Level 3: Advanced Cohort Training

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Thank you for your interest. Our L3 application for 2025/ 2026 cohort is now closed.  Please visit this page again in Dec 2025 for 2026/ 2027 cohort opening. ​ You can go here to apply: https://pqivchphc.smapply.io/


Level 3 (L3) Advanced Cohort Training is our flagship training program, which runs from August to May (10 months) each year. Eligible* physicians will receive up to $30,000 in funding to help them protect their time to train and work on QI. Physicians from VCH and PHC, as well as those working in the community (for example, at privately owned clinics) are eligible to apply to our PQI Level 3 training. Other medical staff can also apply, though preference may be given to physicians, since the program is funded by the Specialist Services Committee.

A 'dyad' is comprised by representatives from two sides of care provision (i.e., medical and operations). You may choose to apply with a dyad partner (e.g., someone from Operations such as a nurse, allied health professional, or administrative staff who may be integral to your project). Your dyad partner can attend training and work with you on your QI project.

Please note the dyad partner needs to get approval from their ma​nage​r and be released from care for training and QI work. Funding is not available for these dyad partners. The dyad partner can help with team member formation, brainstorming ideas, work jointly on deliverables, and encourage each other! The ultimate responsibility for the project lies with the physician or medical staff.

*Physicians whose time is compensated by the Health Authority under a service contract or employment may not be eligible for additional compensation for hose hours paid under that contract. Hours outside of the contract can be supported for PQI participation.


Why take L3 Training?

  • Access to interactive training  including lectures, group activities and workshops.
  • Physicians receive full project support and mentorship from PQI coaches and faculty, quality improvement leaders, and data analysts.
  • Projects are endorsed by VCH and PHC medical and operational leaders. 
  • Opportunity to work on a quality problem in the system or close a gap in care that you have identified.

Requirements

If you are selected for L3 training, you are expected to work on a QI project of your choice over a period of 10 months, and to participate in 10 interactive training sessions. A detailed description of the expected commitments is available below:


Prerequisites

1. Obtain a basic understanding of QI fundamentals within health care - in order to acquire this:

  • Complete L1 Training (ideally before submitting your L3 application, or at the very least, prior to the application deadline:  January 20, 2025) .
  • Commit to completing L2 Intermediate QI Training prior to the start of the cohort (August 2025) - E.g. signing up early for a L2 session will help you secure a spot.  ​

2. Ensure the intended project approach align with a Quality Improvement methodology that emphasizes root-cause exploration and testing of different ideas. The project is not simply an implementation of a single pre-conceived change idea. Below table allows you to do a self assessment for your intended project idea. If you are still unsure, email MedicalQuality@vch.ca​ and we are happy to assist you.

 

qimethodology.png 

3. Confirm the problem is a system priority (refer to the section below "System Priorities.") that has local and organizational support through ​​​conversations with the leadership at your site. 

 For Community-based physicians: connect with the administrative and medical leadership at your site to gain endorsement of your idea.

 For Health-Authority: the Operations/Program Director of the area where your QI project will take place, as well as with your  ​Department/Division Head.

    •  If you are not sure who the Operations/Program Director is, take a look at these resources at VCH or PHC, or inquire with the manager of the area.
    •  If you are still unsure, email us at MedicalQuality@vch.ca​​ and we will be happy to assist you.​

4.​ Focuses on a problem that occurs frequently enough for meaningful data to be collected over a 10 month period, so imp​rovement can be seen for the several ideas you want to test out.

 

Highly Recommended

The patient voice is important to understand what matters to our patients in order to effectively improve not only patient care, but also the patient experience. Please watch the video on why patient experience is important. We will help you with this step during our Level 3 QI training.

 

An ideal quality improvement (QI) project:

  • Targets a problem that has supporting evidence (e.g., baseline data, scholarly evidence of care gaps), or common agreement within your Department/Division that an issue exists
  • ​Addresses one or more of the modified IHI Triple aims:
    • Improved patient experience
    • Better outcomes
    • Lower costs
    • Clinician well-being
    • Health equity
  • While also focusing on one or more system priorities such as: (please note the list is not exhaustive and subject to change)
    • ​Cancer care
    •  Addictions care; Mental Health
    •  Optimizing surgical services​​​​
    •  Senior's care
    •  Indigenous health
    • Planetary health
    •  Equity, diversity and inclusion
    • Anti-racism
    • Value-based health care

Other priorities of the Health Authority or the Department/Division as applicable, for example, VCH Quality and Patient Safety priorities include:

  • ED wait time/ Access to care
  • Surgical Wait List / Access
  • Hospital harm, e.g,, delirium, hospital-acquired infections
  • Pressure Sores
  • Transitions in Care​
  • Falls
    • Has local, operational support
    • Is amenable to a QI approach, where changes are developed and then tested locally with PDSA cycles (the project is not simply an implementation of a single pre-conceived change idea)​

No project idea yet? 

If you don't yet have an idea for a project connect with the relevant Quality Department to learn about improvement opportunities. Below the relevant contacts for the different Communities of Care:

 

Providence Health Care:

Ramses Prado, Performance Improvement Consultant, RPrado@providencehealth.bc.ca

 

Vancouver Coastal Health:

• Richmond: Philip.Charlebois@vch.ca or Lisa.Stewart@vch.ca

• Coastal: Lisette.Montessori@vch.ca

• VA: Lisette.Montessori@vch.ca or Lisa.Stewart@vch.ca

• VC: Susan.Sinnott@vch.ca

• Regional: Lisa.Stewart@vch.ca

 

Training details

Level 3 Tentative Training Dates (Schedule may change slightly as we update our content or delivery. Updated April 1, 2025):

  • Session 1: Tuesday August 19, 2025 (In person)
  • Session 2: Tuesday September 16, 2025 (In person)
  • Session 3: Thursday October 2nd, 2025 (ZOOM)
  • Session 4: Tuesday Oct 28, 2025 (In Person) 
  • Session 5: Tuesday November 18, 2025 (In Person)
  • Session 6: Tuesday December 2, 2025 (In Person)
  • Session 7: Tuesday January 13, 2026 (Zoom)
  • Session 8: Tuesday February 3, 2026 In Person (Mid Year Presentations)
  • Session 9: Tuesday March 3d, 2026 (Zoom)
  • Session 10: Tuesday March 31, 2026 (In Person)
  • Session 11: Wednesday April 29, 2026 In Person (Year End Presentations 1) 
  • Session 12: Thursday May 7, 2026 In Person (Year End Presentations 1)

 Level 3 training topics include the following:

  •    Model for Improvement – Plan Do Study Act (PDSA)
  •    Privacy and Ethics in QI
  •    Project management
  •    Root cause analysis
  •    Human Side of Change – Key Partner Engagement
  •    Data planning and testing Changes
  •    Team Work & Communication
  •    Sustaining and Spreading Improvement




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Level 3 participants collaborating during a breakout session