Quality Connections

Operational Excellence is moving its bi-weekly E4 Leadership Report-outs to monthly and will add a new element designed to generate engagement with the various quality improvement projects ongoing throughout the UChicago Medicine health system.

The initiative, called Quality Connections, will take place during the second half of the new monthly E4 Leadership Report out, and will have a “Shark Tank-like spin.” There will be 60-second project presentations followed by 60 seconds of questions from the “sharks,” which will include Thomas Spiegel, MD, MBA, MS, Health System Chief Quality Officer, Samantha Ruokis, VP, Clinical Performance Excellence, and two rotating mystery guests.

The goal is to disseminate good news about quality improvement efforts being done throughout the health system while keeping it entertaining, Spiegel said.

At the end of the presentations, meeting attendees will vote on the month’s winner. The chosen initiative will receive two one-hour sessions from the UChicago ADAMS Center to use MDClone to receive data for their quality project. There are no losers in this effort: Everyone who participates receives added support including networking opportunities and access to expert panel advice, to complete their quality improvement project.

The “competition” is open to any member of the health system participating in quality improvement projects. “Any nursing project, resident project, any project that received QI Determination approval, any other QI effort on a unit, section or department — we want you to share the great work you are doing,” Spiegel said. 

Sign up to participate at E4L-Quality Connections Report Out Enrollment. The easy-to-complete presentation template and instructions will be emailed to each registered participant.

The Quality teams came up with the idea as a way to make sure everyone across the health system not only hears about the quality improvement work being done but can actively participate, said Blake Dobrich, Senior Operations Manager for Operational Excellence.

“I hope that everyone enjoys this process, that you learn some things and enjoy the half hour of hearing lots of different efforts throughout the institution,” he said.

An added benefit is the opportunity to network with others tasked with making quality improvements, added Maggie Hogan, ADAMS Center Quality Advisor. “I think it gives us the opportunity to see what each other is doing. I can’t wait to see what comes out of it.”