AQIP 101
Stuart E. Frew MS, RT (R)
- Who
- When
- What
- Where
-Why
AQIP 101
Lets start at the top of the pyramid
• The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an independent
corporation and one of two commission members of the North Central
Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), which is one of six
regional institutional accreditors in the United States. The Higher
Learning Commission accredits degree-granting post-secondary
educational institutions in the North Central region.
AQIP 101
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
• Colleges and universities are affiliated with the Commission in one of
two ways: by gaining and maintaining accredited status or by
gaining candidate status. Currently, more than 1,000 institutions are
affiliated with the Commission.
AQIP 101
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
• Maintaining accredited status
• The Commission provides two programs for maintaining
accredited status: the Program to Evaluate and Advance Quality
(PEAQ) and the Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP).
The Commission is developing a new model called Pathways.
AQIP 101
Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP)
• The Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP) provides an
alternative evaluation process for institutions already accredited by
the Commission. AQIP is structured around quality improvement
principles and processes and involves a structured set of goalsetting, networking, and accountability activities.
AQIP 101
Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP)
• Launched in July 1999 with a generous grant from the Pew Charitable
Trusts, the Commission's Academic Quality Improvement Program infuses
the principles and benefits of continuous improvement into the culture
of colleges and universities by providing an alternative process through
which an already-accredited institution can maintain its accreditation.
• An institution in AQIP demonstrates how it meets accreditation standards
and expectations through a sequence of events that align with the ongoing
activities of an institution striving to improve its performance.
AQIP 101
Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP)
• The Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP) provides an
alternative evaluation process for organizations already accredited by the
Commission. AQIP is structured around quality improvement principles
and processes and involves a structured set of goal-setting, networking,
and accountability activities. AQIP uses direct, cost-effective processes
including AQIP’s Strategy Forums, Systems Appraisals, and various other
services.
AQIP 101
Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP)
• Institutional Experience with AQIP
• AQIP institutions provide reflections on what they have learned from
their AQIP experience.
AQIP 101
Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP)
• Exploring AQIP and Quality Improvement
• AQIP’s Principles of High Performance Organizations describe the
characteristics participating colleges and universities strive to embed
within their culture. Research and experience indicate that these
principles—Focus, Involvement, Leadership, Learning, People,
Collaboration, Agility, Foresight, Information, and Integrity—permeate
organizations that have achieved a systematic approach to
continuous quality improvement.
AQIP 101
Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP)
• Exploring AQIP and Quality Improvement
• Lets get back to the basics!
•
•
•
•
Quality Assurance
Quality Control
Quality Management
Information Analysis
AQIP 101

Quality Assurance:
• An all-encompassing management program used to ensure
excellence through the systematic collection and evaluation of
data.
AQIP 101

Quality Assurance:
• Deals with human factors that lead to variations
in quality improvement !!!!!!!!!!
• Primary objective is enhancement of customer
satisfaction.
•
Internal and External
AQIP 101

Quality Assurance Program:
• Four activities of a QA program.




1.
2.
3.
4.
Monitoring
Trouble shooting problems as they arise
Keeping records on the operation of the program
Analyzing Information
AQIP 101

Quality Assurance Program:
• Fundamental goals of a QA program.
•
•
•
•
•
Decrease waste
Lowered costs
Improved quality
Increased consistency
Improved efficiency
AQIP 101

Quality Assurance Program:
• Areas considered in a QA program.
•
•
•
Equipment
People
Customers
AQIP 101

Quality Assurance Program:
• Typical actions used to eliminate problems found by a QA
Program include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Management techniques
Dept. Policies & Procedures
Technical effectiveness & efficiency
In-service education
Timeliness of reports
Equipment or facility changes
Staff changes
AQIP 101
Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP)
• Exploring AQIP and Quality Improvement
• Lets get back to the basics!
•
•
•
•
Quality Assurance
Quality Control
Quality Management
Information Analysis
AQIP 101

Quality Control:
• Part of the QM program that deals with techniques used in
monitoring and maintenance of the technical elements of
a systems that affect quality.
• QC is a part of the QM program that deals with processes,
instrumentation and equipment!!!!!!!!
AQIP 101

Quality Control:
• Ex.) Three levels of QC testing in X-Ray



Level I: Noninvasive and Simple - Performed by properly trained
radiographers. Ex.) wire mesh test & spinning top test
Level II: Noninvasive and Complex - Performed by properly trained
radiographers. Ex.) special test tools & meters
Level III: Invasive and Complex – Performed by physicists and
radiological engineers. Ex.) new equipment testing
AQIP 101

Quality Control:
• How about you. Fill in the blanks?



Level I: Noninvasive and Simple - Performed by properly trained
__________. Ex.) _____________
Level II: Noninvasive and Complex - Performed by properly trained
__________. Ex.) _____________
Level III: Invasive and Complex – Performed by ___________.
Ex.) ____________
AQIP 101
Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP)
• Exploring AQIP and Quality Improvement
• Lets get back to the basics!
•
•
•
•
Quality Assurance
Quality Control
Quality Management
Information Analysis
AQIP 101

Quality Management / Continuous Quality Improvement / AQIP:
•
Continually improves quality by focusing on improving the system or
process in which individual workers function rather than the individuals
themselves.
•
For these processes to improve, it is essential to focus on the
organization as a whole, rather than on individual departments.
•
Promotes the need for objective data to analyze and improve processes.
•
Management needs to promote this atmosphere, effectively allocate
resources needed for improvement, treat employees as assets and not
expenses and work together towards a shared goal.
AQIP 101

Quality Management Program:
• A Quality Management Program is the merging of a
Quality Assurance Program with a Quality Control
Program!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• QA + QC = QM
• QA + QC = AQIP
AQIP 101

Quality Management:
• Four main components of a QM Program:
•
Equipment QC
• Evaluation of equipment
•
Administrative responsibility
• Establishment of different processes to accomplish specific required
tasks. Ex.) Dept. Procedure manuals
•
Risk Management
• Ability to identify and minimize risks to workers and visitors.
•
Safety
• OSHA
AQIP 101

Quality Management:
• Ways savings are created by changes made to QM
programs over the past 25:
•
•
•
•
•
Less equipment downtime
Digital technology
Increased department efficiency
Increased employee effectiveness
Higher customer satisfaction
AQIP 101
Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP)
• Exploring AQIP and Quality Improvement
• Lets get back to the basics!
•
•
•
•
Quality Assurance
Quality Control
Quality Management
Information Analysis
AQIP 101

Information Analysis:
• A considerable amount of data must be collected and
analyzed for various components of a QM program to be
implemented.
• A basic knowledge of terminology and data presentation
tools that are used in statistical analysis is necessary by
employees to assist the implementation of a QM program.
AQIP 101
Basic Terminology:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Population
• Comprises the entire set or group of items being measured.
•
Sample
• The number of items actually measured from a population
•
Reliability
• refers to the consistency of repeated measurements of the same thing or the
reproducibility of a result.
•
Accuracy
• The ability to measure what is purported to be measured.
Frequency
Mean
Median
Mode
Bias
•
•
•
•
Range
Standard Deviation
Variance
Validity
AQIP 101

Information Analysis Tools:

Flowchart:
•
A pictorial representation of the individual steps that can be contained in
a process.
AQIP 101

Cause and Effect Diagram:
•
Used to demonstrate graphically the cause and effects of different
variables or conditions on a key quality characteristics and thereby
potential areas of improvement.
AQIP 101

Histogram:
•
A data display tool in the form of a bar graph that often plots the most
frequent occurrence of a quantity in the center
AQIP 101

Pareto Chart:
•
Causal analysis tool. A variation of the histogram, which prioritizes the
most frequent problems at the far left and the other problems in
decreasing order to the right.
AQIP 101

Scatter Plot:
• Traditional two-axis graph, with several data points that have
been plotted throughout. Determines if a relationship exists
between two different variables in a process. Once the data
points are plotted the scatter plot is then examined to see if
these points are scattered in any particular pattern.
AQIP 101

Trend Chart:
• Pictorially demonstrates whether key indicators are
moving up or down over a given amount of time.
AQIP 101

Control Chart:
• Modification of the trend chart, in which statistically
determined upper and lower control limits are placed with
a central line that indicates an accepted norm.
AQIP 101

Process & Equipment QC:
• By understanding and utilizing all of the
terminology and information analysis tools, we
can properly execute the Process & Equipment
QC component of a QM program.
AQIP 101
QA + QC = QM
QA + QC = AQIP

Merging these entities in a quality management program requires
certain administrative procedures to be implemented by many
people.
AQIP 101

Threshold of Acceptability:
•

Communication Network:
•

Includes levels of accuracy, sensitivity and specific of outcome. This is a
pre-established level of performance applied to a specific
indicator.
Proper communication among all members of a department is essential
for successful QM program.
Customer Comfort:
•
Customer comfort, convenience and privacy should be provided within
reasonable limits in departments.
AQIP 101
Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP)
• Exploring AQIP and Quality Improvement
• Lets get back to the basics!
•
•
•
•
Quality Assurance
Quality Control
Quality Management
Information Analysis
AQIP 101
What does all of this mean?????
• We now know what AQIP is:
• A program used by the HLC to maintain accredited status.
• A Quality Management Program that is structured around quality
improvement principles and processes and involves a structured set
of goal-setting, networking, and accountability activities.
AQIP 101
What does all of this mean?????
• We now know some of the basics of a QM program:
• Quality Assurance:
• An all-encompassing management program used to ensure excellence
through the systematic collection and evaluation of data.
• Deals with Human Factors.
• Ex.) Leadership Academy, Convocation, 6 Sigma, Strategy Forum.
• Ex.) Improvement Teams, Hot Teams.
AQIP 101
What does all of this mean?????
• We now know some of the basics of a QM program:
• Quality Control:
• Part of the QM program that deals with techniques used in monitoring and
maintenance of the technical elements of a systems that affect quality.
• QC is a part of the QM program that deals with processes, instrumentation
and equipment!!!!!!!!
• Ex.) The Memory Jogger (Will be available online?)
• Ex.) Strategy Forum Book of Continuous Quality Improvement
Exercises. (Will be available online?)
AQIP 101
What does all of this mean?????
• We now know some of the basics of a QM program:
• Quality Management / Continuous Quality Improvement / AQIP:
• Continually improves quality by focusing on improving the system or
process in which individual workers function rather than the individuals
themselves.
• Promotes a quality focused atmosphere, effectively allocates
resources needed for improvement, treat employees as assets and
not expenses, and work together towards a shared goal.
• Ex.) AQIP Oversight and Administration
AQIP 101
What does all of this mean?????
• How does this all fit into AQIP and SFCC:
• We as a college are now and will continue to utilize these quality
improvement measures.
• Understanding the basics will help us a college community
develop a culture of continuous quality improvement.
• Over the next year, SFCC will be updating and educating the
college community on all aspects of AQIP so to improve the
quality of our services here at SFCC.
AQIP 101
Thank You