Improvement Academy
This course develops skills in using quality improvement and change management tools to solve a problem or make improvements. Participants must utilize a project that will produce a measurable and sustainable improvement of one or more financial, operational or quality outcomes. Using the DMAIC framework, concepts and tools, participants will define their project scope, analyze options for improvement, implement interventions, manage communication and change, measure the impact of their efforts and learn tactics to sustain the results over time.
This course is appropriate for providers and staff at all levels of experience who want to learn to develop and implement a quality improvement project. While individuals may take the course, we recommend that you come through the program as a team (preferably, interprofessional) that can help develop and lead the project.
Course Overview
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The Improvement Academy offers sixteen hours of structured group didactic sessions to introduce key process and quality improvement frameworks and tools, with dedicated time to apply these tools to individual project work.
Up to 12 longitudinal coaching sessions will help support PI/QI work and address the change management principles key to successful, sustained improvement efforts. Coaches will be IHQSE faculty members with extensive QI expertise.
The program will close with a final presentation, creation of a sustainability plan, and quarterly updates for two years to the IHQSE leadership team.
Course Content
Session 1: QI Tools and Application to Project Work
- The 'Why' of improvement work
- Overview of the DMAIC approach to improvement
- The six steps of quality improvement
- Developing a business case for your project
Session 2: Data, Change Management & Overcoming Resistance
- Managing and understanding data in improvement work
- Managing change for effective project work
- Overcoming resistance to change
- Creating an effective presentation
Coaching Sessions
- Up to 12 one-hour meetings with your team and a coach focusing on project work and change management
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Upcoming Dates & Registration
Participants should have a problem identified that they are dedicated to improving. We highly encourage you to apply with an interdisciplinary team.
Participants are expected to attend both days. Sessions are held in-person on the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Summer 2023 Dates: June 15 & 16, 2023
Registration: $1,499 per team
(up to 3 people working on same project, additional team members are $300/each)
Includes two in-person days and up to 12 virtual, longitudinal coaching sessions
Register Now
What participants say about Improvement Academy
"This course has been an amazingly positive experience. Our team is so excited to keep working on our project, and we know so much more about how to do so effectively now."
"The faculty did an incredible job of building a community in our sessions; clearly each team had very different backgrounds, yet everyone was supportive and engaged in understanding and helping each other."