• An overview to the science of improvement
• Practical Skills for Quality Improvement
• The Compass Series
• Cross-cutting topic based programs

Overview of the Science of Improvement
This 2-hour program will introduce the participant to a basic model for improvement and how it is applied to targeted clinical interventions. The intended audiences are professionals, especially front-line staff, who work on improvement projects and have limited background with the approaches or rationale for how to accelerate implementation.

The number of participants can be fairly large and the program is usually offered prior to or during a regular in-person Beacon meeting.

Practical Skills for Quality Improvement
This one day, 5.5-hour workshop is designed to delve more deeply into the design and implementation of new systems for care delivery that result in improved outcomes. It explores the forces that are requiring improved patient safety and quality and the barriers to rapid implementation. Participants will leave with concrete tools and action plans to apply the principles and skills covered in the workshop.
This course will be offered monthly for a maximum of 30 participants.

The Compass Series
The project based team leader training is a 4 day course over 4 months that will provide the participant with specific skills and knowledge to lead an intervention team at a Beacon Hospital. It will address team leadership, the science for improvement, measurement for improvement, communication and sharing results, among other topics. Participants will need to perform a modest amount of pre-work and bring an actual or planned project they are working at their institution.
This program will be offered 3 times a year for 30-35 participants, each committing to one day of training for four consecutive months. Hospitals will receive seats in this program based on their commitment level (e.g., silver, gold, platinum).

Cross-cutting Topical Programs
Some subjects address more global aspects of the health care environment, leadership, change management and other topics such that a workshop for more experienced professionals would aid in the implementation of several projects or deal with multiple areas of the hospital simultaneously.
The Beacon Institute will produce 2-3 one or two day workshops to address these subjects annually.

Overview of the Science of Improvement
The overview to the science of improvement has been piloted and refined at several meetings. It predominantly builds on API’s model for improvement championed by the Institute for HealthCare Improvement.

Appendix A is a set of slides that are used during this program. Participants are asked to create aim statements, consider metrics for use and create the first small test of change before they finish the program.

Practical Skills for Quality Improvement
This course was pilot tested in August 2007 with approximately 25 participants from Beacon Hospitals. All but 3 individuals came with limited experience in quality improvement. The course was well received but expanded from 4.5 to 5.5 hours. No additional content sections were added, but participants wanted more interactive time during the science of improvement section in the afternoon to receive immediate feedback on their work in a collaborative group setting.

Appendix B is a set of slides used for this program. Appendix C is a set of forms to help participants through the model for improvement exercise.

A video featuring Sorrel King sharing the story of a lethal patient safety error with her young daughter is included. Also, the participants play a game with tennis balls re-designing a system to improve performance.<

The Compass Series
This program is divided into 5.5 hour sessions. Each session builds on the prior session. During every session practical information is provided that the participant immediately applies on his/her PI project. The curricular outline is in Appendix D. A pilot course with the Excel portion of the program was tested with 15 participants in August 2007 and was well received. Each participant was given a flash drive with a workbook and a series of spreadsheets. Appendix E has the workbook used in the program. The instructors taught various aspects of Excel, including formulas, formatting, graphing, sorting and filters. Students are required to do pre-work and have homework between sessions.

Cross-cutting Topical Programs
For the remainder of the grant, the Beacon Institute will offer 2 one day cross-cutting courses:

• “Rules of Engagement” – This program will address techniques and methods to improve participation and engagement of a) front-line staff, b) staff physicians, c) CFOs, and d) CEOs and Boards. The preliminary design calls for a discussion of common strategies across areas and then 1 hour discussions followed by a table-topic exercise for each specific stakeholder group. We anticipate this course will be offered in January 2008.
• “The Business Case for Quality” – The intent of this program is to provide quality directors, patient safety officers, improvement team leaders and others the methods to develop pro forma and financial modeling to understand the organizational economic impact of various interventions. This in-depth discussion of the vocabulary and tools of the finance department will include a pre-work section where participants will have to investigate their costs for specific conditions, complications and/or procedures

• Know how to develop an AIM statement
• Understand how to measure for improvement
• Learn how to plan and execute a PDSA cycle
• Provide feedback for improving this class

• Understand the importance of good process design
• Prepare a flow chart
• Know how to develop an AIM statement
• Understand how to collect, aggregate and analyze performance improvement data
• Learn how to plan and execute a PDSA cycle
• Provide feedback for improving this class

• Beacon initiative team members
• New quality staff, nurse and ancillary leaders
• Quality/Committee Counsel Members

• Pre-post test
• Evaluation – Survey at the end of the day
• Project measure implementation

• Understand how to navigate around an Excel spreadsheet
• Know how to insert a formula
• Design a data collection tool
• Understand how to aggregate and analyze performance improvement data
• Learn how to format
• Graph your PI data
• Provide feedback for improving this class