Creating a culture of improvement: experience of a pediatric cystic fibrosis center.
Quality improvement (QI) efforts at the University of Alabama at Birmingham/Children's Hospital Cystic Fibrosis Center began in the spring of 2004, with a collaborative sponsored by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. As the authors gained experience with QI processes, significant system changes ensued. In this article, we describe how the center created a culture of improvement that has resulted in significant improvements in clinical outcomes in our patient population.
Britton
LaCrecia J
LJ
UAB Cystic Fibrosis Center/Children's Hospital, Birmingham, Alabama 35233, USA. lacrecia.britton@chsys.org
Thrasher
Staci
S
Gutierrez
Hector
H
D000407:Alabama; D019985:Benchmarking; D002648:Child; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000628:therapy*; D005582:Foundations / Q000458:organization & administration; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D007857:Leadership; D015279:Organizational Culture; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010371:Pediatric Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration*