Baylor College of Medicine Logo

Education

Overview

Filling the Need for QI Trained Professionals

Education Pyramid 20180927

The Institute of Medicine’s 1999 report, To Err is Human, attributed medical errors to 98,000 preventable deaths annually in U.S. hospitals; subsequent analysis estimated over 210,000 preventable deaths. As a result, emphasis has been placed on education to promote patient safety and quality care. Within graduate medical education, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education requires residents to participate in quality improvement and patient safety programs. Many programs have expressed difficulty implementing and sustaining quality improvement (QI) initiatives due to limited faculty education.

The Institute for Continuing Professional Development in Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (I-QIPS) at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) serves to develop educational offerings at the beginner, intermediate, and advanced learning levels. I-QIPS' aim for this educational initiative is to develop a curriculum to educate BCM and affiliated faculty on quality improvement and patient safety principles to educate trainees, model effective care, promote high value quality care, and foster a culture of patient safety. We believe the academic mission of innovation and scholarship can be advanced across all faculty QI training levels.


Certificate Program

CAQHI Program-2.jpg

LEVEL: ADVANCED

The overall educational goal of this advanced-level certificate program is to provide hands-on QI training and experience at both the project and leadership levels of healthcare improvement initiatives. The program is designed for learners with introductory to intermediate knowledge of healthcare improvement and who want to lead change within their healthcare system. Further, it is for those who have a particular interest in obtaining applied experience in the principles of improvement science, as well as in pursuing additional training in leading healthcare improvement initiatives. Learn more...


Training Courses

Foundational Course

LEVEL: FOUNDATIONAL

The overall educational goal of this foundational-level QI training course is to provide beginner-level learners with knowledge and skills in the science of improvement and patient safety for the purpose of enabling them, regardless of their roles, to actively participate in QI initiatives at the department level within their institutions. The course is comprised of a series of online, self-paced learning resources designed for basic QI training. Learn more...


Intermediate Course

LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE

The overall educational goal of this intermediate-level QI training course is to provide learners with exposure and hands-on experience in QI and patient safety. The course is designed for learners with an introductory knowledge of the concepts of quality improvement and patient safety, but who would benefit from hands-on experience in applying the learned principles to improve their healthcare practices and to mentor trainees. It is not recommended for those who require a more advanced training program, such as those who are leading QI initiatives or have senior QI administrative roles. Learn more...


Advanced Course

LEVEL: ADVANCED

The overall educational goal of this advanced-level QI training course is to develop leaders of interprofessional improvement teams within their clinical settings. The course emphasizes leading healthcare improvements and innovations with an implementation strategy that combines QI or change management techniques. Further, it is designed for learners with intermediate to advanced knowledge of the concepts of quality improvement and patient safety, and who have or will have responsibilities for leading QI initiatives or have other relevant senior QI administrative roles. Learn more...


Conferences

In partnership with conference organizers, the Institute for Continuing Professional Development in Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (I-QIPS) at BCM provides opportunities for learners enrolled in I-QIPS training courses to participate in Poster Sessions associated with the annual quality conferences featured below to showcase their QI projects being developed through the courses and implemented in clinical areas across the College and affiliated institutions. The posters are also developed as part of the coursework and presented during final course sessions.

As part of the QI Jump Start intermediate-level training course, enrolled learners have an opportunity (if selected by conference organizers) to present their posters at the annual BCM Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Conference scheduled for the respective year. Likewise, as part of the Leading Healthcare Improvement advanced-level training course, enrolled learners have an opportunity to present their posters at the annual VA Quality Scholars Summer Institute Conference scheduled for the respective year, provided that the conference is held in Houston that year. This participation not only provides an opportunity for learners to develop and showcase/disseminate their improvement efforts, but it also provides for them (along with other conference attendees) a unique opportunity to become aware of and learn from other improvement initiatives being conducted by their colleagues across the College and its affiliated institutions.


BCM Annual QI and Patient Safety Conference

BCM Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Conference

Hosted by the I-QIPS, the annual conference is held in Houston, TX, and seeks to educate attendees on topics such as care coordination, health information technology to reduce errors, professionalism to improve patient safety, quality improvement in an ambulatory setting, and ethical concerns with quality improvement projects. As a leader in quality and safety, BCM is uniquely positioned to begin the regional dialogue regarding quality improvement and patient safety strategies for all attendees.

Information regarding the 2024 conference is provided below.

BCM 10TH ANNUAL QUALITY IMPROVEMENT AND PATIENT SAFETY CONFERENCE
Tuesday, April 23, 2024 | 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Kleberg Auditorium, Michael E. DeBakey Center | One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030
Format: In-Person

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
Deadline Extended: Sunday, February 11 @ 11:59 PM

Currently accepting abstracts from faculty, nurses, other health professionals, trainees, and students. All submissions will be peer reviewed by faculty experts in quality improvement and patient safety, and the most highly-rated abstracts will be selected for oral presentations during the conference. All other accepted abstracts will be invited to present their findings during the conference Poster Session.

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION
Deadline: Monday, April 22 @ 11:59 PM

Conference registration open. There is no cost to attend the conference; however, registration is required. Onsite registration will also be available.

Learn More - Submit an Abstract, Register for Conference...

MOC Opportunity for QI Posters:

Physician and physician assistant poster authors/co-authors and other team members (non-poster authors) of the QI project featured in a qualified poster presented at the conference may be eligible to earn maintenance of certification (MOC)/continuing certification credit/points through the BCM MOC Program. If approved, MOC Part 4 (Improvements in Medical Practice) credit is issued to physicians by participating Member Boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). Likewise, NCCPA Category 1 Performance Improvement Continuing Medical Education (PI-CME) credit is issued to physician assistants by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).

TO REQUEST CREDIT: At the conclusion of the poster presentation/conference, interested physicians/physician assistants should: 1) ensure they meet submission and poster eligibility criteria, and 2) submit their requests for credit consideration by the noted deadline. Requests for credit must be submitted directly by EACH individual physician/PA seeking credit; no group/team submissions accepted. | DEADLINE: Sunday, June 30, 2024 | Learn More - View Eligibility Criteria, Request Credit...

Questions?

Annual VAQS Summer Institute Conference

VA Quality Scholars Summer Institute Conference

Hosted by the VA Quality Scholars (VAQS) Coordinating Center, located in Houston, TX, at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center and BCM, the annual conference is held at different locations each year and serves to provide VA Quality Scholars and other conference attendees an opportunity to collaborate and network with faculty and fellows from across the nation, as well as to provide fellows an opportunity to further their knowledge in leading, measuring, and implementing change for the improved health of Veterans and the nation. Learn more...

Information regarding the next conference to be announced when available.


Videos from Past Offerings

AAMC Te4Q Program

The Association of American Medical Colleges Teaching for Quality (Te4Q) Program was held at Baylor College of Medicine as a two-part program:

  • Part 1: BootCamp (December 1 - 2, 2016) - Served to provide clinicians and clinician-educators with the basics of quality improvement and patient safety (QI/PS) in a relaxed and informal manner, introducing them to key concepts by using educational techniques that may then be applied in the clinical learning environment.
  • Part 2: Workshop (November 9 - 10, 2017) - Served to equip faculty to lead, design, and evaluate effective learning in quality improvement/patient safety (QI/PS) across the continuum of health professional development.

Videos (including accompanying handout materials, resources, and tools) from the BootCamp and Workshop sessions are available in the Video Library.