Quality Improvement vs. Research Study
Key Differences
Although both quality improvement and research study aim to solve problems, their approaches and goals differ significantly.
Quality Improvement:
- Definition: A systematic, data-guided activity designed to achieve immediate improvements in healthcare delivery settings.
- Approach: Uses the project A3 plan, control chart, and Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle for testing changes, which involves planning, implementing, observing results, and refining changes to improve processes or outcomes.
- Focus: Primarily on systems and processes to establish measures that determine if changes lead to improvements in cost, productivity, and quality.
- Goal: To make real-time improvements in specific settings by analyzing data to enhance systems and processes.
Research Study:
- Definition: A systematic investigation aimed at developing or contributing to generalizable knowledge.
- Approach: Question-driven and hypothesis-testing, following a structured protocol to collect, analyze, and interpret data. Projects generally need IRB approval.
- Focus: To generate knowledge about what works, what doesn’t, and why through rigorous study and evaluation.
- Goal: To produce generalizable findings that can be applied beyond the specific study setting.
By understanding these distinctions, healthcare professionals can choose the appropriate approach to achieve their desired outcomes in healthcare settings.