MetroHealth Faculty Scholars Program
Fellowship in the Improvement of Health Care

Program Description

The MetroHealth System is in a particularly strong position to offer advanced training in the improvement of health care. The following are of note:

1. MHMC's investment in the Catalyst project, which is working to improve care and education in Family Practice and General Internal Medicine, has highlighted the need for faculty and staff with the ability to lead improvement efforts at MHMC.

2. Pediatric Catalyst and Inpatient Catalyst Programs to improve care and education in each of these areas.

3. There are multiple academic opportunities available at MHMC for young faculty and others interested in this area.

4. MHMC faculty include several with expertise in outcomes measurement, process improvement and disease management.

5. MHMC faculty have access to learning materials developed for the Veterans Affairs Quality Scholars (VAQS) program, through their involvement with the Two Way Interactive Video and City Wide Quality Scholars Meeting with the Cleveland VA.

6. MHMC faculty are working with federally funded faculty development programs that include improvement as part of their core curricula.

In this context, the MHMC Faculty Scholars program was established in July 1999. It has since graduated 13 scholars and will graduate 5 more this spring. Graduates include physicians, nurses, quality management specialists and a pharmacist.

The Goal

Establish a world-recognized educational program in the improvement of health care for future leaders in medicine, nursing and other disciplines.

Strategy

Recruit 2-4 persons per year who will:

• Complete a core curriculum, including readings and participation in the two-way interactive video discussions being developed for the VAQS program
• Engage in experiential learning, based in Catalyst and other improvement projects at MHMC
• Teach others, e.g. residents and students
• Produce scholarly work, based on Catalyst and other improvement activities
• Present at national meetings, such as the AAMC National Meeting, National Forum on Quality Improvement in Health Care, and discipline-specific professional meetings.

Outcomes

1. A growing cohort of health professionals qualified to lead the improvement of health care at MHMC.
2. Academic products resulting from their work.
3. National/international recognition for MHMC as a leader in this area.

Click here to see the graduates of the program.

3-29-03 version.