Primer on Continuous Quality Improvement (QI) Strategies

Resource: Practice Transformation Toolkit: Continuous Quality Improvement Strategies Primer

This online Toolkit for implementing a new or upgraded electronic health record (EHR) system includes a primer with short descriptions of the following continuous quality improvement approaches: Model for Improvement, Lean, Six Sigma, and the Baldridge Quality Model. It also contains a chart to help practices decide which approach is most appropriate for them. By providing an orientation to quality improvement approaches, the primer helps practices make changes consistent with Key Driver 2: Implement a data-driven quality improvement process to integrate evidence into practice procedures.

Institution of origin: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC)

Author(s): RTI International, with substantive contributions by the Regional Extension Centers (RECs)

Copyright information: This work is subject to the following license: The Government is granted for itself and others acting on its behalf a paid-up, nonexclusive, irrevocable worldwide license in this work to reproduce, prepare derivative works, distribute copies to the public, and perform publicly and display publicly, by or on behalf of the Government. All other rights are reserved by the copyright owner.

Acknowledgements: Funded by The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) under the U.S. Government contract HHSA29020090021I.

Note: To access the Continuous Quality Improvement Strategies Primer: Select the hyperlink  (https://www.healthit.gov/resource/practice-transformation-toolkit) and follow instructions for installing the Practice Transformation Toolkit. Once the Toolkit opens, click on the block titled, “Continuous Quality Improvement Strategies Primer” under the “Evaluation and CQI” column. On the left of your screen will be the components of the primer.