IHI Open School Updates
Stay current with the latest IHI Open School updates.
Recent Updates
The following reminder is an edited reupload of an update from April 1st, 2025.
On May 1, 2025, IHI Open School discontinued the option to register for a free student account.
Next Steps
IHI began communicating these updates to institutions of higher learning in the fall of 2024. However, if you have not received information about these changes from your faculty members or institution, please reach out to them directly.
Colleges, universities and residency programs interested in incorporating IHI Open School courses into their curriculum are eligible for the updated, low-cost Higher Learning and Residency Programs group subscription. Individual subscriptions are also available for those who are interested.
See Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) at the end of this notice.
Why Were Free Student Accounts Discontinued?
When Open School launched in 2008, IHI was committed to providing quality improvement and patient safety education to students who had limited access to these resources. While IHI has been able to successfully maintain this model for 17 years, it has become challenging to sustain Open School through rising technology and infrastructure costs.
Over the past year, we have listened to feedback from our higher learning customers and, as a result, have recently introduced an updated, low-cost group subscription to better support these institutions. As we transitioned to this updated Higher Learning and Residency Programs group subscription model and continue to enhance and sustain IHI Open School, we discontinued the free student accounts. This change allows us to provide a more valuable experience for both individual learners and institutions alike.
FAQs for Learners
Q: After May 1st, my college or university is still going to require me to take courses as part of my class curriculum. What do I do?
A: Contact your instructor or administrator and inform them that IHI requires them to purchase a paid group subscription for their students to access Open School courses as part of their curriculum. Instructors can sign up for an Open School group subscription here.
Q: After May 1st, how do I access my certificates of completion for courses I have already completed if I do not have a paid subscription?
A: After May 1st, you may continue to log in and download your certificates of completion without a subscription.
Q: After May 1st, can I review the course content of courses I have already completed?
A: A paid subscription will be required to access course content. You will either need an access code as part of a group subscription through your institution, or you must purchase an individual subscription.
Q: After May 1st, I would like to continue to enroll in new courses. What are my options?
A: A paid subscription will be required to enroll in new courses. You will either need an access code as part of a group subscription through your institution, or you must purchase an individual subscription.
Q: After May 1st, can I request an extension to my free student account?
A: To maintain fairness and consistency for all Higher Learning and Residency Programs users, we are unable to grant extensions.
Hello IHI Open School learners,
We’ve made several big updates to help new users navigate the Open School with confidence, so that you spend less time searching and more time learning. Here’s what’s new:
New Ways to Explore the IHI Open School
New Subscriptions Page: See all IHI Open School products in one place. Compare features and find the plan that fits your needs. Learn More
Redesigned Course Catalog: Filter courses by topic, subscription type, or catalog to quickly find what you're looking for. Learn More
Individual Course Pages: Share direct links with your community and easily view all available subscription options for each course.
Easier Group Subscriptions
Instead of sending an email, each group subscription page now includes a simple form to begin the subscription process. Fill it out, and a member of our team will reach out to help you get started.
Updated Product Names
We’ve updated several of our product names for clarity and to better reflect the diverse range of learners who use Open School courses. These are name changes only—the products themselves haven’t changed, and if you are subscribed to any of the listed plans, no action is needed from you.
Products not mentioned on this list retain their current title.
| Previously: | Now: |
| IHI Open School for Individual Health and Health Care Professionals | IHI Open School Full Access Individual Subscription |
| IHI Open School for Hospitals and Health Systems | IHI Open School Full Access Group Subscription |
| IHI Open School Single-Course Purchases | IHI Open School Individual Courses |
| IHI Open School for the Middle East | IHI Open School in Arabic |
| IHI Open School Patient Safety Catalog | IHI Open School Patient Safety Subscription |
| IHI Open School Quality Improvement Catalog | IHI Open School Quality Improvement Subscription |
We are so excited to continue improving the IHI Open School experience. Stay tuned for more updates coming to the Open School throughout 2025!
If you have any questions, please contact us at OpenSchoolSubscribers@ihi.org.
Last Updated: July 8th, 2025
Attention IHI Open School learners: IHI will be conducting course updates for select courses from July 8 to July 10, 2025.
Please be aware of the following timeline:
- By July 7: Please complete any in-progress courses that are listed below. Any incomplete courses may need to be restarted after the update.
- July 8–10: Please do not begin or work on any of the courses listed below during this period.
- Starting July 11: Before beginning a new course, we recommend clearing your device's cache to ensure smooth access to the updated content.
The following courses will be included in this update:
- PS 101: Introduction to Patient Safety
- PS 102: From Error to Harm
- PS 104: Teamwork and Communication
- PS 105: Responding to Adverse Events
- QI 102: How to Improve with the Model for Improvement
- QI 105: Leading Quality Improvement
- TA 101: Introduction to the Triple Aim for Populations
- TA 102: Improving Health Equity
- TA 104: Building Skills for Anti-Racism Work: Supporting the Journey of Hearts, Minds and Action
Thank you for your continued support of IHI Open School!
Last Updated: May 2nd, 2025
Starting May 1, 2025, IHI Open School will discontinue the option to register for a free student account. Students currently registered under free student accounts must complete their courses by April 30, 2025.
Next Steps
IHI began communicating these updates to institutions of higher learning in the fall of 2024. However, if you have not received information about these changes from your faculty members or institution, please reach out to them directly.
Colleges, universities and residency programs interested in incorporating IHI Open School courses into their curriculum are eligible for the updated, low-cost Higher Learning and Residency Programs group subscription. Individual subscriptions are also available for those who are interested.
See Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) at the end of this notice.
Why Are Free Student Accounts Being Discontinued?
When Open School launched in 2008, IHI was committed to providing quality improvement and patient safety education to students who had limited access to these resources. While IHI has been able to successfully maintain this model for 17 years, it has become challenging to sustain Open School through rising technology and infrastructure costs.
Over the past year, we have listened to feedback from our higher learning customers and, as a result, have recently introduced an updated, low-cost group subscription to better support these institutions. As we transition to this updated Higher Learning and Residency Programs group subscription model and continue to enhance and sustain IHI Open School, we are discontinuing the free student accounts. This change allows us to provide a more valuable experience for both individual learners and institutions alike.
FAQs for Learners
Q: After May 1st, my college or university is still going to require me to take courses as part of my class curriculum. What do I do?
A: Contact your instructor or administrator and inform them that IHI requires them to purchase a paid group subscription for their students to access Open School courses as part of their curriculum. Please provide them the following contact email so IHI may assist them with purchasing a subscription: OpenSchoolSubscribers@ihi.org
Q: After May 1st, how do I access my certificates of completion for courses I have already completed if I do not have a paid subscription?
A: After May 1st, you may continue to log in and download your certificates of completion without a subscription.
Q: After May 1st, can I review the course content of courses I have already completed?
A: A paid subscription will be required to access course content. You will either need an access code as part of a group subscription through your institution, or you must purchase an individual subscription.
Q: After May 1st, I would like to continue to enroll in new courses. What are my options?
A: A paid subscription will be required to enroll in new courses. You will either need an access code as part of a group subscription through your institution, or you must purchase an individual subscription.
Q: After May 1st, can I request an extension to my free student account?
A: To maintain fairness and consistency for all Higher Learning and Residency Programs users, we are unable to grant extensions.
The New IHI Open School for Higher Learning and Residency Programs Group Subscription Is Now Available
The IHI Open School Group Subscription for Higher Learning and Residency Programs has been redesigned to give users the materials they need at a fraction of the cost.
Starting today, groups can now purchase a 12-month subscription for just $25 a user. This subscription plan gives your organization access to the following features:
Comprehensive Course Access: Students and faculty gain access to all 13 courses required for the Basic Certificate in Quality and Safety.
Recognition of Achievements: Printable certificates for each course and a comprehensive certificate upon completion of all courses.
Educator’s Toolkit: Tools for teaching, including course summaries, slides, assignments, exams, recommended readings, and reporting functionality.
Last Updated: August 5, 2024
Prepare for the Upcoming Year with Onboarding Sessions and the Faculty Community
Calling all Faculty!
Thank you for the work you do to improve safety and quality for the lives of patients, families, students, residents, and our communities around the world. We have exciting new details to share with faculty and residency directors who use the IHI Open School to teach quality, safety, and quality improvement. If you know of any faculty who would benefit from these updates, please share accordingly.
Faculty Community
New for 2024 is the IHI Open School Faculty Community! Join our online community to:
- Receive updates on exciting new content
- Engage with other IHI Open School faculty
- Share feedback with the IHI Open School team
Please complete the Faculty Community Form to join and connect with the IHI Open School community.
Onboarding
With back-to-school approaching, IHI is offering ways for faculty to onboard to the IHI Open School and better prepare their students. We will be hosting specific sessions for faculty to review:
- Getting started with IHI Open School
- Customer support and where to go with questions
- New updates to the course curriculum
Spots are limited so please use the Faculty Community Form to reserve your seat. If you are unable to make it, we will also share the recordings to the IHI Open School Faculty Community and on our website.
Student Onboarding
We are having a special back-to-school onboarding session for students to get oriented with IHI Open School! Please share with students and encourage them to register. The recording will also be shared on our website for those students who are not able to attend.
We are looking forward to a great year and partnering with you to prepare our future healthcare professionals!
Visit this page regularly to stay up-to-date with the IHI Open School. For any questions, please reach out to OpenSchoolSubscribers@ihi.org to get support.