Revised 08/2025

HIM 229 - Performance Improvement in Health Care Settings (2 CR.)

Course Description

Focuses on concepts of facility wide performance improvement, resource management and risk management. Applies tools for data collection and analysis. Lecture 1 hour. Laboratory 2 hours. Total 3 hours per week.

General Course Purpose

This course is designed to give the student an introduction to the broad topic of quality management and improvement in the health care environment. Special emphasis is placed on developing analytical skills for performance improvement, utilization review and risk management activities. 

Course Prerequisites/Corequisites

HIM program placed students only:

Prerequisites/corequisites are BIO 142, HIM 110, HIM 130, HIM 141, HIM 142, HIM 220, HIM 226, HIM 250, HIM 260 or permission of instructor. The course will be offered to any student who meets the prerequisites/co-requisites and is program placed in the Health Information Management (HIM) program.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will: 

  • Evaluate the impact of key historical events, legislation, and influential individuals and organizations on the evolution of healthcare quality initiatives.
  • Demonstrate understanding of PI cycles, terminology, standards, and the distinction between organization-wide and team-based PI efforts.
  • Collect, aggregate, and graphically present healthcare data to identify trends and support decision-making in PI initiatives.
  • Apply team-based strategies, including roles, communication tools, and group dynamics, to enhance team performance and project outcomes.
  • Assess internal and external customer needs, apply risk-reduction tools, and evaluate the impact of sentinel events and safety goals on healthcare quality.
  • Apply proactive risk-reduction strategies and regulatory standards to improve medication safety and infection prevention.
  • Analyze processes that optimize care delivery and evaluate the impact of value-based care models on healthcare quality.
  • Align PI activities with accreditation, certification, and licensure standards, and evaluate their influence on organizational quality.
  • Use health information systems and project management tools to plan, implement, and evaluate PI projects.
  • Design, communicate, and evaluate PI strategies that align with organizational goals, governance structures, and human resource functions.
  • Apply structured change management techniques, compare the phases of change, and utilize key steps to guide successful implementation of improvement efforts.
  • Analyze the legal aspects relevant to quality improvement in healthcare, with a focus on tort law and its implications for organizational accountability and patient safety.

Major Topics to Be Included

  • Foundations of healthcare quality and performance improvement
  • Performance improvement frameworks and methodologies
  • Data management and analysis in performance improvement
  • Team dynamics and communication in performance improvement
  • Customer focus and risk management
  • Medication safety and infection control
  • Optimizing the continuum of care
  • Accreditation, certification, and regulatory compliance
  • Health information technology in performance improvement
  • Strategic planning and organizational integration
  • Change management in performance improvement
  • Legal and ethical aspects of performance improvement