1) The Model for Improvement begins with three questions designed to clarify the following concepts:
a) Plan, do, act
b) Mission, goal, strategy
c) Aims, measures, changes
d) Will, ideas, and execution - Answers c) Aims, measures, changes
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.
2) Applying the Model for Improvement to the clinic's improvement goal, which of the following is the
most reasonable aim statement?
a) Implement two PDSA cycles within six months of beginning the project.
b) Increase the number of patients reporting they are "very satisfied" with the clinic's scheduling by 50
percent within six months.
c) Modify the scheduling process to allow both front desk staff AND nurses to directly schedule
appointments.
d) Create an efficient process for scheduling return appointments at the time of checkout. - Answers b)
Increase the number of patients reporting they are "very satisfied" with the clinic's scheduling by 50
percent within six months.
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.
3) What is the team's next step?
a) Take a well-deserved break.
b) Develop their project-level measures.
c) Test their change plan using the PDSA cycle.
, d) Report their results to clinic leadership and prepare a poster for a national meeting. - Answers c) Test
their change plan using the PDSA cycle.
4) 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?
a) Change their measures.
b) Measure to see if the change led to improvement.
c) Report their results to the clinic leadership and prepare a poster for a national meeting.
d) Implement the new scheduling process based upon their initial impressions of how everything is
working. - Answers b) Measure to see if the change led to improvement.
5) 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:
a) PDSA cycles are easier to run with a large team of people.
b) The results of PDSA cycles are more generalizable than other methods.
c) PDSA cycles are simpler to use than other methods.
d) PDSA cycles provide a mechanism to adjust improvement ideas as the project progresses.
e) Both C and D - Answers e) Both C and D
1) Having a clear aim statement is important in quality improvement work because:
a) Aim statements provide a clear and specific goal for the organization to reach.
b) All grant agencies require clear aim statements when they are considering funding requests.
c) Aim statements remove all obstacles from quality improvement projects.
d) The leaders of all organizations expect to see these types of goals. - Answers a) Aim statements
provide a clear and specific goal for the organization to reach.
2) An aim statement should include the following:
a) Specific time frame, team membership, and numeric goals