Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety (HQS)

HQS 401-0 Introduction to Healthcare Quality (1 Unit)  

This course introduces students to the history, definitions, and measurement of healthcare quality. Students achieve familiarity with measurements of quality in healthcare in a variety of healthcare settings as well as with public policy drivers of quality improvement. Interactive exercises and discussions engage students in the challenges of behavior change, reliable quality measurement and quality improvement, and the role of public policy as a driver of improvement.

HQS 402-0 Introduction to Patient Safety (1 Unit)  

This course introduces students to the epidemiology of patient safety and relevant theory, content, tools, and methods in the field of patient safety, including systems thinking. Patient safety problems and high-risk contexts for error occurrence are introduced. Through interactive exercises and discussion, students conduct risk assessments and learn the legal and regulatory requirements of healthcare organizational leadership. Students also consider the roles of varied healthcare stakeholders in building a safer healthcare system.

HQS 420-0 Introduction to US Health Care System (1 Unit)  

Course Aims: Be able to state and explain the structure, key facts and important issues pertaining to the U.S. health system. Be able to research topics for further study by becoming familiar with the relevant literature and be able to analyze problems in this sector by understanding applicable frameworks.

HQS 430-0 Capstone Class I (1 Unit)  

Students develop and implement, in a healthcare context, a focused improvement project in healthcare quality or safety. This course provides a group-mentored experiential learning opportunity to engage in the practice of healthcare quality and patient safety innovation and improvement. The Capstone Program encourages students to develop a project in areas needing substantial improvement, test their skills and leadership capacities, reach beyond their current professional roles, and imagine future leadership in quality and safety.

HQS 435-0 Capstone Class II (1 Unit)  

This course is a continuation of HQS 430-0: Capstone Class I. In a group-mentored context, students continue the application of their Capstone Project and present on challenges they have encountered and how these challenges have been overcome. Students receive directed feedback to increase the potential for success of the Capstone Project and to reach their leadership goals and capacity.

HQS 440-0 Fundamental Methods for Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety (1 Unit)  

Students gain working knowledge of approaches to measuring healthcare quality improvement patient safety efforts. Topics include performance measurement and methods for statistical process control assessment, emphasizing application of these techniques in local and national quality improvement efforts. Students develop knowledge and practice skills to evaluate and use empirical knowledge in healthcare quality and safety and to critically evaluate literature-based evidence and other information disseminated with regard to national efforts.

HQS 499-0 Independent Study (0.5-1 Unit)  

This course provides Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety students with an opportunity to explore an area of interest related to patient safety and quality improvement. The primary objective of the Independent Study is to facilitate the student's career advancement goals.

Prerequisites: HQS 401-0 and HQS 402-0.

HQS 501-0 Advanced Healthcare Quality (1 Unit)  

Students achieve advanced familiarity and skills with definition and measurement of quality in a variety of health care settings, practice how to critique and improve measures, understand the evidence and techniques for effective improvement science, develop leadership capacity and analytic skills, and gain skills to construct a credible, coherent quality improvement plan for a healthcare organization.

HQS 502-0 Advanced Patient Safety (1 Unit)  

Students achieve advanced familiarity with patient safety theory, content, and skills, including application of High Reliability Organizational principals, to develop mastery in the field. In groups, students develop and apply evidence-based safety practices to address important safety problems. Through this, students develop proficiency in applying patient safety practices, methods, and Implementation Science frameworks; develop skills in safety redesign and improvement; and develop methods for patient safety education.

HQS 510-0 The Business of Healthcare Quality and Safety Improvement (1 Unit)  

This course is taught by distinguished faculty from Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management and is designed to teach organizational and management theories through which students can apply their quality and safety knowledge and skills in the context of an organization. Topical content areas covered by this course include leadership, culture, negotiations, operations, organizational behavior, leading effective teams and change management.