Topics are the core around which content and community are organized on IHI.org. Each Topic features the best available knowledge for improvement in that area, including tools, literature, and changes that you can implement and measure to help speed improvement in your organization.

We will continuously introduce new Topics, chosen because substantial knowledge exists about how to achieve better performance.

The following is a brief description of the content you will find within each Topic area:

How to use the Model for Improvement to make improvements in a particular Topic area, including how to set aims, form a team, measure, select and test changes.

The key measures teams should track when they are working on improvement in a particular Topic area; linked to the Improvement Tracker, which can automatically graph your data over time.

The key changes teams should test when they are working on improvement in a particular Topic area. Note: All changes are evidence-based; they have been reported in the scientific literature or have been tested and proven successful in practice.

Feature Stories that describe the changes and results in specific organizations; User-Submitted Improvement Reports in which organizations describe their improvement projects.

The most useful tools IHI has developed and adapted to help accelerate improvement; and tools other organizations have developed — including protocols, order sets and forms, instructions and guidelines for implementing key changes. All free and downloadable.

Links to other websites that feature clinical- or improvement-related information in a specific Topic or Subtopic.

The best books and peer-reviewed articles available in a specific Topic or Subtopic, selected and annotated; and stories that have appeared as features on the website.

Frequently asked questions (and answers) about improving a specific Topic area, organized according to key areas of focus.

Content posted in document form because it is still being developed as part of IHI's innovation work; the content will be updated as innovation work progresses.