Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Leadership Program 2026

The Jefferson College of Population Health Quality Improvement/Patient Safety Leadership Program (QIPS) encompasses leaders from all areas of the healthcare leadership team.

This activity includes focused coursework and a mentored improvement project designed to align improvement work with the participants’ practice and/or organizational improvement goals. Participants graduate from the course with practical knowledge and the leadership skills needed for strategic execution of improvements.

Successful Completion
To successfully complete this activity, the required evaluation must be completed no later than Sunday, July 20, 2026. Thereafter, the evaluation will no longer be available and credits will not be issued. No refunds will be offered for failure to complete the required evaluation by the stated deadline.

1. Differentiate the responsibilities of daily project oversight versus strategy execution.
2. Identify clinical, administrative, financial, operational, and other data sources that inform individual improvement projects.
3. Formulate best practices in teamwork to achieve quality and safety improvement.
4. Identify opportunities in the Leadership/Management Transition Model to advance Leadership Performance.
5. Apply the concept of implementation science to a quality or safety improvement project.
6. Discuss the value of proactive risk assessments in identifying and prioritizing mitigation efforts that result in safer care and operations.
7. Apply human factors methods to proactively identify contributing factors of broken systems.
8. Execute a Negotiation Strategy to Sustain Improvement Plan Results.

For information on registration, please contact the College of Population Health.

In support of improving patient care, Thomas Jefferson University is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Physicians: This educational activity is designated for a maximum of 18.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits ^TM . Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nurses: This activity awards 18.00 nursing contact hours. 

Other Healthcare Professionals: This educational activity is designated for 18.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit ^TM. Participants should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Other Credit

PA Patient Safety and Risk Credit: This education activity offers 18.00 PA Patient Safety and Risk credit. Qualifying sessions are noted on the agenda.

Cancellation Policy

Requests for refunds must be submitted in writing and received in the Office of CPD two weeks prior to the start date of the course. There will be no refunds after this period.*  Cancellations notified before the two week time frame will incur a 25% administration fee (with a minimum of $20).  Registrants who fail to attend the conference are responsible for the entire fee.  All refunds will be processed after the conference.  The University reserves the right to cancel or postpone this course due to unforeseen circumstances.  In the event of cancellation or postponement, the University will refund registration fees, but is not responsible for related costs or expenses to participants, including cancellation fees assessed by hotels, airlines or travel agencies. 

*Registration fees will be refunded less a 15% administration fee to international conference registrants who are unable to secure a travel visa. Registrants must provide proof of visa denial. 

 Jefferson Release Policy

Jefferson may record/livestream/photograph this educational activity. These images/recordings, along with your name, may be used in Jefferson publications or on the Jefferson website. If you verbally submit any questions for Q&A sessions, you are agreeing to be recorded and to have that recording available in enduring materials. Once photographed, filmed, recorded, or videotaped, you waive the right of inspection or approval to which such images/recordings may be put and Jefferson has the right to use, publish, reproduce, modify, adapt, and distribute at any time in any manner or medium.

Jefferson HIPAA Policy

As an attendee of this educational activity hosted by Thomas Jefferson University, Jefferson University Physicians, and Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, Inc. (collectively 'Jefferson'), you may gain access to certain proprietary information ('Confidential Information'), including Protected Health Information ('PHI').

By participating in this educational activity, you agree to maintain the confidentiality of all Confidential Information, including all PHI, obtained from any source. You also agree to take all necessary steps to protect such Confidential Information and shall not directly or indirectly disclose or use it in any manner or for any reason, other than as necessary to complete the educational activity. Further, you agree not to take photographs, record in any manner or otherwise reproduce any such Confidential Information. You understand that any unauthorized use or disclosure of Confidential Information may result in possible legal action against you by Jefferson whose confidentiality is breached.

According to the Standards, it is not required that Thomas Jefferson University identify, mitigate, or disclose relevant financial relationships for accredited education that is non-clinical, such as leadership or communication skills training.

Mitigation of Relevant Financial Relationships

Thomas Jefferson University adheres to the Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education and the policies that supplement the Standards.

All planners, faculty, and others in control of educational content are required to disclose any relevant financial relationships with ACCME defined ineligible companies within the past 24 months. Any conflicts of interests have been mitigated prior to this educational activity. Such disclosures will be available prior to the start of the activity. Jefferson conflict of interest mitigation process may result in changes to the program agenda.

Off-Label/Investigational Use
All faculty/presenters/authors at Thomas Jefferson University sponsored events are required to disclose whether or not their content contains information of commercial products/devices that are unlabeled for use or investigational uses of products not yet approved. Product(s) is/are not included in the labeling approved by the U.S. FDA for the treatment of disease(s).

Content Disclaimer
The views expressed in this activity are those of the faculty. It should not be inferred or assumed that they are expressing the views of any manufacturer of pharmaceuticals or devices or Thomas Jefferson University.

It should be noted that the recommendations made herein with regard to the use of therapeutic agents, varying disease states, and assessments of risk, are based upon a combination of clinical trials, current guidelines, and the clinical practice experience of the participating presenters. The drug selection and dosage information presented in this activity are believed to be accurate. However, participants are urged to consult all available data on products and procedures before using them in clinical practice.

Member Information

Role in activity

Nature of Relationship(s) / Name of Ineligible Company(s)

Ellen Guarnieri, RN, MBA, CPHQ, FACHE
Associate Director Healthcare Quality and Safety Programs
Thomas Jefferson University
Medford, NJ

Co-Director

Non-Clinical Exception

Mary R Cooper, MD, JD
Associate Professor and Program Director
Jefferson College of Population Health
Philadelphia, PA

Course Director

Non-Clinical Exception

Michelle Arbid, MBA
Chief Operating Officer
Conflict Constructive
Philadelphia, PA

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Tracey Boggs, MBA
OSU Wexner
Columbus, OH

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Shane D Flickinger, FACHE, MHA, CLSSBB
Director, Center for Operational Resource Efficiency
Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, Inc.
Philadelphia, PA

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Maureen A Frye
Senior HRO Consultants
Safe and Reliable Healthcare, LLC
Hatboro, Pennsylvania

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Doron Schneider, MD, FACP
VP Population Health & Clinical Strategy
Tandigm Health
Conshohocken, PA

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Patrice (Polly) Tremoulet, PhD
ECRI
Plymouth Meeting, PA

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Pam Walter, MFA
Research Writing Specialist
Thomas Jefferson University
Philadelphia, PA

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Richard R Hass, PhD
Director of Assessment, Evaluation, and Research
Thomas Jefferson University
Philadelphia

Psychologist Planner

Non-Clinical Exception

This educational activity received no commercial or in-kind support.