Principles of Patient Safety & Quality Improvement in Healthcare

1 Course Unit

This course integrates principles of systems thinking with foundational concepts in patient safety. Utilizing complexity theories, students assess healthcare practices and identify factors that contribute to medical errors and impact patient safety. Lessons learned from the science of safety are utilized in developing strategies to enhance safe system redesign. Students review the significance of inter-professional teamwork and a “just” culture, and the importance of high reliability organizations on safe and high-quality healthcare delivery. Through the review of basic tools, and examination of frameworks in healthcare quality improvement, students develop approaches to inform a comprehensive view of systems issues. Various process improvement tools, and evaluation methods are explored in the context of innovative methods for improving healthcare quality. Fall 1 Course Unit