TriHealth, Cincinnati, OH
A Systemwide Resident Quality Improvement Program

Abstract

Background: This project focused on developing an organized approach to incorporating quality and patient safety into the resident program. The goal was to provide a strong foundation in performance improvement that can sustain residents into their careers as licensed independent practitioners.

Methods: We performed an assessment of existing resources across the 4 residency programs and a gap analysis of the assessment findings. A reporting structure was established, as well as a scorecard and metrics for monitoring improvement efforts. We administered baseline and postintervention surveys of residents' QI knowledge.

Results: We successfully defined metrics for each residency program; formalized a residency council; and aligned a reporting structure with the organizational quality, safety, and service council. Resident projects were incorporated into existing quality and patient safety days. Survey results aided in defining residents' understanding of current quality, patient safety, and service standards. Varied resident schedules made it difficult to find a common time for meetings. Cultural shift will be slow, due to changing groups of residents; project impact will not be fully realized for 3 years. Changing ACGME requirements add complexity to formalizing the program.

Conclusions: Our next steps include standardizing documentation for accurate reporting, developing a scorecard for clinical and academic performance that aligns with defined metrics, continuing resident involvement in quality and patient safety projects, and administering a postintervention survey.