IHI Quality Improvement Programme Graduation

Staff from across the Saolta University Health Care Group who have successfully completed a Quality Improvement Programme were presented with their certificates at an awards ceremony in Merlin Park University Hospital on 4th March by HIQA.  The programme is jointly run by HIQA and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) is an independent not-for-profit organisation based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, which aims to drive healthcare improvement worldwide. It creates opportunities for healthcare professionals to learn from and collaborate with expert faculty and colleagues throughout the world.
 
The 34 staff undertook the Quality Improvement Programme on a voluntary basis to learn about increasing the quality of care they provide.
 
Course participants are from Nursing, Medical, Quality & Safety, HSCP, Administration and Management. They were given access to specific knowledge, skills and methodologies that have been proven to lead to positive changes in health care in other countries.
 
Elaine Dobell, Clinical Projects Manager, University Hospital Galway said, “The programme involved the completion of 16 modules covering 3-5 topic areas in each module. It was a very demanding and challenging course due to the detailed content of each module and the tight timeframes to complete the programme. The feedback from all involved has been very positive and we intend to roll out this programme to a much greater number of staff, particularly focussing on giving front line staff the opportunity to take part. We will also be utilising staff who have already completed quality improvement education to act as mentors in supporting staff undertaking the modules and in the delivery of workplace quality improvement projects based around the content of the course. The aim is, that through this shared learning we will improve the care we deliver to patients by embedding a culture of quality improvement across the Group”.
 
Marie Kehoe-O’Sullivan, Director of Safety and Quality Improvement with HIQA, commented, “This collaboration between HIQA and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) represents an important, concrete step in supporting quality improvement in Ireland’s health and social services. HIQA supports quality improvement in Ireland’s health and social services and this partnership with the IHI delivers that. It began for the first time in 2013, with participants completing a minimum of 16 modules in order to achieve the HIQA/IHI Certificate of Completion in Quality Improvement.