Improvement Science Education
Committed to the Science of Improvement
In the Anderson Center, we are developing a system of improvement science education that supports the transformation of the organization and catalyzes the cultural shift necessary to be a leader in improving child health. Our approach is to provide educational offerings across multiple levels of content and skill, providing faculty and staff the ability to incorporate improvement into their strategic priorities and daily work, allowing them to fulfill their roles.
Improvement science is incorporated into our performance management system, which requires a competency around continuous improvement. Staff members are required to build improvement capability in themselves and others by improving processes and services with an emphasis on measurable results, including use of prediction and testing changes, as a vehicle for learning and improvement.
Below you will find a description of our improvement science offerings. All leaders in the healthcare industry are eligible to apply for the Intermediate Improvement Science Series and Advanced Improvement Methods. Only Cincinnati Children's faculty and staff may apply for the Basic Online Modules and Rapid Cycle Improvement Collaborative.
Not sure which course is right for you? Explore the Leadership Academy course comparison guide to find the best fit.
ImpactU
ImpactU is a seven-month course that unites cross-sector leaders and community partners to apply quality improvement (QI) tools and methods to improve the lives of children and families across Greater Cincinnati and Hamilton County. The course, created specifically for community leaders and partners by Cincinnati Children’s in 2015, has been used to train hundreds of improvement leaders.
As a result of participating in ImpactU, attendees will be able to:
- Utilize the Cincinnati Children’s Improvement Science Model to demonstrate measurable improvement on a narrowly scoped project in their department or organization
- Lead a team to generate meaningful change on a specific project using QI tools
- Continue using the Cincinnati Children’s Improvement Science Model within their organization and support others in launching improvement initiatives
- Leverage relationships formed with other community participants to collaborate on improvement projects across systems to change outcomes for children and families in the Cincinnati area
ImpactU is designed for current and emerging leaders at Cincinnati Children’s and in the community who want to use Improvement Science to address challenges in delivering high-quality services to children and families.
Past participants include school district administrative staff, city and county department leads, healthcare leaders, social service leaders, or leaders in the community.
ImpactU is offered annually to selected participants and partners from Cincinnati Children’s and in the community in collaboration with Population Health.
Structure
- A seven-month, hands-on course
- One or two full-day sessions each month from October to April, and a Re-Connect session 4 months after graduation as well as a few hours per week between each session to work on an improvement project
- Instructional methodologies include lectures, large and small group discussions, application exercises, project presentations, and interactive learning while utilizing an “All Teach, All Learn” environment
- Collaboration with multisector partners working together to ensure that children and families thrive
Rapid Cycle Improvement Collaborative (RCIC)
Aimed at small teams who are recommended and sponsored by their leadership. RCIC is designed to achieve a measurable improvement in a focused, narrow-scoped project in 120 days by a team. The RCIC develops the team leader's ability to lead a narrow-scoped improvement project using the Model for Improvement and builds team members' capability in using the model and basic QI tools.
Structure
- For entire team including leaders; approximately six half-day sessions
- Team leaders only; in addition to the six half-day sessions with the team, there is a one-day orientation on leading teams and an additional four half days of training
- Sessions include instruction, application examples and time to work on team project
Lean Collaborative
The Lean Collaborative is a 12-week, hands-on, team-based course designed to deepen participants' ability to solve problems and improve operational performance. The course, created by our hospital and facilitated by the Anderson Center's Leadership Academy, is based on the lean tools and methods utilized in the Toyota Production System (TPS) and top performing healthcare organizations to identify non-value added work and lead improvements in safety, quality, productivity, lead time, cost effectiveness, and staff burden.
The Lean Collaborative is offered quarterly to Cincinnati Children's employees and, by invitation only, to key partners in the community who are committed to driving change that eliminates non-value added work and improves customer satisfaction. Attendees include top management, middle managers, frontline staff and leaders in clinical and / or administrative areas.
Participants will learn the history and philosophy of lean and how to adopt the tools/methods in their setting. They will use a combination of classroom exercises and a team-based project to demonstrate a basic understanding of:
- Process observation and identification of non-value added work
- Visualization of material, people, and information flow in a value stream map
- Standardization, work measurement and "5S"activities
- Problem solving and PDSA improvement cycles
- Project summarization using A3 (1-page) reporting
There is a fee for participating in this course.
For more information, email us at lean_collaborative@cchmc.org
Structure
- A 12-week, hands-on course
- Six half day(s) of training and approximately two to four hours per week outside of the class to work on selected project
- Hands-on, team-based learning and one-on-one coaching
- Connections with peers from multi-sector work
Intermediate Improvement Science Series (I2S2)
Cincinnati Children's employees: Course is intended for leaders including physicians, nurses, allied health and nonclinical leaders, at the director level or above. Your supervisor will nominate you for the course.
Leaders outside of Cincinnati Children's: We welcome leaders from other healthcare systems to apply for the Intermediate Improvement Science Series (I2S2). Learn more about how the program would benefit you.
The aim of I2S2 is to build a broader and deeper network of improvement leaders, bring about continued cultural transformation and develop skill and experience with all aspects of Deming's System of Profound Knowledge. It includes understanding variation, appreciation of the system, theory of knowledge / action-learning and psychology / change management.
> See an I2S2 key driver diagram.
Structure
- Seven on- and off-site sessions over a six-month period
- Work on a project between sessions with a coach
- Extensive readings
Content
- Issues in healthcare quality including the business case for quality
- Systems thinking, understanding variation, the model for improvement, leading change
- QI tools and methods
- Chronic care improvement
- Patient safety and reliability science
Advanced Improvement Methods (AIM)
Advanced Improvement Methods (AIM) is a highly interactive course for faculty who lead improvement projects and already know the basics of QI and clinical epidemiology and/or research methods.
Through brief didactic sessions, case studies, simulation exercises and projects, participants will:
- Enhance knowledge and skills to apply the science of improvement to the design, implementation and study of quality improvement initiatives in clinical settings
- Apply improvement theory and methods to the leadership of projects involving research, clinical care and operations
Structure
- Four two-day sessions
- Six 90-minute webinars
- Work on project and readings between sessions
- Lecture, case studies, simulation exercises
Target Audience
Cincinnati Children's faculty and faculty from other academic medical centers.
How Can I Participate?
Learn more about how the program would benefit you and find an application for admission that includes information about 2025-2026 dates for workshops and conference calls, application deadline and fees, expectations of participants, selection criteria and our faculty.
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