Epidemiology and Health Care Quality Management

Programmatic Assessment of a University‐Based Implant Training Program Using Patient‐Reported Outcomes

“…There is a great deal of interest in assessing and measuring health care outcomes 14 , 25 , 29 . This movement is driven by perceptions that the quality of the U.S. health care system is uneven 30 – 34 .…”

“…The quality monitoring cycle consists of several steps, which are essentially identical to those of the PDCA cycle in the context of training. Just as the PDCA cycle can be used to create a mechanism for enhancing learning outcomes, the technique can also be used for process improvement in many settings, including health care 14 . Generally, this technique consists of data acquisition, pattern analysis, interpretation of these patterns, and development of a corrective action plan.…”

“…Thus, the emphasis shifts from an assessment of the individual resident or student to an assessment of the entire training program. This systems approach emphasizes the role of the system and has been more often used in industry and health care delivery than in health professions education 14 . However, it seems reasonable to use this method to assess clinical educational programs.…”

“…However, it seems reasonable to use this method to assess clinical educational programs. Weber et al suggest that such an approach “encourages health care leaders to understand all the processes and structures comprising the system of care and to improve these in a proactive, mutually supportive manner.” 14 Furthermore, it is likely that involving students and residents in this process of total quality improvement will serve as a useful learning experience with regard to process improvement, 15 a topic likely to be of great interest in their professional lives.…”