WorksheetsMFI & Setting an Aim
Total questions: 12
Worksheet time: 6mins
1. When trying to improve a process, one reason to use PDSA cycles rather than a more traditional version of the scientific method (such as a randomized, controlled trial) is that:
PDSA cycles are easier to run with a large team of people.
PDSA cycles provide a mechanism to adjust improvement ideas as the project progresses.
The results of PDSA cycles are more generalizable than other methods.
All of the above
Which of the following statements is true?
The Model for Improvement is appropriate for many types of clinical improvement efforts.
The Model for Improvement is one of multiple improvement models applicable to health care.
Lean is a helpful methodology for improving value and reducing waste in health care.
All of the above
The Model for Improvement begins with three questions designed to clarify the following concepts:
Plan, Do, Act, Study
Mission, goal, strategy
Will, ideas, and execution
Aims, measures, changes
An orthopedic clinic in a busy metropolitan area would like to improve its patient scheduling process. More specifically, the clinic wants to improve its efficiency and the satisfaction of its patients.
Applying the Model for Improvement to the clinic’s improvement goal, which of the following is the most reasonable aim statement?
Create an efficient process for scheduling return appointments at the time of checkout.
Increase the number of patients reporting they are “very satisfied” with the clinic’s scheduling by 50 percent within six months.
Implement two PDSA cycles within six months of beginning the project.
Modify the scheduling process to allow both front desk staff AND nurses to directly schedule appointments
An orthopedic clinic in a busy metropolitan area would like to improve its patient scheduling process. More specifically, the clinic wants to improve its efficiency and the satisfaction of its patients.
After assembling a team and working through the three questions of the Model for Improvement, the orthopedic clinic decides to implement an automated reminder phone call 24 hours prior to each clinical appointment. The clinic’s improvement team hopes that this small change will improve scheduling.
What is the next step?
Take a well-deserved break.
Test their change plan using the PDSA cycle.
Develop their project-level measures
Report their results to clinic leadership and prepare a poster for a national meeting.
Aim statement # 1: We aim to reduce harm and improve patient safety for all of our internal and external customers.
Weak
Strong
Aim Statement: By June of 2015, we will reduce the incidence of pressure ulcers in the critical care unit by 50 percent.
Weak
Strong
Aim Statement:
We will reduce all types of hospital-acquired infections.
Weak
Strong
Aim Statement: Our most recent data reveal that, on average, we reconcile the medications of only 35 percent of our discharged inpatients. We intend to increase this average system-wide to 50 percent by April 1, 2017, and to 75 percent by August, 31, 2017.
Weak
Strong
Brenda, the office manager at a dental practice, noticed many patients were missing their appointments. With the support of her colleagues, she decided to conduct a small improvement project to improve the process for reminding patients of upcoming visits, with the goal of having fewer "no shows."
Which of the following is the most effective aim statement for this project?
Within three months, 90 percent of patients will show up for their appointments
We will improve our reminder process so that no patients will miss appointments unless there is an emergency
We will ensure all patients have an up-to-date email address on file and send email reminders the day before appointments
Within three months, we will email patients before their appointments, which will decrease the number of patients who miss appointments.
An aim statement should include the following
Patient population or system affected, estimated cost of improvement, and numeric goals
Specific time frame, team membership, and numeric goals
Numeric goals, specific time frame, and the patient population or system affected
All of the above
A good aim statement helps improvement teams answer which question from the Model for Improvement?
How good, for whom, by when?
What change can we make that will result in an improvement?
What are we trying to accomplish?
How will we know a change is an improvement?
