Education and Training
Quality Improvement 101 Course
“Learning, Experiencing, and Doing Quality Improvement”
Course Overview
 QI 101 classroom |
The first wave of the Public Health Quality Improvement 101 (QI 101) will begin February 2010. This course was adapted from the Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) QI 101 course. Four local health departments pilot tested the AHEC QI 101 course and provided feedback on how to adapt the course so that it is more applicable to public health.
The new Public Health QI 101 course is an interactive 6-month learning opportunity for local health departments interested in improving the quality of the services they provide. Participants will learn about quality improvement(QI) methods and tools and apply what they are learning to specific local projects. The overall objectives of the course are to help participants:
- Understand, select, and use QI methods and tools in their daily activities to improve their local setting
- Coach others within their local setting to use QI methods and tools
- Develop a plan to incorporate QI methods and tools within their local agency so that it becomes “the way we do business”
Course Timeline
Pre-work Activities (2 months)
During the first phase of the course, local health department teams will participate in four webinars. During these sessions, participants will choose a QI project, develop a project aim statement, and learn to use QI tools to understand the specific issue they aim to improve.
Workshop 1 (2 days)
Following the pre-work phase, local health department teams will come together for a two-day face-to-face workshop. Teams will continue to learn QI methods and tools and develop a plan to apply the tools in their local setting.
Action Period (4 months)
Following the workshop, teams will implement their QI plan and begin using QI methods and tools within their local setting to improve their chosen process. During this time, each team will share their progress with other teams and receive coaching from QI 101 faculty via conference calls, webinars, and on-site consultations.
Workshop 2 (2 days)
Following the action period, teams will attend a final face-to-face workshop to celebrate and share their successes and plan for spread and sustainability of their improvements.
Course Registration
The first wave of the course begins in February 2010. It will be offered every six months thereafter until all local health agencies in North Carolina have the opportunity to have a team trained. If you are interested in participating, contact Andrea Cordova.