Clinical faculty: taking the lead in teaching quality improvement and patient safety

Despite efforts by health professional organizations to promote efforts in quality improvement, patient safety, and cost reduction, the issue remains that US medical schools and teaching hospitals do not have an adequate supply of skilled faculties to lead these efforts. Recognizing this need, an expert, multidisciplinary panel was convened by the American Association of Medical Colleges in 2012 to develop a systematic strategy to build a critical mass of academic health center faculties to lead and implement education in those three areas. In the last year, the American Association of Medical Colleges has launched a national institution-based initiative to train faculty in all clinical specialties, which includes those in obstetrics-gynecology. This comprehensive program consists of interactive experiential learning workshops, web-based resources, a national community of learners, implementation of educational initiatives, and dissemination of outcomes. Those faculties will be invaluable in leading and disseminating educational programs that embed quality improvement and patient safety across the continuum of women’s healthcare to all faculty members and residents.