Quality Improvement and Behavior Analysis: A Dynamic Duo.

Behavior analysis as a discipline prides itself on the systematic use of consistent, measured observations to drive specific and clearly defined changes in behavior. The need for diversification of practice is becoming increasingly focused on the topic. We posit that one such area of growth for behavior analysts could be quality improvement (QI). The field of health care QI utilizes specific tools and techniques to drive advancement in the quality and delivery of health care. There are deep corollaries between the methodologies used in QI and behavior analysis. We describe these corollaries through explanation and examples across the 7 dimensions of behavior analysis. We conclude that strong similarities exist between these fields, providing potential pathways for behavior analysts to expand our scope while maintaining the field's core values.