Supervisor vs Front Line QI Training

Sun, 01/31/2016 - 12:47 -- gkroberts

Hi, our agency is in the process of creating a QI training geared towards supervisors and managers because all program managers will be required to do a QI project as a program performance measure, in the upcoming fiscal year. This new requirement has many supervisors/managers nervous, so the QI Council decided to create a separate training that is more advanced than just the QI fundamental training currently provided. Does anyone have any experience or tips for a mid-level QI training? 

Thanks!

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Submitted by Carlylb on

I would recommend you do a needs analysis.  Create a survey for supervisors and managers and ask them to rate their experience/confidence with various tools such as logic models, graphs, etc.  Also some questions on team building and change management.  Some managers may also need computer training for developing graphs.  For more advanced training, I would recommend training on cost/benefit analysis and return on investments.  We actually did a QI protect on our performance management system with our managers to let them go throught the experience of a QI project as a team.  To ease the nervousness of those new to leading QI projects, I would recomment someone on your councel act as a facilitator in the meetings for their first project.  Also, assure them that this is all a part of creating a quality culture and learning environment.

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Rhonda Bartow

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Submitted by Grace Gorenflo on

Hi Gurleen,

I like Rhonda's suggestions and will build off of those.  Are you looking for training on more tools or training on how to lead QI efforts?  I think it's probably the latter, and would add to Rhonda's suggestion some facilitation training.  In addition, I recommend that you reference the community forum thread on competencies for quality leaders in public health -- I think you'll find parts of that discussion helpful for these purposes.

 

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Submitted by gkroberts on

Thanks ladies! Rhonda, I took your suggestion to do a QI needs assessment and the results were very informative! I asked the following simple questions:

  • What is QI?
  • What is a culture of QI?
  • Have you participated in a QI project before?
  • What are some training topics that could help support you and your staff in doing QI? (listed QI basics, practice with QI tools, facilitation skills, overview of PDCA cycle, examples of real QI projects in public health, relationship between agency's mission/vision and QI, culture of QI, change management, and asked for other suggestions)
  • How else can we support you and your staff in your QI efforts?

The responses to every single one of these questions was informative. I was surprised to see the wide range of answers, and after speaking to a few QI experts (specifically Jim Butler), I decided to do multiple mini QI sessions at the supervisors quarterly meetings to cover all of the topics listed above, starting with the basics to get everyone on the same page. Hopefully, the supervisors can use these trainings to train their staff, if the topic is applicable so that everyone is receiving the same information. Grace, I will also try and encorporate some competencies listed in the other community forum thread. Thanks for the tip!

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Gurleen Roberts, MPH
Director of Quality Management
Cobb & Douglas Public Health
Marietta, GA
gurleen.roberts@dph.ga.gov

Submitted by gkroberts on

UPDATE: Based on this work, I have decided to do a 4-part (1-hr each) QI IQ Series:

  1. QI 101: Basics
  2. QI 201: Lean & Process Mapping
  3. QI 301: Facilitation & Change Management
  4. QI 401: QI & Performance Management

I plan to use these to train-the-trainor so the Quality Council can help me train the supervisors, who can then use them to train their staff. Diffusion! There is also room to extend the series, if there are additional topics of need. I would be happy to share if anyone is interested.

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Gurleen Roberts, MPH
Director of Quality Management
Cobb & Douglas Public Health
Marietta, GA
gurleen.roberts@dph.ga.gov