What is a Quality Improvement Initiative?
The term quality improvement (QI) refers to “a continuous and ongoing effort to achieve measurable improvements in the efficiency, effectiveness, performance, accountability, outcomes, and other indicators of quality in services or processes which achieve equity and improve the health of the community.” —R. Bialek, L.M. Beitsch, A. Cofsky, and colleagues (unpublished data, 2009)
The term QI initiative refers to a systematic process for improving quality that includes an aim statement; a work plan with tasks, responsibilities, and timelines; intervention strategy(ies); and measures for tracking change.
Who should submit a Quality Improvement Initiative to PHQIX?
A member of the organization that led a public health–related QI initiative should be the submitter. The submitter will be the primary contact for any issues, questions, or concerns regarding the submission. If multiple organizations led the QI initiative, all of them should coordinate and decide which will submit the initiative.
For more information about submitting a QI initiative, please review the Submission FAQs.. When you are ready, begin entering your submission.
How do I submit a QI Initiative to PHQIX?
When you are ready to submit your QI initiative, please create a user account with PHQIX by clicking here. When you have successfully registered, submit a QI Initiative by clicking here. If you do not have all the information necessary to submit your QI initiative, you can save your work and finish the form later.
What is the submission process?
- The submitter logs on to the PHQIX site and completes the submission form. The submitter can complete the form at one sitting or save it and come back later.
- When the submitter completes the form, the submission is sent to a reviewer from the PHQIX Expert Panel to determine whether it is approved for posting.
- The reviewer will either approve the submission for posting or provide feedback directly to the submitter on revisions needed. Most submissions require revision before publication. If the submission is not approved initially, the submitter is encouraged to work with the assigned Expert Panel reviewer to make the recommended revisions and resubmit the QI initiative. You can review the submission workflow here.
What if I would like to prepare my submission in advance of entering it online?
If you would like to review the questions you will answer as you create your submission, you can review a printable version of the submission template here
What information do I need to provide to submit a QI initiative to PHQIX?
To prepare to submit your QI initiative, gather information about your QI team and the organizations with which your QI team members are associated, the project’s background and implementation, information about any technical assistance your team members received to assist with the project, and details regarding the evaluation of the success of your QI initiative. Also, obtain any tools or other materials created during the initiative. You can see a PDF version of the submission form here. Please read through the fields included in the form to gain an idea of other types of information that might be helpful when completing it.
How should I respond to questions about my organization if multiple organizations collaborated on the QI initiative?
If multiple organizations worked on the initiative, the submitter should respond to questions related to the organization from the perspective of all the organizations when possible (e.g., when describing the area served by your organization). Otherwise, the submitter should respond to the questions based on the organization that he or she represents.
How long does it take to fill out the submission form?
The time to complete the form will vary by initiative, but we estimate that it will take approximately 20-30 minutes once the appropriate information has been gathered.
Does a QI initiative have to be complete to submit to PHQIX?
We welcome the submission of both in-progress and completed QI initiatives. In-progress QI initiatives should have obtained an aim statement, at least one initial plan for implementing the initiative, and a funding source or approval to begin the project. We expect that submitters of in-progress initiatives will not be able to complete several fields in the form, including fields related to methods of evaluation, QI outcomes, and future plans. If you do not have all of the information necessary to submit your QI initiative, you can save your work and finish the form later.
What if I cannot use the Web-based submission form?
If you cannot use the Web-based form for any reason, please contact submissions@phqix.org and let us know.
How are submissions chosen for posting to PHQIX?
After a submission is complete and submitted to PHQIX, it is assigned a reviewer from the Expert Panel. The reviewer uses a checklist of suggested criteria and his or her own expertise to determine whether the submission should be posted to the PHQIX website. If the reviewer determines that additional information is needed, the submitter will be contacted via email, and one-on-one revision guidance will be provided. The reviewer’s decision and comments will be sent to the submitter via email.
Thank you so much for sharing your QI work with us—we very much look forward to reading about it!