Implementation of a faculty development curriculum emphasizing quality improvement and patient safety: results of a qualitative study.

Background: We developed a faculty development curriculum emphasizing quality improvement and patient safety. Our project focused on developing a learning environment that fosters resident education in quality improvement and patient safety.

Methods: A multidisciplinary team developed a survey to assess baseline perceptions of quality improvement tools and training and resident participation in quality improvement and patient safety programs. We then developed a curriculum to address deficiencies. The curriculum paired residents with faculty. At the completion of the first curriculum cycle, we asked faculty and residents to complete the same survey.

Results: Our pilot survey revealed a need for a comprehensive program to teach faculty and residents the art of teaching. Our follow-up study showed an increase in the number of residents and faculty who reported that their programs were extremely or very good at providing tools to develop skills and habits to practice quality improvement. We also had a statistically significant decrease (15.8%, P=0.0128) in faculty who reported their program as not at all effective at providing resident quality improvement tools and skills. Among residents and faculty, we had a 12% (P=0.2422) and a 38.2% (P=0.0010), respectively, improvement in reported monthly resident involvement in quality improvement and patient safety projects.

Conclusion: We demonstrated that developing a sustainable and practical faculty development program within a large academic medical center is feasible. Our postimplementation survey demonstrated an improvement in perceived participation in quality improvement, patient safety, and faculty development among faculty and residents. Future targets will focus on sustaining and spreading the program to all faculty and residents in the institution.