Methods
CQI Process for Social Service Providers
Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) is a process of collecting, analyzing & using data to improve the quality of services or products on an ongoing basis. Put simply, CQI helps teams “get better at getting better.”
Root Cause strengthens the capacity of social service programs to practice continuous quality improvement (CQI). We provide assessment, coaching, and implementation support, coordinate communities of practice, and train program leaders how to cultivate a culture of learning and improvement. The process below is part of our CQI Framework for Social Service Providers.
1. Lay the Groundwork
The path to practicing continuous quality improvement starts with a clear vision of what quality looks like and an understanding of how a program works.
2. Assess Program Strengths and Challenges
Program leaders complete an online assessment that focuses on three areas:
– Life Outcomes and Indicators
– Performance Measurement Capacity
The results of the assessment are the foundation for ongoing collaboration between program staff and Root Cause CQI coaches.
3. Set Improvement Cycle Priorities
Root Cause coaches review CQI Assessment results with program staff and together they identify opportunities for strengthening their practice.
4. Plan / Do / Study / Act (Repeat)
Root Cause coaches support program staff in Continuous Quality Improvement cycles, using the Plan / Do / Study / Act (PDSA) model, in order to strengthen program capacity in priority areas. The PDSA cycle can be repeated as often as the program chooses to focus on various areas of the CQI Assessment.
5. Strengthen Capacity and Culture
Programs retake the assessment to gauge how their capacity has improved after an appropriate amount of time has passed since Continuous Quality Improvement cycles have been completed. Successfully building and sustaining a CQI practice depends on creating a culture that fosters learning and a spirit of inquiry. Programs that excel collect and use data in ways that go beyond compliance with funder requirements or other external performance standards, and create time and space for staff to develop skills that support CQI practices.
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