Improvement Academy
Your team's resource for guided quality improvement project development and supported implementation.
About the Course
The Improvement Academy (IA) works with inter-professional teams to apply quality/process improvement tools and develop change management skills that enable them to create, implement, and sustain improvement initiatives.
2 DAYS IN-PERSON TRAINING
Teams participate in 16 hours of structured group didactic sessions that introduce key process and quality improvement frameworks and tools, with dedicated time to apply these tools to individual project work.
9 MONTHS TEAM COACHING
Through virtual coaching sessions (typically 2, 1-hour sessions per month) the team will engage with their dedicated IA coach to systematically apply the process improvement and change management steps taught during the in-person training. While most projects are fully implemented within 6 months, the IHQSE team will support each team with up to 9 months of coaching.
IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
All teams will successfully implement a process improvement project using the IA tools and coaching model. Additionally, IA teams will be set to manage future quality and process improvement projects.
Applications
We are currently accepting applications for our Spring 2026 cohort. Applicants must have a problem identified that they are dedicated to improving.
Upcoming Programs
Spring 2026 Cohort
April 29 - 30, 2026
8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Apply for Spring IA
Application Deadline: April 3, 2026
Course Content
Program Details & Expectations
While individuals can participate in the IA, it is designed for inter-professional teams of 2 - 5 members. The IA is appropriate for providers and staff at all levels of experience who want to learn to develop and implement an improvement project.
The IA is only open to members of The IHQSE Collective of IHQSE Fellowship Programs. (Note: CU School of Medicine, Children's Hospital Colorado, and University of Colorado Hospital are Collective Members.)
If you do not fall into one of the categories listed above, please contact our team at [email protected] to discuss participation.
Applicants must have a problem identified that they are dedicated to improving. The problem needs to be scoped to the resources of the course. IHQSE coaches will work with teams prior to the course to ensure they have an appropriate problem.
Previous teams have worked on a variety of projects spanning clinical, research, education, and administrative processes. See examples under "Program Successes" below.
Participants must be able to attend and actively participate in 2 in-person days of training.
Teams must attend regular coaching sessions with their assigned faculty coach. Coaching occurs for up to 9 months following the program. Typical coaching is made up of 2, 60 minute sessions per month.
Program Successes
Teams trained by the Improvement Academy demonstrate significant positive outcomes as a result of their projects. Below is a sampling of some of the projects completed by Improvement Academy teams.
Opportunity
Oversedation of patients in the ICU leads to worse outcomes, including increased morbidity, mortality, and ICU length of stay.
Outcome
Increased the percentage of patients with minimal sedation by 25%, resulting in reduced ventilator time and ICU length of stay.
Opportunity
50% of patients in the pediatric ICU suffer from delirium, leading to excessive length of stay, time on the ventilator, and subsequent cognitive impairment.
Outcome
Screening rate for delirium improved from 49% to 73%, allowing for earlier diagnosis, treatment, and reductions in ICU length of stay.
Opportunity
Key elements of the guideline concordant CPR bundle are completed less than 50% of the time in a Pediatric Emergency Department.
Outcome
Adherence to the complete CPR bundle improved from less than 50% to >90%, improving CPR outcomes for pediatric patients suffering cardiac arrest.
Opportunity
Submitting a research proposal to the Institutional Review Board is time- and resource- intensive, resulting in more than 1,300 hours of wasted researcher time annually.
Outcome
Application was shortened from more than 70 pages to 21 pages, saving hundreds of hours of time for the research community.
Opportunity
Only 41% of patients were screened for postpartum depression.
Outcome
Achieved goal screening rate of more than 80%, leading to an additional 3 - 5 women per month diagnosed and treated for depression, impacting nearly 360 women per year.
Opportunity
Only 31% of pediatric patients taking an atypical antipsychotic received recommended annual metabolic monitoring.
Outcome
Improved and sustained rates of metabolic screening from 31% to 89%.
Opportunity
9% of pediatric urology procedure patients return to the Emergency Department within 30 days. 4.3% are deemed avoidable.
Outcome
The avoidable post-procedure return to ED rate dropped from 4.3% to 2%.
Opportunity
In Colorado, opioid overdose is the leading cause of death for those aged 18 - 45, yet only 25% of patients with opioid use disorder are accessing Medication Assisted Therapy
Outcome
After 6 months, 120 patients connected to Mobile Methadone Unit and 80% receiving methadone therapy successfully transitioned to a brick and mortar facility. 70% remained in therapy for 90 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Apply for the Improvement Academy!
Questions? We'd love to help! Reach out to our team any time at [email protected] with specific questions about the Improvement Academy.
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