Quality improvement for age-friendly care: An experiential model for instructing medical students in system-based...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Geriatric Medicine
• Healthcare Quality Improvement

Background:

• Early exposure to quality improvement (QI) prepares medical students for complex healthcare systems.
• Geriatrics-focused QI projects can enhance care for older adults with multiple chronic conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of a geriatrics-focused QI project on third-year medical students' skills.
• To evaluate the application of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's (IHI) Age-Friendly Health Systems 4Ms framework in medical training.

Main Methods:

• A twelve-week QI project using the IHI Age-Friendly Health Systems 4Ms framework (Mobility, Mentation, Medication, What Matters).
• Third-year medical students (N=40) conducted projects in rural primary care settings.
• Post-project evaluation surveys assessed knowledge, skills, and understanding of QI and patient care improvement.

Main Results:

• Students (n=23) reported increased knowledge and skills in conducting QI activities.
• Participants demonstrated an improved understanding of the importance of process improvement for patient care.
• The project successfully integrated the Age-Friendly Health Systems framework into medical education.

Conclusions:

• Geriatrics-focused QI projects effectively develop systems-based practice competencies in medical students.
• Implementing frameworks like Age-Friendly Health Systems can improve processes and patient care for older adults.
• QI training is crucial for preparing future physicians to navigate and improve complex healthcare environments.