Quality Improvement in Healthcare: the Case for Change

Discover the importance of quality improvement in healthcare

Learn why quality improvement in health and social care systems is so challenging in this CDP-certified, 6-week course from the University of Bath.

Health and social care systems are inherently complex, with many interconnected activities and processes. As such, they can be difficult to measure, analyse, change and improve.

In this course, you will begin to understand new and better ways we can tackle these issues in healthcare and improve the quality of essential services.

Understand quality improvement theories including process mapping

The course will begin with a discussion about the complexity of quality improvement within health and social care, helping you learn about individual responsibility and the importance of reliability.

You’ll discover quality improvement theories such as the Model for Improvement and an introduction to LEAN, where you’ll explore process mapping and microsystems within healthcare.

Prioritise patient experiences in healthcare services

Learn to put patients at the heart of quality improvement and evaluate the ways we can measure quality improvement. You’ll think about the role of leadership and the characteristics of an improving system.

Explore a computer simulation for improvement

In the final few weeks, you’ll discover systems modelling and think about modelling demand and capacity. To facilitate your learning, you’ll get the chance to explore a computer simulation for improvement, set in a hospital pharmacy.

To finish, you’ll discuss mobilising system leadership and the way that collective leadership ensures that professionals learn from each other. You’ll also tackle sustainability improvements in organisations.

The course is designed for people working in health and social care organisations such as clinicians, allied health professionals, nurses, managers or administrators.

People with a general interest in health and social care organisations, such as service users and carers, may also find the course of interest to them.