"Fully engaging patients and families in multidisciplinary rounds is not only better for patients, but it can also help with a range of issues for which hospitals are being held accountable," says Tammy Alvarez, MSN, RN, CCRN, faculty for the IHI Expedition on Engaging Patients and Families in Multidisciplinary Rounds. In this interview with IHI Communications Specialist Jo Ann Endo, she explains why effective rounding is more important than ever.Q Why is it so important to engage patients and f ... read full post

By Madge Kaplan, IHI's Director of Communications and host of WIHI.When IHI launched WIHI in May 2009, we took a gamble that health care improvers would welcome a free, online, 60-minute forum for broad learning, networking, and discussion. We weren’t certain people would tune into an audio talk show during what for many is the middle of the work day. Plus, as improvement work had spread across all of health care, those leading the charge and making the changes are plenty busy. It’s not easy to ... read full post

Marie Schall is a Director at IHI and has been senior faculty for IHI's Breakthrough Series College. Marie is also responsible for the ongoing development of IHI's spread methodology and programming. What do large-scale improvement efforts in patient safety, educational curricula, landscaping, energy efficiency, foster care, organ donation, and primary care practices all have in common? They have all been topics for which the Breakthrough Series College (BTSC) method has been successfully applie ... read full post

“At its best, primary care supports individuals and families in pursuing what matters most to them,” says Cory B. Sevin, RN, MSN, NP, a Director at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, who served in this role for IHI’s work with the two-year Harvard Medical School Academic Innovations Collaborative. She is co-author of a recently published article describing the Collaborative. Ms. Sevin is currently Director for the Better Health and Lower Costs for Patients with Complex Needs Collaborative ... read full post

IHI faculty member Connie Davis provides a moving tribute to Jessie Gruman, President and Founder of the Center for Advancing Health, who leaves a legacy of brilliance and a drive to improve health care and patient engagement.Connie DavisAn eloquent voice for health care improvement and patient engagement was silenced this week with the passing of Jessie Gruman, PhD, the founder of the Center for the Advancement of Health (CFAH) based in Washington, DC. Members of the IHI community may remember ... read full post