Improving Quality Improvement (IQI): The Western New York Experience

Improving Quality Improvement (IQI) in Western New York - an initiative of the P2 Collaborative of Western New York (P2) and the Community Health Foundation of Western and Central New York (CHFWCNY), funded by RWJF's Aligning Forces for Quality (AF4Q) - was launched in 2008. IQI is a regional QI capacity building initiative that is working to create world-class, patient centered systems of care and improved health care outcomes in WNY. IQI is a community resource and infrastructure - one that is responsive to changing provider needs and regional developments.

To inform IQI program planning, P2 and CHFWCNY convened regional quality improvement leaders and conducted need assessment interviews with state and local QI leaders and providers. These interviews identified regional training priorities and recommended training resources for building QI capacity in WNY. Critical QI training needs identified included QI methodology basics and practical strategies for improvement; QI data analytics; regulatory quality metrics and standards; QI project and QI program best practices; coaching on the how-to's of effective QI; and peer learning opportunities. The needs assessment interviews also shed light on the potential role and function of a QI Integrator - an FTE or office to support regional QI planning and activities, foster alignment with state and national best practices, and promote collaboration among regional providers.

Two free workshops were offered in 2009. The first workshop, Fundamentals of Continual Improvement - Converting Knowledge into Action for Improvement, was offered twice with over 200 providers in attendance. The aim of the workshop was to build improvement capacity and practical know-how for healthcare improvers whether they work in clinics, skilled nursing facilities, hospitals, physician offices, home health or in public health. The second workshop, complementing the information and education provided by the Fundamentals of Continual Improvement workshops, Improving Care and Caring a QI workshop for long term care professionals was offered. The goal of this program was to provide a comprehensive array of resources, skills training and educational support for health care professionals working in long term care settings.

Ongoing feedback from acute care QI leaders has generated high priority IQI program opportunities, including advanced training and follow-up to the Fundamentals of QI workshop, a medication reconciliation collaborative, and creation of a QI "boot camp" for medical residents as one strategy for sustainable, regional QI infrastructure. An Ambulatory QI Resource Center is also being designed for the WNY region.