Quality improvement in the curriculum: a survey of AUPHA programs

During the past decade, healthcare organizations have responded to a changing and unstable healthcare environment by implementing Quality Improvement initiatives. The goal of these activities is to improve system performance and outcomes, both administrative and clinical. Many of the models for Quality Improvement have been adopted from the manufacturing sector and with modification, implemented within healthcare systems. Healthcare managers must now be able to compute run-charts, use statistical process control to measure variation within processes, develop flow-charts, and be knowledgeable about the development and interpretation of customer satisfaction surveys. Although Quality Improvement has been readily adopted by healthcare organizations, information is lacking about the preparation of new healthcare managers in regard to these modalities. A survey was created to assess the extent that students are being prepared to use the tools of Quality Improvement. The instrument was administered to undergraduate, graduate, and executive healthcare management member programs of the Association of University Programs of Health Administration. The results of the survey provide information about what is currently being taught in healthcare administration educational programs.