Clinical, public health, and community organizations seek to provide care that leads to optimal patient-client centered outcomes while effectively utilizing available resources.The National Academy of Medicine defines quality as “the degree to which health care services for individuals and populations increase the likelihood of desired health outcomes and are consistent with current professional knowledge.” This includes examining effectiveness, efficiency, equity, patient centeredness, safety, and timeliness of care and services.
The goal of the Certificate in Health Care and Public Health Quality Improvement is to prepare both clinical and nonclinical professionals in health care, public health, and community settings to systematically plan, conduct, and evaluate specific quality improvement projects.This includes: 1) specifying quality goals (including engaging constituencies); 2) determining current quality of care/services; 3) understanding current and desired workflow; 4) selecting and utilizing strategies for implementing and conducting quality improvement projects; 5) evaluating quality improvement initiatives and health care programs; and 6) communicating the impacts of quality improvement initiatives.
Students will be taught by individuals who have worked within a wide range of health care, public health, and community health settings. Students who complete the certificate program will have the knowledge to:
- Be able to define specific quality objectives for improvement projects.
- Define current quality and workflow.
- Plan and execute quality improvement projects.
- Select strategies and tools for implementation of new projects.
- Develop and execute different types of program evaluations.
- Have the opportunity to complete an exam for certification as a Lean Management Green Belt.
In order to receive the Certificate in Health Care and Public Health Quality Improvement, students must complete 5 courses that will lead to 15 hours of credit in the Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health.There are 4 required courses and 1 elective course that can be selected by the student.
Depending on the pace at which students complete courses, a certificate may be earned in between 12 and 24 months.
Required Courses
| HSS 5315 | Quality of Care and Public Health Services | 3 |
| HSS 5316 | Advanced Quality Improvement Methods | 3 |
| HSS 5201 | Implementation Science I: Fundamentals | 2 |
| HSS 5308 | Program and Policy Evaluation | 3 |
Elective Courses
Students may request to take other courses in the Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health to meet this requirement. The Director of the Quality Improvement Certificate Program must approve any course substitutions.
| HPSA 5200 | Theoretical Foundations of Health Promotion - Part 1 | 2 |
| Or | |
| HPSA 5313 | GIS Applications in Public Health | 3 |
| Or | |
| HPSA 5300 | Introduction to Health Promotion, Structure, & Agency | 3 |
| Or | |
| HPSA 5301 | Social Determinants of Health | 3 |
| Or | |
| HPSA 5306 | Implementing and Evaluating Health Behavior Interventions | 3 |
| Or | |
| HSS 5200 | Introduction to Leadership and Management | 2 |
| Or | |
| HSS 5300 | Introduction to Health Systems Science | 3 |
| Or | |
| HSS 5300W | Introduction to Health Systems Science (Online) | 3 |
| Or | |
| HSS 5310 | Implementation Science II | 3 |
| Or | |
| QDS 5300 | Introduction to Public Health Data | 3 |
| Or | |
| QDS 5300W | Introduction to Public Health Data | 3 |