How PDSA Cycles Can Help Redesign Your Practice’s Workflow

Changing a clinical workflow can be a stressful and complex undertaking, but the Plan-Do-Study-Act approach can make the process easier and more productive for both leaders and staff. Along with other insight and guidance, the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ) offers a helpful snapshot of the PDSA process in its Practice Facilitation Handbook.

AHRQ breaks the improvement cycle down into simple steps:

1. Establish a Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) Cycle
2. Plan Your Redesign
3. Execute Change on a Small Scale — and Continue to Refine
4. Repeat

 
Download the PDSA Cycle Infographic

Additional information on PDSA cycles and other tools can be found in AHRQ’s Module 5: Mapping & Redesigning Workflow.