PDSA, Lean, and Six Sigma are three different frameworks that can be part of your quality improvement armamentarium. Each of them can often be applied to the same quality issue. Deciding on which one to use requires an understanding of their inherent strengths and weaknesses. In our last post, we briefly introduced the theory behind Lean, Six Sigma, and PDSA cycles. Here, we will practically apply each methodology to one quality problem to …
HiQuiPs: Implementation Part 1 – QI Implementation Methodologies
In this two-part series, we will take a deeper dive into several QI conceptual frameworks, or ways to approach QI projects. In our previous posts, we discussed preparation strategies for QI projects; but when it comes to implementing a change, how would a team go about choosing an approach? We will start with a discussion of the variable effectiveness of different change interventions, then we will delve into an overview of some common …
HiQuiPs: Preparation Part 2 – Stakeholder Engagement and Behavior Change
You have recently finished a review of incidents that have been flagged in your ED. You have chosen a pertinent issue to tackle, formed a core group to work on the project, and formulated a SMART aim statement after reading our last HiQuiPs post. The median time for obtaining 12-lead ECGs is 13 minutes, while guidelines recommend less than 10 minutes.1 Your aim is to decrease the initial 12-lead ECG acquisition time by …
HiQuiPs: Quality of Care and the ED
You have just finished a busy ED shift on a warm summer evening and feel that you have been able to help a lot of people today. You plan to visit a patio and relax as you have earned it! On your way out you overhear a patient and their family members saying that they came to this ED because they heard it was “the best”, and they would never go back to …
QI Series Part 3 | Differentiating Quality Improvement and Clinical Epidemiology
How do Quality Improvement methods differ from classical clinical research? This article is the last in a three-part series on Quality Improvement (QI) in health care. The first article, “What is Quality Improvement?”, defined this field of study and provided a brief history of its origins. The second article defined “quality” and briefly described tools used to achieve improvement. This article seeks to differentiate QI methods and goals from those encountered in clinical …
HiQuiPs (Quality Improvement)
Quality Improvement Quality of Care and the ED Preparation Part 1 – General Considerations for a QI Project in the ED Preparation Part 2 – Stakeholder Engagement and Behaviour Change Preparation Part 3 – Root Cause Analysis QI in the ED – Implementation Part 1. QI Implementation Methodologies QI in the ED – Implementation Part 2. Which Strategy to Choose: PDSA, Lean, or Six Sigma? Quality Improvement Projects and Patient Reported Measures …