2021 QIPS Project and Annual QIPS Day Process

In order to meet the Institutional Requirements and maintain a focus on quality and patient safety, the UT College of Medicine, Chattanooga adopted a policy in 2019 requiring that every resident in all training programs has “significantly participated” in a Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Project prior to graduation. Each Fellowship training program has the discretion to determine if their fellows will be required to complete a project.  

The Program Director must document that each Resident has been significantly involved in at least one Quality Improvement/Patient Safety (QIPS) Project at any time during their training in Chattanooga in order to meet graduation requirements. Discretion is granted to Fellowship Program Directors regarding whether or not this will be required for fellows who may have completed a project in their core residency program.”

 “Significant involvement” is defined by the Program Director in consultation with the Departmental Chair, the Quality Champion, the project mentor, the CCC* and other faculty as appropriate. “Significant involvement” should include that the resident/fellow is able to demonstrate an understanding of the project, articulates what quality improvement components were employed in their QIPS project and describe their personal role. Each graduating resident/fellow shall consist of a copy of the project’s aim statement, goals, and PDSA cycles and shall be submitted to the Program Director for their approval..

Each department fellowship program is granted the discretion to decide:

1. If the fellowship program will require significant participation by the fellow in a QIPS project.
2. If the fellowship program will approve a previously completed QIPS project (i.e., during residency) to meet this requirement. 

In the event that the Program Director, in consultation with the Chair, believes that the resident/fellow did not participate to a significant degree in the QIPS project or does not submit the necessary documentation of such participation, the PD should present such evidence to the Quality Improvement/Clinical Competency Committee for review and recommendations on remedial steps and decision on graduation. After the CCC recommendation, the resident/fellow may utilize the UTCOM, Chattanooga GME Institutional Policy #720 Academic Appeals and Due Processfor final adjudication.  

 *The UTCOM, Chattanooga encourages that each departmental CCC include a review of the QIPS project in the periodic CCC resident/fellow review.

Lists of Projects: The project can take many different forms from an individual project to a team project to an existing EHS QIPS project. A list of current EHS projects is available under the QIPS 2021 tab on this webpage.

Initial Discussion on Project: In September 2020 (or before) Residents/Fellows should meet with their mentor, Quality Champion, Program Director or other faculty member to discuss options and decide on Project.

Coaching Request Form with Project Plan or Idea submitted by October 2, 2020: All residents/fellows working on QIPS projects that will be considered for presentation at QIPS Day in May and any projects that will meet the graduation requirement of June 2021 should have a Project idea or tentative idea picked out by the first week in October. Residents should begin to formulate their project plans in September, select their mentor and consider what coaching they will require.  Departments vary in their ability to provide Quality Improvement coaching, so residents/fellows need to discuss with their Department leaders. Coaching Request Form by October 2, 2020.

QI Coaching—October 2020 through May 2021: All projects should have coaching from either the resident’s own department faculty (Departmental QIPS Team), the UTCOM/EHS QIPS Resident Advisory Committee or by the EHS Process Improvement Department.  The EHS Process Improvement Department and the Quality Project Advisory Committee have volunteered to provide coaching and feedback for all projects. After the coaching form is received, you will be notified of the times and availability of coaching sessions. It is expected that the entire team (all residents, faculty mentor and any other team members) will attend the coaching session.

 IRB submission:(Before you start gathering data.) In accordance with IRB policy from UTHSC (adopted by our IRB) you need to submit the IRB form before data is collected. 

•  The new policy requires that before you can gather data, if the Project meets any of the following criteria, you must submit your QI projects to the IRB:
  • The intent is to use the data to contribute to generalizable knowledge.
  • Participants are randomized to compare outcomes.
  • The activities are not normally done as part of standard operating procedures,
  • Results will be used to apply knowledge to other programs outside the institution,
  • The project is subject to peer review (designed to be used outside of the institution),
  • Anonymity of participants cannot be assured,
  • The activities involve more than minimal risk to participants.

• Numbers 1-3 are within the definition of research.  Numbers 4, 5 refer to knowledge sharing outside the institution, through presentations or publications.  Number 6, 7 concern human subjects research and HIPAA.

• There will be projects that may not meet any of these criteria and could bypass IRB.  However, those will be few and the majority, if not all will need to be reviewed by IRB.
• After deciding on your project,  you will want to contact Stacey Hendricks to determine what IRB materials need to be submitted and when your IRB review will occur, whether your project is expedited or excused from review.  

• Verification of completion of QIPS Project and approval for graduation. The Program Director approval statement (Resident/Fellow Reappointment/Promotion or Termination Form) shall be received by the DIO by April 1^st of the graduation year.