on Tuesday morning.
What's the next thing the clinic's improvement team should do? - answerMeasure to see
if the change led to improvement.
The team has planned a test of change and now they've done the test. The team must
now study how the test went (the "S" part of the PDSA cycle). They can look at a mix of
process measures (such as how often appointments started on time) and outcome
measures (such as how satisfied the patients were with the new process).
An orthopedic clinic in a busy metropolitan area would like to improve its patient
scheduling process. More specifically, the clinic wants to improve its efficiency and the
satisfaction of its patients.
Applying the Model for Improvement to the clinic's improvement goal, which of the
following is the most reasonable aim statement? - answerIncrease the number of
patients reporting they are "very satisfied" with the clinic's scheduling by 50 percent
within six months.
An aim statement must specify "how good, by when." Improving patient satisfaction with
scheduling is a reasonable goal. Answer D is best described as an opportunity
statement, as it contains no specifics about how much the clinic must improve, nor by
when. Answer C is more of a "change" statement than an aim statement.
The Model for Improvement begins with three questions designed to clarify the following
concepts: - answerAims, measures, changes
The Model for Improvement begins with three fundamental questions about any given
improvement, designed to address the aim (what are we trying to accomplish?), the
, measures to be used (how will we know a change is an improvement?) and the
changes to be used (what changes can we make that will result in an improvement?).
When trying to improve a process, one reason to use PDSA cycles rather than a more
traditional version of the scientific method (such as a randomized, controlled trial) is
that: - answerPDSA cycles provide a mechanism to adjust improvement ideas as the
project progresses.
PDSA cycles allow for rapid and frequent review of data and then adjusting the test of
change based upon those findings. For example, if a new guideline that's meant to
improve pneumonia care isn't working, PDSA cycles allow you to change the guideline
quickly and test its efficacy, rather than waiting until the end of a long study period.
An orthopedic clinic in a busy metropolitan area would like to improve its patient
scheduling process. More specifically, the clinic wants to improve its efficiency and the
satisfaction of its patients.After assembling a team and working through the three
questions of the Model for Improvement, the orthopedic clinic decides to implement an
automated reminder phone call 24 hours prior to each clinical appointment. The clinic's
improvement team hopes that this small change will improve scheduling.
What is the team's next step? - answerTest their change plan using the PDSA cycle.
Once you have worked through the first three questions of the Model for Improvement
— the questions about aims, measures, and changes — it's time to do a small test of
change using the PDSA cycle. The clinic should have already developed their
measures, and now is not the time for a break — because the hard work of
improvement is just beginning!
Having a clear aim statement is important in quality improvement work because: -
answerAim statements provide a clear and specific goal for the team or organization to
reach.
An aim statement should include the following: - answerNumeric goals, specific time
frame, and the patient population or system affected
Aim statements should specify measurable numeric goals, a time frame for attainment,
and the group or system affected. Costs and team members, while important to the
success of the quality improvement project, are not part of the aim statement itself.
Brenda, the office manager at a dental practice, noticed many patients were missing
their appointments. With the support of her colleagues, she decided to conduct a small
improvement project to improve the process for reminding patients of upcoming visits,
with the goal of having fewer "no shows."
Which of the following is the most effective aim statement for this project? -
answerWithin three months, 90 percent of patients will show up for their appointments.
