From Insight to Impact: Advancing Learning Health System Capability Through a System-Wide Quality Improvement Symposium

TL;DR

UCLA Health hosted a symposium to promote quality improvement in healthcare by fostering collaboration and learning across disciplines.

Contribution

The paper introduces a system-wide symposium model to advance learning health systems through interprofessional engagement and narrative-driven education.

Findings

88% of attendees reported gaining actionable insights applicable to their work.

Themes emphasized the value of storytelling, leadership engagement, and integrating behavioral science and technology.

The symposium successfully increased visibility and adoption of quality improvement across clinical settings.

Abstract

As healthcare systems navigate increasing complexity, the need to embed quality improvement (QI) into organizational culture has never been greater. In alignment with national trends emphasizing a shift from compliance-driven quality to shared responsibility and excellence, the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Health launched its inaugural Quality Symposium, led by the Department of Medicine. The event aimed to cultivate a Learning Health System community by strengthening shared learning, accelerating system improvement, and increasing the visibility and adoption of QI across clinical settings. The symposium featured a keynote presentation on artificial intelligence (AI) and healthcare transformation, followed by nine Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED)-style talks organized across three modules: ambulatory care quality, inpatient care quality, and research and education. Attendees completed pre- and post-event evaluations assessing satisfaction, perceived learning, and actionable takeaways. The symposium drew 218 registrants and approximately 160 attendees (73%), both in person and online, including physicians, nurses, administrators, and trainees. Among post-survey respondents (62 of approximately 160 attendees, 39%), 52 (88%) reported gaining at least one actionable insight applicable to their work. Qualitative analysis identified themes emphasizing the value of interprofessional storytelling, visible leadership engagement in QI initiatives, and the integration of behavioral science and technology to support improvement efforts. This learning report describes the design, implementation, and perceived educational impact of a health system-wide symposium, framed as a descriptive program evaluation. Findings suggest that narrative-driven education, behavioral insight, and cross-disciplinary engagement may support system learning and collaboration within academic health systems.

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