Developing the Capacity for Rapid-Cycle Improvement at a Large Freestanding Children's Hospital.

Background: To develop the capacity for rapid-cycle improvement at the unit level, a large freestanding children's hospital designated 2 inpatient units with normal patient loads and workforce as pilot "Innovation Units" where frontline staff was trained to lead rigorous improvement portfolios.

Methods: Frontline staff received improvement training, and interdisciplinary teams brainstormed ideas for tests of change. Ideas were prioritized using an impact-effort evaluation and an assessment of how they aligned with high-level goals.