HIT 429 - Quality Improvement

Credits: 3
Lecture Hours: 2
Lab Hours: 2
Practicum Hours: 0
Work Experience: 0
Course Type: Voc/Tech

1. Demonstrate an understanding and reflecting on the contents of the varied dimensions of health care quality 
2. Identify the major stakeholders in health care quality. 
3. Discuss the meaning of quality improvement.
4. Describe the three primary quality improvement activities. 
5. Identify regulatory agencies, accreditation organizations, and other groups that influence health care quality improvement activities. 
6. Describe common components of the quality improvement system in a healthcare organization.
7. Identify the role and responsibilities of quality improvement system participants. 
8. Describe the purpose of a quality improvement plan and basic plan elements. 
9. Explain federal quality improvement legislation/initiatives and federal incentive programs that promote the use of health IT for quality improvement.

2. Examine measuring health care performance.

1. Examine the role of measurement in quality improvement activities. 
2. Discuss the differences between structure, process and outcome performance measures.
3. Identify factors that influence the choice of measures used within a healthcare organization.
4. Explain the purpose of performance measurement sets.
5. Use performance measurement development steps to create valid and reliable measures.
6. Explain why and how performance goals are established.
7. Demonstrate an understanding of methods used to collect measurement data. 
8. Identify national groups involved in developing health care performance measures. 

3. Discuss strategies and methods to report measurement data results.

1. Discuss methods use to collect measurement data
2. Describe advantages and drawbacks of common measurement data sources
3. Identify issues to be considered in the development of data collection plans.
4. Explain the rationale for e-measures
5. Describe measurement sampling techniques

4. Evaluate health care performance utilizing quality management tools and activities.

1. Discuss the role of assessment in quality management activities
2. Identify common report formats for displaying performance measurement data
3. Compare and contrast different graphic data displays
4. Explain methods for interpreting healthcare performance measurement data.
5. Describe how statistical process control is used to evaluate performance.
6. Explain the role of comparative performance data in performance assessment
7. Discuss purposes of risk adjusting outcome measurement results
8. Evaluate performance results warranting further investigation.

5. Differentiate an understanding of improvement projects and performance improvement models.

1. Demonstrate an understanding of how improvement projects are formed
2. Compare similarities and differences of common performance improvement models.
3. Differentiate steps of common performance improvement models.
4. Explain how to select individuals for an improvement team.
5. Discuss the importance to establish project objectives
6. Describe stages of improvement team development

6. Choose and use improvement tools and techniques

1. Demonstrate an understanding of tools and techniques used to improve performance
2. Describe frequently used quantitative and qualitative improvement tools.
3. Use improvement tools during different steps of an improvement project
4. Differentiate between improvement models and improvement tools.
5. Discuss techniques for achieving more reliable performance
6. Explain process changes that improve efficiency and reduce mistakes.

7.  Explain techniques utilized by healthcare organizations to improve patient safety.  

1. Identify techniques to evaluate and improve the safety of healthcare processes. 
2. Describe how to use root cause analysis to investigate adverse patient events.
3. Explain failure mode and effects analysis and how it is used to improve the safety of healthcare processes.