DEDU 850 : Quality Improvement for Safety and Wellness in Patient Populations

Epidemiology focuses on the distribution and determinants of disease frequency in human populations. This course prepares the student to use epidemiological strategies to examine patterns of illness or injury in groups of people as well as threats to patient safety. Concepts of health, risk, and disease causality are examined. Implications for development of data-based programs for disease/injury prevention, quality improvement directed at improving individuals and aggregates receiving anesthesia are discussed. Further exploration of Quality Improvement for aggregates and individuals receiving anesthesia is achieved by providing opportunities to analyze, synthesize, and apply knowledge of quality improvement and patient safety in anesthesia practice. The course examines the theoretical basis of human error, introduces a systems approach to error investigation and analysis, and integrates concepts of teamwork, crisis resource management and monitoring systems in anesthesia practice.