Health Impact Ohio Participates in the Improvement for Healthcare Institute Breakthrough Series College
By: Caroline Carter, Chief Transformation Officer, Health Impact Ohio
I am honored to be participating in the Improvement for Healthcare Institute (IHI) Breakthrough Series (BTS) College, a professional development program designed to teach all aspects of a tested improvement method that relies on spreading and adapting highly effective changes to multiple settings. Upon the conclusion of the training, several of my Health Impact Ohio (HIO) colleagues and I will be equipped to run a successful Collaborative improvement project.
Earlier this month, as part of the BTS program, I attended a 2-day in-person session at IHI in Boston, along with 50 professionals from across the globe. Together, we learned the nuts and bolts of designing and implementing an Improvement Initiative – including establishing an appropriate timeline (12-18 months), developing technical content, preparing and supporting teams, designing and facilitating Learning Sessions (3 of them, each with their own unique purpose), and managing Action period activities between Learnings Sessions, because as our trainer pointed out multiple times exactly zero improvements occur during Learning Sessions. Improvements happen during the Action Periods between Learning Sessions. Learning, planning, setting clarity, and expectations happen during the Learning Sessions, so they are a critical component of the methodology.
My trip to Boston was exhilarating, packed with learning and relationship-building with colleagues from across the country and across the world. The trip was also packed with unexpected weather-related incidents – leaving Ohio ahead of a severe tornado warning, arriving in Boston to a 3-day nor’easter, and adapting travel plans around an earthquake in New York. If that wasn't enough to test adaptability, my plane was rerouted to Pittsburg minutes before landing in Cleveland in response to a small plane crash on the runway. Luckily, no one was seriously hurt, and I made it home only two days later than anticipated.
The Health Impact Ohio team consisting of Heidi Welch, Brittany Daniels, Jenelle Hoseus, Heather McKinley, and I intend to complete all aspects of the development training program by the end of October, complete all aspects of planning by the end of 2024, and launch Collaborative improvement project work in early 2025. I look forward to continuing this learning journey with my HIO teammates.