Quality Improvement

For help in determining if your study is QI or research, please contact the Research Ethics Officer.

QI

• QI is a systematic approach to review of practices and procedures in order to identify possible improvements and to provide a mechanism for bringing them about
• QI raises questions that might be answered by further research
• QI is a test of whether things are being done as well as they could/should be. It compares current practice with current standards/best practices
• QI does not consider a completely new treatment, but tests the adherence to a treatment that is considered to be best practice
• QI results are “local” to the participant population/location/time
• QI results are generally for “internal” information
• QI requires the participation of site-specific people and departments. The data relates only to the specific site or area

Research

• Research is a systematic investigation which aims to increase the sum of knowledge. It usually involves the testing of a hypothesis or theory
• Research generates the knowledge that may be tested in Quality Improvement
• Research may involve a completely new treatment and usually investigates an area where there is no knowledge of the best practice
• Research results can be generalized across a wide population
• Research results are generally for “external” information
• Research requires the participation of participants, and others outside of the specific site or area, so that a representative sample can be obtained and the results generalized
• Research often will have a defined “end-point” which is researched when an adequate sample size has been obtained
• Research results are published universally to share the knowledge with a wide user base of persons