Research Training for QI and Patient Safety

Slide Presentation from the AHRQ 2008 Annual Conference

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On September 9, 2008, Maureen A. Smith, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., made this presentation at the 2008 Annual Conference. Select to access the PowerPoint® presentation (350 KB).

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Slide 1

Research Training for Quality Indicators (QI) and Patient Safety

Maureen A. Smith, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H.
Director, AHRQ T32 in QI and Patient Safety
Faculty Director, Health Innovation Program
Associate Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Slide 2

Stages of Training: Trainees should...

1. Engage end users in question development.
2. Learn research skills in context.
3. Present results to multiple audiences.
4. Participate in QI implementation.

Slide 3

Overarching Model: Health Innovation Program

The diagram shows three overlapping ovals. From left to right, they represent: "Local and Statewide Health Systems;" "Health Innovation Program: Integrating Healthcare Research and Practice;" and "UW Research in Health Care Delivery." Two, large arrows point to the right, near the top of the three ovals. They read, "Engage end users to identify priorities and develop questions," and "Develop rigorous methods in context of organizational priorities." Two, large arrows point to the left near the bottom of the three ovals. They read, "Present results to researchers and local end user audiences," and "Implement change through partnering with end users," Inside a small box underneath the ovals is "Inform health care practice and health policy statewide," with two boxes with arrows pointing toward it reading, "Practice Improvement" and "Translational Research."

Slide 4

Trainees engage end users

The slide shows the first large arrow pointing to the right from the diagram which reads, "Engage end users to identify priorities and develop questions."

1. Understand organizational priorities.
   • Serve on local QI committees.
     • Local partners—Physician practice plan, 2 insurers, 2 hospitals.
     • Diabetes, primary care redesign, CA screening.
2. Engage users in question development.
   • Workshop in participatory research.

Slide 5

(2) Trainees learn skills

The slide shows the second large arrow pointing to the right from the diagram which reads, "Develop rigorous methods in context of organizational priorities."

1. Develop rigorous methods.
   • Courses in standard & "newer" designs.
     • Experiment & quasi-experiment.
     • Interrupted time series, cluster Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) (Mercer, et al. 2007).
   • Courses in advanced statistical techniques.
2. Understand organizational context.
• Workshop in qualitative research.

Slide 6

(3) Trainees present results

The slide shows the first large arrow pointing to the left from the diagram which reads, "Present results to researchers and local end user audiences."

1. Make research results useable.
   • Research—use OR & 95% CI in tables.
   • QI—use horizontal bars with %.
2. Present to multiple audiences.
   • National research audiences.
   • Local end user audiences.
     • QI staff, leadership, and clinicians.

Slide 7

(4) Trainees participate in QI

The slide shows the second large arrow pointing to the left from the diagram which reads "Implement change through partnering with end users."

1. Learn QI and system redesign skills.
   • Course—Quality and Patient Safety.
     • 2 physicians & 2 industrial engineers.
     • Systems engineering model of redesign.
2. Participate in QI implementation.
   • Obtain local small QI grants.
     • Discharge communication, cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors.

Slide 8

Stages of Training: Trainees have...

1. Engaged end users in question development.
2. Learned research skills in context.
3. Presented to multiple audiences.
4. Participated in QI implementation.

Current as of January 2009

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Internet Citation:

Research Training for QI and Patient Safety. Slide Presentation from the AHRQ 2008 Annual Conference (Text Version). January 2009. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/about/annualmtg08/090908slides/Smith.htm

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