> NQC News | Training of Quality Leaders: March 31 - April 2, 2015 in Chicago, Illinois  

> NQC 10th Anniversary | Reflections from the Field 

For over 10 years now, NQC has provided assistance to Ryan White Program grantees on the practical application of quality management principles and practice.  We have brought innovative programs to grantees and leading-edge methods of program delivery. NQC continues to offer highly qualified consultants to help grantees achieve their quality management goals.  NQC is proud of its work but more importantly, we are proud to be making an impact in the Ryan White program.  Given that it is our anniversary, we have asked some NQC staff and consultants to reflect on their work over the years. Here is what they had to say.

NQC's communities of learning have offered unique ongoing opportunities for quality management learning and peer-to-peer sharing and networking since 2006. As the national response to HIV has galvanized around the National HIV/AIDS Strategy and the President's Care Continuum Initiative, NQC's communities of learning have helped align quality of care focus and initiatives across the U.S. and across the Ryan White Parts. The HIV Cross Part Care Continuum Collaborative (H4C) involves five states that have created a special cohort of HIV-infected individuals that are not virally suppressed to focus their collective energies on achieving high rates of viral load suppression. Soon participants of past NQC collaboratives will be invited to join the H4C discussion to further disseminate learning. NQC continues to follow and promote the progress of Ryan White grantees participating in the in+care Campaign.

- Michael Hager, MPH, MA Manager of Communities of Learning

Each month NQC's newsletter features a Ryan White provider and a consumer involved in quality-related activities. As I conduct the interviews necessary to develop these profiles it is always obvious that both providers and consumers have a deep appreciation for the systemic nature of quality improvement. They look at the big picture and appreciate the details. They know the importance of involving everyone within the organization-from management to the receptionist. And, they think outside the box to come up with solutions to the problems they identify. You can draw a direct line from the topics covered in NQC trainings that these providers and consumers have participated in to these outcomes.

When she says her focus is on thinking positive, Nancy Asha Molock is not referring to her HIV status. Ever since she was diagnosed in 2002, Nancy has been writing inspirational statements.

"It was a way to pull out my pain and counteract all the negative reactions and stigma," states Nancy.

Nancy showed her work to a friend, who offered encouragement. After classes in creative writing and publishing, Nancy compiled her thoughts into a book. Gaining Strength from Weakness: 101 Positive Thoughts for HIV Positive People has been published and is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble websites. The book includes inspirational statements and allows readers to record their own thoughts.

The workbook is just one of Nancy's activities related to living positively. The former school teacher has become involved in her community-with a focus on improving care and also empowering other women living with HIV.

Nancy is active on the quality improvement committee for Bebashi-Transition to Hope, a Philadelphia-based AIDS service organization. As one of three consumers on the committee, Nancy provides input on issues related to medical case management, with a focus on getting consumers to appointments and keeping them in care.

"We need to look at issues of access and retention from the perspective of the consumer," says Nancy. "That is the input I can provide."

In addition to her work with Bebashi, Nancy serves as a co-chair of the Philadelphia chapter of the Positive Women's Network (PWN). In this role she organizes meetings twice a month to help women build their advocacy skills and take a more active role in their care.

While Nancy has tried to focus on the positive since her diagnosis, it was not until she took part in the NQC Training of Consumers on Quality in June 2012 that she became more involved with Bebashi and PWN.

"The consumer training was a catalyst for me," states Nancy. "It gave me confidence and let me know I could be more proactive in terms of my own care and advocating for the care of others. Meaningful involvement in care is critical and consumers need to take a proactive role."

Nancy admits that sometimes this can be a challenge-acronyms and technical terms can make it hard to keep up with the work of the quality committee.

This is the last in our three part series on the PDSA Cycle and the most important step - starting! 

PDSA Cycles are learning experiences. They test the ideas of your committees to help your organization achieve improvement.  Not every PDSA Cycle will result in "success" for whatever reason.  The important thing is that each PDSA Cycle is a lesson to build upon.  Remember, start small, think of the rule of ones - use one person for one day in one location (if applicable).  Then look at your results, if they match your predictions, expand the scope of your tests.  However, expand it slightly, don't rush to finish this very important piece.  After you run at least a few tests, and are sure your improvement idea is sound based on your results, then roll the final product out.  Nothing creates chaos in an organization more than an idea that's tested once (or not at all) and then is rolled out to everyone.  Tests equal learning and learning leads to better ideas.  All of our patients and clients deserve our best.

For more information on PDSA Cycles, please go to Quality Academy Tutorial 13, The PDSA Cycle or How Can We Accelerate Improvements in HIV Care? 

This tutorial focuses on the PDSA Cycle: what it is, how it fits into the Model for Improvement, why it is important, and how to use the PDSA Cycle in HIV programs. The module provides numerous examples and tips for success to help people avoid pitfalls and easily integrate this model in their quality improvement activities.

http://nationalqualitycenter.org/index.cfm/6101/15947

"Get out of your own way... stop the paralysis by analysis... decide what you want, create a simple plan, and get moving!"
- Steve Maraboli, Unapologetically You: Reflections on Life and the Human Experience

January 15, 2015 at 3:00 - 4:30 pm ET

Our call this month will focus on how to choose an improvement that will have impact in you Ryan White Program.  Many grantees have rich sets of data at their disposal but struggle with setting improvement priorities.  This month NQC will help you think through setting priorities and moving to improve. 

Learning Objectives:

• Understand what your data is telling you
• How to set priorities for your quality improvement work
• Choosing the project that will have the most impact

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https://meetny.webex.com/meetny/j.php?MTID=m2a15f4e328708b4a96ffdc7450fc329d 

Add this meeting to your calendar: https://meetny.webex.com/meetny/j.php?MTID=m9d97889e613a52b136abcbd4702d69bd 

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