Quality Improvement and Patient Safety

Throughout the four years of training residents are taught the basics of quality improvement (QI) and learn how to implement change across the different healthcare site. Residents in their 2nd and 3rd years of training are required to participate in the clinic-based QI project. In 2018 the Med-Peds program partnered with the Colorado Department of Public Health to identify a QI project that would address the low STI testing rates in Denver. Residents spent 4 days together with national QI experts completing several PDSAs and developing new clinic processes to improve how patients were being screened for STIs. Previous QI projects, including one that addressed screening for TB in our high risk continuity clinic population, led to oral presentations and posters at ACP and SGIM. We are excited to grow our QI curriculum and plan to have future collaborations with the Colorado Department of Public Health. 

Residents interested in QI are encouraged to participate and complete the various trainings offered by the University of Colorado Institute for Healthcare Quality, Safety and Efficiency. 

Residents in their 4th year of training are given dedicated time to learn about patient safety and disclosure of errors. As a final project, each resident presents a M&M case at a Med-Peds academic half day.