| Description |
Continuous quality improvement is a critical aspect of healthcare, as it plays a fundamental role in supporting the maintenance and improvement of patient health outcomes. However, quality improvement initiatives in student-run clinics face many unique challenges, such as high staff turnover, inconsistent resource acquisition, and temporal constraints. Our team has developed a novel Operational Network model combining structural and procedural refinements to support consistent, meaningful, measurable quality improvement. This model divides clinic operations into team-led domains, including Student Resources, Interpreting Services, Laboratory Services, Community Outreach, and Physician Resources. These small, coordinated teams operate independently to maintain operations, with a central Coordinating Council directing complex improvement and innovation initiatives. This model is supported by performance-tracking tools that encourage accountability and facilitate intersectional coordination. As a result, the Operational Network model enables functional automation of essential clinic functions while facilitating directed organizational improvement. Furthermore, our use of problem-solving models, such as Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) and Complex Problem Solving, has allowed us to identify and capitalize upon improvement opportunities in every clinic domain, leading to ongoing improvements in clinic operations and patient care. |
