Health Care Improvement and Systems-based Practice

The resident on this rotation learns and practices systematic approaches to continuous learning and improvement at individual, group, and organizational levels. This 1:1 mentored learning experience blends a web-based module, didactic sessions, project collaboration, focused readings, and hands-on experiences and coaching. The rotation capitalizes on participation of the resident in a 90-day Faculty Hour interdisciplinary chartered team project based on the resident's chosen improvement goal. Additionally, a two-week block provides protected time for didactics, reading, coaching, and preparation of scholarly products. At right, former CA-3 resident Kristen Telischak describes her project that she presented at the ASA Annual Practice Management Conference to Brett A. Simon, MD, PhD.

Objectives

By the end of this rotation, the resident will be able to:

1. Identify strengths and opportunities for improvement in care that is safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable.
2. Participate in identifying system errors and implementing potential systems solutions
3. Apply common tools for measurement and improvement to current, real-world challenges in anesthesia and perioperative care delivery
4. Locate, appraise, and assimilate scientific evidence to inform improvement efforts
5. Collaborate on an interprofessional team to improve a specific aspect of health care quality
6. Incorporate considerations of cost containment and risk reduction in patient care
7. Communicate effectively with professional colleagues to manage change.

The current environment of healthcare reform creates considerable demand for these new skills. Team results show a measurable impact on patient care and processes such as hand-offs and on-time case starts, and graduates are finding that recruiting departments show great interest in these completed projects.