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The Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS) invites Medicaid and CHIP agency staff to participate in a new online learning opportunity: the Medicaid and CHIP (MAC) Quality Improvement Open School. This series of self-directed courses, developed by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), will help you build core skills in quality improvement and leadership.

Complete the expression-of-interest (EOI) form.

What You Will Learn

​​The core curriculum for the MAC Quality Improvement Open School consists of seven courses. After completing these courses, you will be able to:

• Craft a strong aim statement

• Choose measures for quality improvement

• Test changes using the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle

• Use run and control charts to monitor improvement

• Lead quality improvement 

The seven MAC Quality Improvement courses are:

1. QI 101: Introduction to Health Care Improvement
2. QI 102: How to Improve with the Model for Improvement
3. QI 103: Testing and Measuring Changes with PDSA Cycles
4. QI 104: Interpreting Data: Run Charts, Control Charts, and
               other Measurement Tools
5. QI 105: Leading Quality Improvement
6. QI 201: Planning for Spread: From Local Improvements to
               System-Wide Change
7. L 101: Introduction to Health Care Leadership

​Additional coursework: After completing the seven core curriculum courses listed in the box, we invite you to browse the full course catalog, which contains more than 30 courses on quality improvement, patient safety, person-centered care, the triple-aim, and graduate medical education.

How It Works

You are in charge. Complete as many or as few courses as you’d like, starting and stopping as needed. Each course takes about one or two hours to complete and has three to five lessons. All seve​n of the MAC Quality Improvement courses can be completed in about 8 to 12 hours.

When you have completed the seven courses, CMCS will present you with a MAC Quality Improvement Open School Certificate. Users who complete QI 101–105, PS 101–105, L 101, PFC 101, and TA 101 will also receive the IHI Open School Basic Certificate in Quality and Safety. Free continuing medical education is available for each course you complete.

Get as much or as little support as you want. Take advantage of office hours with a quality improvement advisor to discuss the Open School lessons that you've taken and get answers to your questions. To find out more about office hours, or to request an individual appointment with a QI advisor, email us at MACQualityImprovement@mathematica-mpr.com.​

Getting Started

Please complete the ​ expression-of-interest (EOI) form. Provide your name, email address, and information about your interest in the MAC Quality Improvement Open School.

Within a few days of submitting the EOI, you will receive instructions, which will enable you to register on the IHI Open School website. After that, you’re ready to start. 

If you have any questions, please email us at MACQualityImprovement@mathematica-mpr.com.​

​Helpful Tips:

  • Partner with colleagues in your Medicaid and CHIP agencies, or with other stakeholders (such as providers, health plans, and other state agencies)

  • Set a goal date for completing the courses

  • Join us at MAC Quality Improvement Open School office hours where an improvement advisor will answer and discuss and answer your questions on the courses you’ve taken. (Email MACQualityImprovement@mathematica-mpr.com to learn more.) ​