the student experience
Overview of ProgramsThe Institute for Healthcare Studies at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine is a leader in research and education. We currently offer three educational programs in Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety: Master of Science in Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety
The relatively new disciplines of healthcare quality and patient safety have emerged as central to the development of good healthcare, and require acquisition of substantive knowledge and skills. The goal of this program is to educate the next generation of quality improvement innovators and patient safety leaders. This 2-year, part-time degree is designed for professionals currently working in the healthcare setting. This program can be completed by students living outside the Chicago area. 2012 Master of Science program schedule. Program begins each Summer Quarter ONLY. Faculty Development Program in Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety
A 12-month, part-time program designed for faculty who wish to develop the educational tools, methods and curricular approaches for integrating healthcare quality and patient safety into medical education. This program can be completed by students living outside the Chicago area. 2012 Faculty Development Program schedule. Program begins each Summer Quarter ONLY. Certificate in Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety
A 12-month, part-time program designed for healthcare professionals who want to acquire an in-depth overview of the fields of healthcare quality and patient safety but can not devote the time required for a full Master of Science degree. This program can be completed by students living outside the Chicago area. 2012 Certificate program schedule. Program begins each Summer Quarter ONLY. News and EventsAMerica's top doctors
Congratulations to Robert Bonow, MD & Albert Nemcek, MD, current students in the Master of Science in Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety at Northwestern University, for being named to America's Top Doctors® article in feinberg school of medicine newsThsi summer, the Master of Science in Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety will graduate it's fifth class.To recognize this important milestone, the program was featured in the Feinberg School of Medicine News. New Course Launched in collaboration with northwestern's kellogg school of managementIn Fall 2011, the Master's in Healthcare Quality and Safety added a new core course to their curriculum titled The Business of Quality and Safety Improvement, under the leadership of Joel Shalowitz, MD, MBA. The course is taught by distinguished faculty from Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management and is offered as a series of three weekend sessions which take place at the state-of-the-art Allan Center in Evanston. The topical content areas covered by this course include Leadership, Culture, Negotiations, Organizational Behavior and Change Management. The course was designed to complement the capstone project experience. Graduate Programs Recognized for Poster at UHC 2011 annual Conference September 2011: At the UHC 2011 Annual Conference in Chicago the Graduate Programs in Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety were recognized for their poster, titled “Transforming Healthcare: Educating a Workforce to Improve Quality and Safety.” The poster was judged to be one of the posters best demonstrating the conference’s theme, “LEAP: Lead, Excel, Achieve, Perform.” |
Background InformationIn 1999, The Institute of Medicine (IOM) released the groundbreaking report “To Err is Human,” revealing that between 44,000 and 98,000 people die each year from medical errors. Medical errors are the 5th to 8th leading cause of death, above motor vehicle accidents, breast cancer, and AIDS. Two years later the IOM published “Crossing the Quality Chasm,” which called for fundamental change in the healthcare system. In the report, the committee on the Quality of Health Care in America makes several recommendations for the redesign of the American health system in order to close the quality gap. Among these recommendations, the committee states that health care should have these six aims: Safety - Effectiveness - Patient-Centeredness - Timeliness - Efficiency - EquityThese reports increased the breadth and complexity of information related to the sciences of managing healthcare quality and patient safety. There is a great need for clinical and administrative healthcare professionals to develop expertise and leadership in these fields. The goal of this program is to educate healthcare professionals to become effective healthcare quality and patient safety leaders, practitioners, and researchers. | 
Message from the Directors
"Following the release of the Institute of Medicine's reports, "To Err is Human" and "Crossing the Quality Chasm," there has been a tremendous increase in interest in healthcare quality and patient safety. These reports also resulted in increases in the breadth and complexity of information related to the sciences of managing healthcare quality and patient safety." Kevin B. Weiss, MD MPH
Co-Director, Graduate Programs
in Healthcare Quality & Patient Safety
Professor of Clinical Medicine
Feinberg School of Medicine
Northwestern University
“There are many problems with the US healthcare system. Only ~50% of patients receive recommended treatments based on the best evidence and deaths due to medical errors are now the 5th – 8th leading cause of death in the US. There is a growing need for healthcare professionals of all disciplines to master the theory and methods essential for improving quality and patient safety of our US healthcare system." Donna Woods, EdM PhD
Co-Director, Graduate Programs
in Healthcare Quality & Patient Safety
Research Associate Professor
Feinberg School of Medicine and
The Graduate School
Northwestern University
NOW OFFERING TWO SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE MASTER OF SCIENCE IN HEALTHCARE QUALITY AND PATIENT SAFETYWe are pleased to announce that we will offer two scholarship opportunities for students applying for admission in summer 2012. These scholarships will provide 50% of the tuition costs for the first year of the Master of Science degree program. Scholarships are renewable for the second year of study contingent upon good academic standing. Clinicians who care for under-served, low income patients, as well as applicants from nursing, allied health professions and individuals currently in residency and fellowship training are strongly encouraged to apply for the scholarship. If you would like to be considered for the scholarship, please submit a short description of no more than 250 words explaining why you feel that you should receive this scholarship. This should be submitted as a separate document, via email, to mastersihs@northwestern.edu. Please include your full name and your ApplyYourself applicant ID on this statement. Contact Us:Meetal Acharya
Institute for Healthcare Studies
750 N. Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: 312-503-5533
mastersihs@northwestern.edu |
