Feb 15, 2023
The number of clinicians in Saskatchewan with specialized skills for improving health care quality and safety is growing again. Applications are now open for the third wave of the province’s Clinical Quality Improvement Training Program, or CQIP.
CQIP teaches physicians and other health providers how to build quality improvement into their daily practice, and to facilitate, coach, and teach quality improvement to others. As part of their learning, every clinician carries out an improvement project in their work setting.
Modelled on the internationally recognized mini-Advanced Training Program at Intermountain Healthcare in Utah, CQIP combines classroom and online learning with individual coaching and a community of practice. The Saskatchewan CQIP program is funded through a partnership between the Ministry of Health and the Saskatchewan Medical Association (SMA).
Prince Albert’s Dr. Randy Friesen, Area Chief of Staff/Surgery North East with the Saskatchewan Health Authority, is participating in the current cohort. He says the program provides a host of benefits. “CQIP has great online resources, workshops supported by knowledgeable and experienced clinical leaders, and access to people skilled in change management, data collection and analysis, physician leadership, and clinical quality improvement,” says Friesen.
“I am excited to discover that people in our system are eager for positive change, and are willing to do what it takes to improve care.”
(Dr. Randy Friesen, CQIP cohort 2 participant)
Dr. Mofolashadé Onaolapo, Area Chief of Staff and Interim Lead for Anesthesia, South East, Saskatchewan Health Authority, says she applied for Wave 2 to learn the tools and the theory behind continuous clinical improvement. “The biggest lessons I have acquired have come from learning from others,” says Onaolapo.
“The coaches, faculty, the workshops, and peers have all been fantastic. I’m starting the Do in my PDSA (plan do study act) cycle next week and I’m very excited about that. I now view everything around me through a CQIP lens.”
(Dr. Mofolashadé Onaolapo, CQIP cohort 2 participant)
Participants are selected based on their prior experience with quality improvement, support from their home organization for their improvement project, and the extent to which that project aligns with health system priorities.
Shari Furniss, HQC’s Director of Learning and Development, says interest in the program continues to grow, based in large part on strong word of mouth from participants in Wave 1 and Wave 2. “We’re hoping more clinicians from outside Saskatoon and Regina apply for this next wave,” says Furniss. “We are also encouraging clinicians to think about applying as teams, which will allow them to share the workload of their improvement project.”
There are 22 physicians and pharmacists participating in the current wave, which began in November 2017. Fourteen physicians successfully completed the first wave of the program. There are already 30 applications on the waiting list for this next wave, submitted by clinicians who couldn’t participate in the first two cohorts. Spaces are limited; previous cohorts have had a waiting list.
Clinicians accepted for Wave 3 will be notified at the end of June. The first in-person workshop for Wave 3 will take place September 7th.
