Inspiring improvement in the use of knowledge
- working with leading thinkers to define improvement science and build its credibility and acceptance as an applied academic discipline
- establishing our improvement science fellowships and supporting the fellows to become the future leaders of the science of improvement.
Improvement science fellows
Last year we recruited our first cohort of improvement science fellows, so this year they will really get started with their research projects, which will continue to the summer of 2014.
The second round of improvement science fellows will open for applications in May. We will be looking to recruit four post-doctoral fellows by the end of the year, who each have a passion to improve healthcare. The second cohort will join forces with the improvement science network members and the first cohort to develop the emerging discipline of improvement science.
Improvement science network
We held the third face to face meeting of the improvement science network in early January, which provided an opportunity to learn more about how the fellows are approaching their work and to meet their local mentors.
A key issue for network members is to provide additional support and mentorship for fellows, based on their personal experience in the field and also drawing upon their professional networks to make connections that can aid collaborative working (seen as crucial in building the field).
Outside the face-to-face meetings of network members we are encouraging participation in online activities, including webinars and involvement in special interest groups.
The improvement science network will also be turning its attention to evaluation methodology and the contribution this makes to understanding what works to improve quality of healthcare. A network group is being set up to focus on these issues, with evaluation experts invited to join and contribute to development and exposition of evaluation of improvement. We aim to publish a special supplement in BMJ Quality and Safety later in the year.
Research scans
To help all those involved in improvement to become more familiar with current research in the field, we will be launching a revised monthly research scan on the Foundation’s website in the spring.
To date this has been developed as an internal resource to assist us in our planning and development, we are now reviewing the format to make it more accessible and user-friendly. Ad hoc research scans on specific topics are available in the publications section.
Improvement Science Symposium
We are looking forward to the second Improvement Science Symposium in April, which will be part of the IHI-BMJ International Forum to be held in Paris.
The current state of improvement science
We also plan to launch the initial results of the international scan of the current state of improvement science across the world. The database will identify existing centres, their key areas of research and current teaching activity.
Improvement science PhDs
We are also keen to build capacity in improvement science at an earlier stage of professional development, we plan to support a small number of PhDs in improvement science.
We will be developing these plans over the course of the year, in the first instance using the results of the improvement science environment scan to identify the UK academic centres that are best placed to support nurture the talent of PhD students. We aim to have arrangements in place with institutions by the end of 2012.
