Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Design a quality improvement intervention
2. Implement a quality improvement intervention
3. Evaluate the effectiveness of quality improvement interventions

Credit Designation Statement
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine designates this live activity for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Disclosure Statement
The course directors of this activity Kevin O’Leary, MD/MS, and Abra Fant, MD,/MS, have nothing to disclose. The steering committee members Nikole Drever, MBA; Christopher Beach, MD; Mark Schumacher, MS; Aashish Didwania, MD; Jay Anderson, MBA; Michael Gisondi, MD; Matt Groth, RN; Jane Hall, MD/MPH; Gary Martin, MD; Patricia O’Sullivan, RN; Jessica Thurk; Diane Wayne, MD; Donna Woods, EdM,/PhD; Erin Lambers, PhD/MPH; and Claire Knoten, PhD/MS have nothing to disclose. Karl Bilimoria, MD/MS, has received research grant funding from the following sources ACS, ABS, ACGME, NIH, and AHRQ. Rajesh Keswani, MD/MS, receives consulting fees from Boston Scientific and Cook Endoscopy. FSM’s CME leadership and staff have nothing to disclose.

Accreditation Statement
The Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Program participants attend 6 classroom sessions and one final celebration. The sessions will be approximately once a month, with each session focused on quality improvement topics. Each year our cohorts begins in September. Key additional features of the program and participation include:

• Application is open to all healthcare professionals
• There is no cost to apply or attend the program
• Participants are accepted through a competitive application process
• Participants will complete a project during the program
• Each team will be paired with a clinical mentor, quality improvement coach, and will receive support in data acquisition
• Dinner will be provided during each session as an opportunity for teams to meet with each other
• Participants will receive an AQSI Certificate upon completion of the program
• CME/CNE is available as well

AQSI sessions will occur monthly on Thursday evening's beginning at 5 pm typically lasting until 8 pm. We will begin with one session, break for dinner, and then follow with a second session. A sample agenda is listed below.

The West Region AQSI program will accept applications from May to the end of June each year. The program will begin in September.

Step 1: Identify a project (and team)

Applicants to the program must propose a quality improvement project. Because quality improvement is a team effort, we strongly encourage quality improvement teams to apply. However, individual applications are also welcome. Please refer to the project proposal worksheet (see the Project Application Resources at the bottom of this web page) when planning your project. The questions on the worksheet will be asked of you in the formal, online application.

Step 2: Request a project application

Contact aqsi@nm.org to obtain access to the online application in which you will propose a quality improvement project. You will receive an e-mail containing a link to the application. If applying as a team, designate one person to complete the project application.

Step 3: Complete the project application

When completing the project application, be prepared to:

• Upload your CV or resume (if applying on behalf of a team, upload only your own CV or resume)
• Create and upload a process map (you may create this in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, or another program) that identifies the major steps of the existing workflow for the process you intend to improve. It should present a high-level overview of the work process (i.e., 4-10 steps) and need not be too detailed. Do not propose a new or ideal work process; just document the existing workflow as you currently understand it.
• Upload a letter of support for your project. The letter should come from an appropriate leader in your division/practice/setting endorsing your project and granting access to resources needed to complete the project (e.g., time, data sources).
• Upload a letter of support for your individual participation in the program. The letter should come from an appropriate leader in your division/practice/setting and state that you will be given the necessary time and support needed to complete the program. (If applying on behalf of a team, upload only a letter for yourself).
• If applying on behalf of a team, please provide the names, team roles, and contact information (email addresses and phone numbers) for your team members.

Note: You do not have to complete the project application at one time. You may save a partially completed application.

Step 4 (for team applications only): Team members complete supplementary applications

All team members named in the project application who wish to attend the AQSI training will be contacted to complete a supplementary individual application. Team applications will not be complete until each team member has completed an individual application. Each team member will receive an e-mail with a link to the supplementary application and should be prepared to:

• Upload your CV or resume
• Upload a letter of support for your individual participation in the program. The letter should come from an appropriate leader in your division/practice/setting and state that you will be given the necessary time and support needed to complete the program.

Note: You do not have to complete the application at one time. You may save a partially completed application.

Proposal Resources

• Application Process Overview and Checklist
• Quality Improvement Project Proposal Worksheet
• Sample Process Map

Pre-view Application Questions

Before completing the online project application, you may wish to develop your answers on the worksheet at the link above. Below is a list of the questions you will be asked when proposing your project. Please limit your responses to 150 words or less.

1. What is the focus of your project (e.g., DVT prophylaxis, improved patient satisfaction, increased access)?
2. In what division/practice/unit will you base your project activities?
3. Create and upload a process map (you may create this in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, or another program) that identifies the major steps of the existing workflow for the process you intend to improve. It should present a high-level overview of the work process (i.e., 4-10 steps) and need not be too detailed. Do not propose a new or ideal work process; just document the existing workflow as you currently understand it.
4. What information technology systems, (e.g., PowerChart, Epic, etc.) if any, are important in the workflow process that you have drawn? List each and explain its role.
5. Do you have support and/or permission from the appropriate leaders?
6. What is known about current performance?
7. What makes you believe that improvement is needed in this area?
8. What data and measures are available to assess performance and drivers of poor performance?
9. How will you know if efforts to improve performance have been successful?
10. What interventions have been tried in the past?
11. What is known about barriers to improving performance?
12. What tentative interventions/actions are planned?
13. Do you have the resources needed to implement tentative interventions/actions?
14. What is the timeline for the planned project?
15. How might improvements be sustained over the long term?