Continuous Quality Improvement Initiative

TOOLS

 

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.

Dartmouth Atlas of Healthcare
The Dartmouth Atlas Project provides the user with the ability to describe how medical resources are distributed and used in the United States. The project offers comprehensive information and analysis about national, regional, and local markets, as well as individual hospitals and their affiliated physicians, in order to provide a basis for improving health and health systems. The web-site provides data tools to create charts and graphs similar to those in the Dartmouth Atlas.