QI Methods and Improvement Science

Abstract

Improvement is the outcome achieved when a system has undergone some fundamental change for the better. In an ideal state, the effects of the improvement are sustained and have a lasting positive impact on the system. Not all changes will lead to improvement. Improvement is driven by the application of knowledge about the current state, the desired state, and the context of the system you are working in. In this chapter you will learn the fundamentals of improvement science and will apply that knowledge through a real-life example of an improvement team working to reduce time to antibiotics for oncology patients with fever. Concepts introduced include the Model for Improvement, writing an effective aim statement, analyzing the current state using a Lean process map, identifying barriers to successful improvement projects, developing driver diagrams to illustrate your theory, and using PDSA cycles to test and refine changes.