Header

Main Content

Article

Quality Improvement

What is Quality Improvement (QI)?

QI is the use of a deliberate and defined improvement process. It refers to a continuous and ongoing effort

to achieve measurable results. This could be improvements in the efficiency, effectiveness, performance,

accountability, outcomes, and other indicators of quality services or processes which achieve equity and

improve health.

 

Questions to ask about QI initiatives:

What are we trying to accomplish?

 

How much did we do?

 

How well did we do it?

 

How will we know that there is an improvement?

  

> Increase Employee Empowerment

 

> Support Teamwork and Collaboration

 

> Visible Leadership

 

> Mindful of Customer Focus

 

> Continually Building QI Infrastructure

 

> Promoting Continuous Process Improvement


ISDH's Culture of Quality Journey:

The culture of an organization is the embodiment of the core values, guiding principles, behaviors, and attitudes that collectively contribute to its daily

operations. Culture drives the policies, practices, and processes used to accomplish an organization’s work. It matures over many years as norms are

passed from one generation of staff to the next. ISDH has adopted the QI Roadmap from NACCHO to guide progress through the six phases of QI

until a culture of quality is reach and sustainable. For each phase, the Roadmap presents common organizational characteristics, strategies, and

resources for transitioning to the next phase. Click here to download all Roadmap and Self-Assessment resources.

                                                     

 

According to NACCHO’s roadmap to a Culture of Quality Improvement, the Indiana State Department of Health

is in “Phase 3: Informal or Ad Hoc QI”

which indicates that:

> Executive leaders value QI but expectations are not consistently communicated to staff.

 

> Basic QI trainings/resources are available and QI champions exist but opportunities for QI are limited.

 

> A limited number of staff are performing QI and there is a QI council but a QI plan may not be adopted.

 

> Data is collected and monitored but not routinely applied in decision making processes.

 

> A small number of processes are being improved through discrete QI projects but may take excessive time to complete.

 

ISDH's Favorite Quality Improvement Resources:

ISDH Quality Improvement Plan 

 

Domain 9: Public Health Accreditation

 

NACCHO Culture of Quality

 

ASTHO

 

National Public Health Institute

 

Instititue for Healthcare Improvement