C4: What makes “quality improvement” an “improvement science?” The “science” matters
15:00 – 16:00
What’s required to turn “quality improvement” into “improvement science?” Rigorous application of improvement methods and tools for sure. But the term “science” has weight and invites scrutiny. This presentation will review and integrate key, practical elements of scientific improvement, including: precise theory and prediction; rigorous design and evaluation (respecting the influence of bias, confounding and other epidemiological factors on attribution and causality); behavioral and social sciences; information and network sciences; and qualitative and ethnographic methods.
After this session, participants will be able to:
1. Understand and apply scientific methods beyond the Model for Improvement, Lean, and other improvement methods and tools
2. Design and evaluate improvement interventions to ensure that observed outcomes can be attributed to planned interventions
3. Plan and implement improvement projects that will withstand the scrutiny of other scientists
Don Goldmann, Chief Scientific Officer, Emeritus, and Senior Fellow, IHI; USA
Sara Riggare, advisor to the Swedish Medical Products Agency, advisor to the Swedish government’s coordinator for Life Science