A. Describe the problem that you plan to address with your healthcare improvement project (HIP).
1. Describe the background of your organization that is causing the problem.
Stakeholders
B. Describe the influence, interest, and power within your stakeholder group related to implementing your HIP.
Note: Do not include the actual names of people.
Project Team
C. Describe two of your roles and two of your responsibilities as the project manager of your HIP.
1. Describe two skills you possess as the project manager that demonstrate leadership related to your HIP.
2. Describe two roles and two responsibilities of one additional project team member who will support a solution to the problem described in part A.
Needs Assessment
D. Describe the “Needs Assessment Template” that you completed during your CPE by doing the following:
1. Identify which tool you used from the following list:
• five whys
• cause and effect diagram (fishbone)
• failure modes and effect analysis (FMEA)
• affinity analysis
2. Describe how the stakeholders and/or project team members discussed and identified themes related to the problem from part A.
3. Describe two findings related to the problem from part A that were identified by the stakeholders and/or project team members during the development of your needs assessment.
SWOT Analysis
E. Based on the “SWOT Analysis Template” that you completed during your CPE, complete the following:
1. Identify two weaknesses and two threats.
a. Describe how you plan to mitigate each of the weaknesses and threats.
2. Identify two strengths and twoopportunities.
a. Describe how you plan to maximize each of the strengths and opportunities.
Impact Analysis
F. Provide your total benefit score and total risk score from the “Impact Analysis Template” that you completed during your CPE. Then identify the impact ratio.
1. Describe the benefits and risks to the organization based on the impact ratio.
Justification and Project Purpose
G. Explain the purpose of your HIP.
1. Describe how your HIP addresses the problem you identified in part A.
2. Summarize your findings from the needs assessment, SWOT analysis, and impact analysis to justify your HIP.
Review of Relevant Scholarly Sources to Support the Solution to the Identified Problem (Best Practices from the Literature)
H. Synthesize five relevant scholarly sources in a narrative format, published within the last five years, that can be used to support solutions to the identified problem.
Note: Citations and references are required for each source used.
1. Discuss two best practices identified in your review of the literature that support your planned solution to the problem.
Project Environment
I. Describe one policy, procedure, or guideline and how it impacts the implementation of your project.
Note: You may use policies, procedures, or guidelines from appropriate organizations such as IHI, AAP, CDC, CMS, The Joint Commission, AHRQ, a local organization, etc.
SMART Goal
J. Complete the “SMART Goal Worksheet” section (Appendix A of the attached “HIP Paper Template”) by doing the following:
1. Complete each of the SMART questions on the “SMART Goal Worksheet.”
2. Identify one SMART project goal for the project on the “SMART Goal Worksheet.”
3. Identify two process KPIs that you will use to determine progress toward your goal.
K. Describe how you gathered stakeholder and/or project team member perspectives and synthesized those into your SMART goal.
Project Management Life Cycle
L. Explain the four phases of the project management lifecycle in terms of your HIP by doing the following:
1. Describe the four project management lifecycle phases that will guide your project.
2. Create a Gantt Chart (use the attached “Gantt Chart template”) and submit a clearly visible screenshot of it as Appendix B of the attached “HIP Paper Template”, including each of the following components:
o your CLPS clearance date
o your D156 course start date
o your project start date
o your project end date
o your planned graduation date
o each of the four project lifecycle phases (initiation, planning, implementation, and evaluation)
o at least two tasks or deliverables that have been completed in the initiation phase
o at least one task or deliverable that will be completed in each of the remaining phases (planning, implementation, and evaluation)
o the start and end dates associated with eachof the tasks or deliverables
o a bar chart for each of the tasks or deliverables representing the duration of each task
o the stakeholder initials to whom each task or deliverable is assigned
o aligned Gantt chart initiation start date with your SMART goal worksheet project start date
o aligned Gantt chart evaluation or closure end date with your SMART goal end date
M. Acknowledge sources, using in-text citations and references, for content that is quoted, paraphrased, or summarized.
N. Demonstrate professional communication in the content and presentation of your submission.
Title of Healthcare Improvement Project
Author Name (First, Middle Initial, Last)
Western Governors University
Leavitt School of Health
Name of Instructor
Month, Day, Year
D156: Business Case Analysis for Healthcare Improvement
Healthcare Improvement Project: Introduction and Project Initiation
Organizational Problem
Stakeholders
Project Team
Needs Assessment
SWOT Analysis
Impact Analysis
Justification and Project Purpose
Review of Relevant Scholarly Sources
Project Environment
SMART Goal
Project Management Lifecycle
References
Appendix A
SMART Goal Worksheet (D156)
Work with your stakeholders, project team members, or both to create a SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound) goal and two process KPI’s for your healthcare improvement project (HIP). Answer the following SMART questions about your project. Next, synthesize your answers into a SMART goal for your project and enter it into the SMART Project Goal box.
SMART
Questions SMART
Answers
Specific:
• What is your project? (Be specific)
• How will you accomplish this? (interventions)
Measurable:
• What will you measure to determine your project’s success? (Indicators or metrics)
• How will you know that change has occurred?
• What percentage of the outcome will you accomplish, by date?
(Numbers and quantities provide means of measurement and comparison).
Achievable:
• Based on your impact analysis and SWOT analysis, what support, resources, and justification exist for your project?
Relevant:
• Is your project worthwhile?
• Why does your project matter to the target population, the organization, and nursing practice?
Time-Bound:
Include these dates:
• Health Placement Approval date
• D156 course start date
• project start date
• project end date
• expected graduation date
Your project start date must be after the health placement approval date and D156 start dates. For an implementation project your project end date must be before your expected graduation date. For an approved modified clinical activity project your end date must be after your graduation date.
SMART Project Goal: Synthesize your SMART answers from above into a statement that includes the specific, measurable, and time-bound elements.
KPI # 1
Process Key Performance Indicators
KPI # 2
Appendix B
Screenshot of the Gantt Chart (D156)
