Quality Improvement: Lessons Learned
Abstract:
Quality improvement (QI) is not a new concept in athletic training ,- and its incorporation in health care is driven by the National Academy of Medicine for education and practice. CAATE included QI in the post-professional program accreditation standards and it’s in current professional program standards. It’s also part of Domain V in the current BOC Practice Analysis. Even though QI has been around athletic training for years, athletic trainers in both clinician and educator roles lack knowledge regarding QI and are hesitant to incorporate it. Furthermore, ATs are reluctant to develop skills related to Domain V. However, QI can be effective in athletic training. When ATs used a QI framework, there was a decrease in injury risk and health care costs. There is a need for more time spent on developing QI skills within AT programs. The purpose of this lecture is to share lessons learned from years of QI projects at the professional and post-professional educational levels. Through multiple touchpoints with QI, our goals are to increase student knowledge of QI and to decrease hesitancy of performing QI. Common misconceptions and struggles with QI will be shared, as well as strategies to address these. Our hope is that students will be better prepared to perform QI to help assess patient and organizational outcomes as athletic trainers. The lecture will also examine ways to incorporate QI though plan-do-study-act cycles.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify common challenges in QI assignments.
- Strategize ways to overcome common challenges in QI assignments.
- Evaluate student reactions to QI.
Level:
Essential
Domain(s):
Domain 5: Health Care Administration and Professional Responsibility
CEUs:
0.5 Category A
Track: Pedagogy
Format: Lecture
In order to earn your CEUs, you must watch the session video in its entirety and complete the assessment.
Anne Russ, PhD, LAT, ATC
Anne Russ is an associate professor in the Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at Temple University. In addition to teaching in Temple’s professional and post-professional athletic training programs, she works with undergraduate health professions students. She’s been a certified athletic trainer for 16 years. Originally from Ohio, she went to Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska for her undergraduate degree. She then attended Temple University for a MEd and PhD in kinesiology, with a concentration in athletic training. Her research efforts include neuromuscular control and the influence of hormones, sexual harassment in athletic training and athletic training education, athletic training programmatic assessment, and the impact of trauma on athletic trainers. She’s presented on these topics at the international, national, regional and local levels. Dr. Russ is a member of the Provost’s Teaching Academy and has been a Center for the Advancement of Teaching Canvas faculty partner. She also is a peer reviewer for the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education.
Elizabeth Neil, PhD, LAT, ATC
Dr. Elizabeth Neil assistant professor of instruction in the Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA and the program direction of the professional masters and post-professional DAT. Dr. Neil completed her PhD in curriculum and instruction with a concentration in athletic training education at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, IN. She additionally completed her post-professional master's in athletic training at ISU. Born and raised in Erie, PA, Dr. Neil stayed local to complete a bachelor of science in athletic training with an exercise science minor at Mercyhurst University.
Dr. Neil currently serves as a per diem athletic trainer for the Philadelphia Union Academy. She has received the Ethos Award for excellence in teaching, scholarship and service at Indiana State University and the Z. Mel Blickenstaff memorial doctoral student scholarship from the National Athletic Trainers' Association. She has spoken and presented research at the state, district and national levels. Her research interests lie in medical documentation and healthcare administration, clinical education, and educational advancements specifically focused on mental health initiatives.
Jamie Mansell, PhD, LAT, ATC
Dr. Jamie Mansell is currently Core AT Faculty and the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Academic Affairs in the College of Public Health at Temple University. She has served as the founding Program Director of both the MSAT and DAT programs at Temple. Research efforts include sexual misconduct, cultural competency, and athletic training education.