Check out this PDF to learn more about the ideal profile of a Quality Academy Online participant. If you are still unsure if the Quality Academy Online is the right fit, please contact us at learning@bcpsqc.ca and we’d be happy to discuss it with you.

No. Quality Academy Online is designed for anyone who works in the BC’s publicly funded health care system. This includes all health care sectors across the continuum of care.

Yes. People who work in non-clinical roles are invited and encouraged to apply for Quality Academy Online! Policy makers, administrators, human resource and finance professionals working for organizations ranging from residential care facilities to the Ministry of Health Services are all welcome. Everyone has a role to play in improving the quality of health care.

Participants must attend all Learning Activity Forum sessions in order to complete Quality Academy Online. During these sessions, it is expected that participants will be free from official duties to fully participate, engage and collaborate with others in the cohort to maximize their learning opportunities. As well, participants will require adequate time and support during the six-month program to dedicate to their quality project and other session component activities.

This time will vary depending on the scope of the project chosen; however, experience suggests this is at least one day per week. Quality Academy Online where participants will spend approximately 115 hours engaging in pre-forum lessons, learning activity forums, project work, measurement coaching, and mentoring. These sessions are scheduled weekly over the duration of the program.

In the case of extraordinary circumstances, such as illness or family emergency, the Quality Academy Team will work with participants to work through the material covered in the learning activity forum missed to complete the program. Faculty will not be able to cover material missed for work related reasons.

We provide significant funding to support the program as part of our mandate to support education and capacity building for quality across the province. However, a program fee of $995 plus taxes will be charged for all accepted participants.

No. Quality Academy Online is currently not accredited by any post-secondary institutions. However, participants will receive a certificate of recognition from us upon successfully completing the program.

No. Quality Academy does not currently offer CME credits.

Quality Academy Online is limited to 32 participants per cohort. This ensures that participants are given the support they need to be successful in the program and allows for an engaging and interactive learning environment for discussion and debate during virtual learning activities. Potential participants are encouraged to apply early to ensure a spot in the upcoming cohort and encouraged to inquire about any internal procedures required within their own organizations as a part of the application process (for instance, most health authorities have an internal process for coordinating the application and approval process).

No. Participants must attend all sessions in order to complete Quality Academy Online. During sessions, it is expected that participants will have time set aside in their workday to attend live sessions and to complete pre-session and post-session activities to maximize their learning. As well, participants will require adequate time and support during the six-month program to dedicate to their quality project and learning sessions. This time will vary depending on the scope of the project chosen; however, experience suggests this is at least one day per week.

Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate additional attendees for individual sessions and therefore anyone who attends a session must be a participant in the program.

The Quality Academy Online faculty are drawn from across BC as experts in improving health care quality. This is a diverse group that will provide a variety of unique perspectives and cover a comprehensive curriculum giving participants the skills, knowledge and confidence to lead improvement initiatives.

You will receive a confirmation email once you have submitted the Quality Academy Online Application Form. If you have not received this, please contact us at learning@bcpsqc.ca.

Applicants who are accepted to Quality Academy Online will receive additional instructions after the application deadline.

A key component of Quality Academy Online is the leading of a quality project that enables participants to apply the concepts, skills and knowledge gained throughout the program with support from an assigned faculty mentor. Participants are encouraged to begin exploring potential topic areas with their organization during the application process. Projects will be required to meet the following criteria:

• Explicitly address one or more dimension of quality, based upon the BC Health Quality Matrix;
• Relates to the strategic or business plan of the organization;
• Supported by an organizational Executive Sponsor;
• Has a measurable aim statement;
• Progress toward the aim can be made within the program duration;
• Has the support of a clinical champion (where the project occurs in a clinical area);
• Incorporates the patient perspective; and
• Baseline data is available or can be obtained for the outcome measure

The scope of the project is flexible and should give you an opportunity to apply the skills and knowledge gained during the program.

Here are a few guiding questions to help you start thinking about potential projects:

1. Think about a typical workday. What frustrates you the most when it comes to delivering care?
2. If you could change one thing about your workday, what would it be?

No. All participants must lead their own projects. With a partner or co-lead, you will only benefit from half of the learning opportunities. However, you will be working with others on your project. As a project lead, you will build a team, drawing in others who are in your area of work to help you in achieving your aim.