IHI: introduction to health care improvement

Which of the following is a trend in modern health care across industrialized nations?

As medical information and technology increases, demand for complicated procedures is increasing, and providers are becoming more and more specialized (and fragmented). The burden of disease is shifting toward chronic conditions.

Which of the following improvement efforts is the best example of making care more patient centered?

Better identifying patient concerns and values by instituting quarterly patient focus groups

Which of the following improvement efforts is the best example of increasing the efficiency of care?

Decreasing unnecessary surgical procedures by helping patients reduce their pain through physical activity

Which of the following statements is true:

During the past 15 years, the cost of care has been a growing problem for any developed nations

Which of the following is a basic principle of improvement?

Every system is perfectly designed to get the results it gets.

Why was it important for the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to develop its six aims for health care?

So that health care organizations would have a better idea of what they needed to improve

Which component of Deming's System of Profound Knowledge did the improvement team just harness?

Theory of knowledge

Which of the following improvement efforts is the best example of increasing the equity of care?

Through staff development and weekly feedback, equalizing the likelihood that a patient will receive pain medication regardless of race, ethnicity, or education

Which of the IOM aims has this hospital FAILED to meet?

Timely

Which component of Deming's System of Profound Knowledge is the team about to harness?

Understanding variation

In regard to health disparities around the world, which of the following statements is most true?

Where a child is born and raised can significantly change the life expectancy. The root causes of this are deeply complex and by no means begin or end in the clinical setting.

When you are applying Deming's System of Profound Knowledge, which of the following statements is true?

You can't think about any one component of the System of Profound Knowledge completely in isolation.

Which of these is a question particularly associated with the "theory of knowledge" component in Deming's System of Profound Knowledge?

What are your predictions about the system's performance?

Which of these questions is most strongly related to the "appreciation of a system" component of Deming's System of Profound Knowledge?

What is the whole system that you're trying to manage?

Which of the following statements is a reason for improving the US health care system?

The US government and citizens alike are struggling to afford the cost of care.

Which of the following improvement efforts is the best example of increasing the effectiveness of care?

Improving the percent of clinic patients achieving their goal blood pressure by instituting a series of reminders for providers about evidence-based processes

Regarding the Institute of Medicine's (IOM's) six aims for health care, which of the following is true?

In 2001, the IOM released Crossing the Quality Chasm: Health Care in the 21st Century, which identified six key dimensions of the US health care system and set aims for each dimension, so that organizations would know where to focus their improvement efforts. These six aims are so comprehensive that today they're still the dominant framework for thinking about improving health care quality in the US and in many other countries, as well.

Using Deming's System of Profound Knowledge is helpful in quality improvement because:

It can help break down complex quality issues into smaller, more understandable parts.

Which of the following countries has had a relatively inexpensive universal health insurance system for more than 50 years?

Japan

he hospital where Michael is recovering reviews its patient satisfaction survey results in order to improve its care and patient outcomes. Leaders poring over the data note that 90 to 100 percent of patients rate staff as "excellent" in the following categories: listening, answering questions, being friendly and courteous, and giving good advice based on specific needs and preferences. Which aim is the hospital generally achieving?

Patient-centered

Which of the following is an essential component of systems thinking included in Deming's System of Profound Knowledge?

Psychology

After speaking with caregivers on Floor 3, the improvement team discovers that there is a particularly dedicated head nurse on the unit whose mother died after a catheter-associated UTI. This nurse orients all new providers and also provides feedback when she sees that catheters are being placed unnecessarily in patients. Which component of Deming's System of Profound Knowledge do this nurse's actions best represent?

Psychology (human behavior)