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IH Physician Quality Improvement (PQI)

Background

A horizontal logo that says PQI in big letters on the left and physician quality improvement, specialist services committee on the right.

In collaboration with BC health authorities, Physician Quality Improvement (PQI), a flagship initiative of the Specialist Services Committee (SSC) of the Doctors of BC, works to enhance physician capacity in QI by providing training and hands-on experience through action learning projects, ultimately promoting a culture of learning, openness, and dedication to improving the health-care system. PQI also offers ongoing Alum opportunities and Spread QI support.

In 2019, the PQI program was introduced at Interior Health and has become a key driver of physician-led change in health care.

PQI training opportunities

IH PQI Level 1-2-3 Overview (2026)

Level 1 - Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) Open School

PQI Level 1 is comprised of three self-paced online courses provided by the IHI Open School and a special presentation by Dr. Don Berwick, a renowned name in the world of quality improvement.
Estimated time to complete training is 4-5 hours.
Physicians are eligible for five hours of JCC sessional payment upon completion of PQI Level 1 Training.

To register for Level 1, please email PQI@interiorhealth.ca.

Level 2 - Introduction to QI Workshop

PQI Level 2 provides participants with virtual opportunities to develop fundamental quality improvement skills.
Training is held over 2 days
Physicians are eligible for sessional payment upon completion.

IH PQI Level 2 Flyer

To register for Level 2, please click here.

Level 3 - Advanced QI Cohort Education

PQI Level 3 training provides participants with interactive QI learning opportunities that include in-person and/or virtual lectures, group activities, and workshops.
Physicians are enabled to conduct a QI action learning project throughout the duration of their training, with at-the-elbow support and resources provided by PQI teams.
Training is held over the course of seven months.
Physicians are eligible for sessional payment throughout the duration of their engagement in Level 3.

Not sure if your idea is a good fit for a QI project? Learn what makes a strong QI project here.

Cohort 9 Recruitment Flyer

To apply for Cohort 9, click here.

Contact our team today to learn more

For an up-to-date list of PQI projects across the province visit: The Exchange: Quality Improvement Projects Directory

Alum Opportunities

Interior Health is committed to maintaining strong engagement with PQI Alums. Over 175 Graduates (Physicians and IH Operational Dyad leaders) of the IH PQI program continue to collaborate and share best practices through an active Alum program. PQI Alum’s have leveraged their QI learning through teaching, coaching, collaborating, and connecting with each other and health authority leadership.

The IH PQI Alum Program includes opportunities for further collaboration and learning through annual gatherings such as the Alum Summit, Cohort Corner (a regional webinar series), a formalized Alum Regional Council and various PQI Project pathways such as the newly established Alum Project Impact Cohort (APIC). Alum work prioritizes impact and includes IH, SSC and MoH organizational and strategic priorities. These programs are helping to create a culture of continuous health care improvement and enhancing the delivery of quality patient centered care.

Contact our team to learn more about Alum involvement

Dyadic Leadership Model

What makes a highly successful health-care organization? Interior Health leadership believes in pairing medical and operational leaders as a dyad to foster a culture of learning, trust, and shared vision.

Dyads, by definition, are two individuals who work together as co-leaders of a particular system, division, clinical service line, or project. A PQI dyadic partnership is two health-care professionals (i.e. a physician matched with an operational leader) who are committed to the partnership.

In British Columbia, the evolution of health-care delivery continues to shift from a physician and independent operational approach towards an integrated system that focuses on quality. This new approach aims to engage physicians to lead in quality improvement and innovate in a direction that optimizes service experience while improving patient outcomes

Dyadic Leadership Model - Why It Works (white paper)