The purpose of the MGH Institute chapter of the IHI Open School is to foster dynamic interprofessional collaboration to empower students to proactively improve the quality of health care. As a member, you will have opportunities to learn about health care quality improvement science through IHI courses and chapter events, build an interprofessional network and grow your collaborative skills through service learning and social activities, and participate in or develop Quality Improvement (QI) research initiatives with other members of the IHI Open School team.
Mission:
The MGH Institute's chapter of the IHI Open School fosters dynamic interprofessional collaboration to empower students to proactively improve the quality of health care.
Objectives:
- Educate members about healthcare quality improvement science through IHI resources and chapter events
- Empower members to build an interprofessional network through events and an alumni member directory
- Enhance members’ interprofessional collaborative skills through service learning and social activities
- Encourage members to join or develop research initiatives and Quality Improvement (QI) practicum opportunities
Membership:
Open to all students. We welcome your ideas as we develop our chapter. Currently, chapter membership is free and you can sign up by kdempsey1 [at] mghihp.edu (emailing Katherine Dempsey). Take advantage of this opportunity to become one of the 200,000+ international members of IHI Open School.
What’s the big deal about quality?
Quality-based interventions deliver longer-term, more sustainable solutions. Quality-infused systems achieve better outcomes. Quality-driven health professionals and organizations yield higher patient and job satisfaction.
A definition of quality (IOM): “The extent to which health services provided to individuals and patient populations improve desired health outcomes. The care should be based on the strongest clinical evidence and provided in a technically and culturally competent manner with good communication and shared decision making…” (Pelletier & Beaudin, 2008).
How do we achieve quality?
QI science teaches us how to go from broken to functional to exceptional. Much of our healthcare delivery system is broken. In order to fix it, we need every health professional to learn about quality. Our goal is to learn about this as an interprofessional team in school; after all, that is how we will care for patients in our careers. Join IHI Open School, a catalyst for interprofessional education, and become a leader in quality improvement.
What is the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)?
“IHI was founded in the late 1980s by Dr. Don Berwick and a group of visionary individuals committed to redesigning health care into a system without errors, waste, delay, and unsustainable costs” – www.ihi.org
Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, IHI is a leading source of QI learning materials and a major policy driver with a strong emphasis on evidence-based practice and interprofessional communication.
What is IHI Open School?
The IHI Open School launched in September 2008. The ultimate goal is for every student entering the healthcare workforce to have the necessary skills to become an agent for improving healthcare and patient safety. IHI Open School provides useful online courses in QI science and patient safety available at no cost to current students and faculty. Learn more about the IHI Open School.
References:
Pelletier, L.R., & Beaudin, C. (2008). QI Solutions: Essential resources for the healthcare quality professional (2nd ed.). Glenview, IL: NAHQ.