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Program Information

Methods for Completing Practice Quality Improvement (PQI)


J Johnson

K Brown

G Ibbott

T Pawlicki





J Johnson1*, K Brown2, G Ibbott3, T Pawlicki4, (1) MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, (2) Penn State Milton S. Hershey Med Ctr., HERSHEY, PA, (3) UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, HOUSTON, TX, (4) UCSD Medical Center, La Jolla, CA

MO-F-211-1 Monday 4:30:00 PM - 6:00:00 PM Room: 211

Practice Quality Improvement (PQI) is becoming an expected part of routine practice in healthcare as an approach to provide more efficient, effective and high quality care. Additionally, as part of the ABR’s Maintenance of Certification (MOC) pathway, medical physicists are now expected to complete a PQI project. This session will describe the history behind and benefits of the ABR’s MOC program, provide details of quality improvement methods and how to successfully complete a PQI project.

PQI methods include various commonly used engineering and management tools. The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle will be presented as one project planning and implementation tool. Other PQI analysis instruments such as flowcharts, Pareto charts, process control charts and fishbone diagrams will also be explained with examples. Cause analysis, solution development and implementation, and post-implementation measurement will be presented.

Project identification and definition as well as appropriate measurement tool selection will be offered. Methods to choose key quality metrics (key quality indicators) will also be addressed. Several sample PQI projects and templates available through the AAPM and other organizations will be described. At least three examples of completed PQI projects will be shared.

Learning Objectives:
After this course attendees will be better able to
1. Identify and define a PQI project
2. Identify and select measurement methods/techniques for use with the PQI project
3. Describe example(s) of completed projects


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