Model for Improvement
The Vanderbilt Nursing Quality and Performance Improvement Plan has as its foundation the IHI Model
for Improvement as the method for accelerated improvement initiatives:
The Model for Improvement,* developed by Associates in Process Improvement, is a simple yet
powerful tool for accelerating improvement. The model is not meant to replace change models that
organizations may already be using, but rather to accelerate improvement. This model has been
used very successfully by hundreds of health care organizations in many countries to improve
many different health care processes and outcomes.
The model has two parts:
Three fundamental questions, which can be addressed in any order.
The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle** to test and implement changes in real work settings.
The PDSA cycle guides the test of a change to determine if the change is an improvement.
Including the right people on a process improvement team is critical to a successful
improvement effort. Teams vary in size and composition. Each organization builds teams to suit
its own needs.