The new training program, supported by an award from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) and the Department of Quality, Safety and Risk Prevention, will expand organizational capacity for conducting and evaluating evidence-based practice change.
The newly established Essentials in Quality Improvement Certificate (EQIC) offers training to front-line health care leaders to develop skills in improvement and implementation methods. Utilizing the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s (IHI) Model for Improvement, the EQIC program introduces our front-line leaders to the IHI’s methodology and supports front-line leaders in completing a workplace-based quality improvement project. Over the course of 11 weeks, participants are engaged in weekly self-directed learning combined with nine live virtual didactic sessions.
The new training program was initiated as a capacity building project under the PCORI Health Systems Implementation Initiative (HSII), a new national program to speed translation of evidence into practice. Jenny Slayton, DNP, RN, and Sunil Kripalani, MD, MSc, co-lead VUMC’s participation in HSII. EQIC is directed by Jennifer Green, MD, MPH, and supported by Ursula Ueno, RN, MSN, CPHQ, Carin McAbee, MA, and Randy Cox, MPH, LSS, CPPS.
EQIC participants are nominated by leadership from each of the Patient Care Centers, Regional Hospitals, Stallworth and Vanderbilt Health Affiliated Network (VHAN) to ensure a broad and equitable representation across the enterprise. The first cohort of EQIC participants recently completed their training in June 2024, with a total of 21 front-line leaders receiving a certificate of completion. A key feature of this training program is the collaborative learning environment enriched by participants’ shared experiences leading projects. IHI worksheets are assigned at each step, serving as a guide and road map for projects.
Nominations for the fall cohort are currently being accepted from senior leadership. Interested participants should reach out to their leadership team. Questions on EQIC may be directed to eqic@vumc.org.
