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