Teaching internal medicine residents quality improvement techniques using the ABIM's practice improvement modules.
OBJECTIVE
Standard curricula to teach Internal Medicine residents about quality assessment and improvement, important components of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education core competencies practiced-based learning and improvement (PBLI) and systems-based practice (SBP), have not been easily accessible.


METHODS
Using the American Board of Internal Medicine's (ABIM) Clinical Preventative Services Practice Improvement Module (CPS PIM), we have incorporated a longitudinal quality assessment and improvement curriculum (QAIC) into the 2 required 1-month ambulatory rotations during the postgraduate year 2. During the first block, residents complete the PIM chart reviews, patient, and system surveys. The second block includes resident reflection using PIM data and the group performing a small test of change using the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle in the resident continuity clinic.


RESULTS
To date, 3 resident quality improvement (QI) projects have been undertaken as a result of QAIC, each making significant improvements in the residents' continuity clinic. Resident confidence levels in QI skills (e.g., writing an aim statement [71% to 96%, P < .01] and using a PDSA cycle [9% to 89%, P < .001]) improved significantly.


CONCLUSIONS
The ABIM CPS PIM can be used by Internal Medicine residency programs to introduce QI concepts into their residents' outpatient practice through encouraging practice-based learning and improvement and systems-based practice.
Oyler
Julie
J
Department of General Internal Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. joyler@medicine.bsd.uchicago.edu
Vinci
Lisa
L
Arora
Vineet
V
Johnson
Julie
J
D003479:Curriculum; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine / Q000193:education*; D007396:Internship and Residency; D011216:Practice Management, Medical / Q000592:standards; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D011787:Quality of Health Care