Continuous Quality Improvement Initiative
TOOLS
Getting Started in Continuous Quality Improvement
QI Tools
Use these tools to assist in selecting an area of improvement and designing an intervention.
Brainstorming is an organized process for generating a list of ideas about an issue or process.
A Cause and Effect Diagram (sometimes referred to as a Fishbone Diagram) is used to categorize and organize ideas about contributing factors and their relationships within a process.
A flowchart is a graphic diagram or map that illustrates the steps and decision points that make up a work process.
Multivoting is a simple, structured approach used by teams to select the most significant or highest priority item from a list.
Nominal Group Technique (NGT) is a structured method for generating a list of ideas and/or condensing ideas into a manageable number.
A prioritization Matrix is a useful tool that can be used by teams to achieve consensus about an issue.
Below are links to resources that provide examples or templates of tools used in quality improvement.
IHI (Institute for Healthcare Improvement)
This program provides the user with the ability to set up and document individual or team improvement projects, including collection of data, and track/trend changes over time.
CEBM (Center for Evidence-based Medicine)
This website provides the user with tools to implement a project that evaluates practice against evidence-based medicine.
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality provides several resources for tools to help design and support quality improvement programs and projects.
Patient Safety Tools and Resources
Patient Safety Tools and Resources provides a variety of information, reports, and tools for
healthcare providers in order support patient safety programs. It also provides information
for the consumer on how to partner with their health care team to ensure a safe experience.
Health Care Innovations Exchange
Health Care Innovations Exchange is a recently developed AHRQ program. It is
designed for health care professionals to share and adopt innovations
that improve care delivery to patients. On this site you will find innovative
strategies and quality-related tools, learn how to improve your organization's ability
to innovate and adopt new ideas, and interact with others with the same concerns, interests
and goals.
Communicating Critical Test Results Toolkit
This toolkit is designed to facilitate the communication of critical test results from
the lab, radiology, or nurse to the physician. Critical test results are defined as any
test finding that, that if not communicated a timely manner, may result in delays to
appropriate care.
Improving communication of critical test results allows the physician to implement
appropriate interventions in a timely and effective manner.
Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems
This survey allows the healthcare provider to assess the patient's experiences while receiving
healthcare in a practice or healthcare facility. This tool can be used for patients seen in
ambulatory, free-standing and acute care settings.
Physician Practice Patient Safety Assessment
This assessment tool can be used by any type of radiology practice to assist in identifying opportunities to improve care in the area of patient safety.
Quality Tools & Definitions
This site provides detailed explanations and examples of quality tools, including control charts
A general Glossary of Statistical Terms can be found through this link.
