Healthcare Changes and the Affordable Care Act: A Physician Call to Action Quality Improvement Organizations

Physicians can pursue a career in quality improvement through many types of organizations. One of the oldest and most established alternatives is the Quality Improvement Organization (QIO). This chapter will provide the reader with an overview of QIOs: historical development, types of projects performed by the QIO, roles of physicians, and skills needed to work in this field. Physicians from a variety of backgrounds use a combination of their skills, including clinical practice, administrative, research, program development, education, and evaluation skills, in performing this role. Physicians can find this work fulfilling and successfully contribute to improving systems of care for patients and care providers.