AHRQ Practice Facilitation Training Modules
Practice facilitators help primary care practices implement the best evidence and develop quality improvement capacity. To assist practice facilitators in gaining critical skills, AHRQ developed 14 free, interactive training modules that are based on AHRQ’s widely used Primary Care Practice Facilitation Curriculum.
About the Modules
The modules, each 20-30 minutes long, teach the people and technical skills facilitators need to excel. The modules provide opportunities to practice skills and include videos of experienced practice facilitators who share insights and helpful hints. Each module is paired with additional resources for learners to continue their exploration.
Get Started
Are you a new or experienced facilitator? We recommend you start with the Introduction to the AHRQ Practice Facilitation Training Modules. Then select modules on topics that you’re unfamiliar with or would like a refresher on. These modules are self-directed, so you go at your own pace. To launch a module, select the thumbnail below. Don’t forget to look at the additional resources that accompany each module.
Do you run a practice facilitation program or train staff to serve as facilitators? You can use the modules to run a flipped classroom: have trainees complete modules first and use class time to go deeper. Or assign modules after a training session for reinforcement. Want to run the modules on your own learning management system so you can track completion of modules? Email: pftraining@ahrq.hhs.gov.
The Modules
- Introduction to the AHRQ Practice Facilitation Training Modules.
- Starting with a Practice.
- Facilitator Fundamentals.
- Effective Meetings.
- Introduction to Quality Improvement (QI) in Primary Care.
- Model for Improvement and PDSA Cycles.
- Process Mapping.
- The 5 Whys and Fishbone Diagramming.
- Practice Assessment and Surveys.
- Standardized Quality Measures.
- Conducting a "Last 10 Patients" Chart Audit.
- Presenting Performance Data.
- Helping Practices Scale Improvements.
- Joy in Work.
Introduction to the AHRQ Practice Facilitation Training Modules – Learn about the profession of practice facilitation—what facilitators do and what skills they need. This module also provides an overview of AHRQ’s Practice Facilitation Training Modules.
Access additional resources and a table of contents for Introduction to the AHRQ Practice Facilitations Training Modules.
Starting with a Practice – Learn how to make first contact with a practice, develop effective relationships with practice champions, hold a successful kick-off meeting, and teach a practice how to work with a facilitator.
Access additional resources and a table of contents for Starting with a Practice.
Facilitator Fundamentals – Learn how to develop productive, long-term relationships; listen actively; ask powerful questions; become a “professional pesterer;” and curate resources for practices.
Access additional resources and a table of contents for Facilitator Fundamentals.
Effective Meetings – Learn how to plan an effective meeting, use techniques for running productive meetings, and hold a fruitful brainstorming session.
Access additional resources and a table of contents for Effective Meetings.
Introduction to Quality Improvement (QI) in Primary Care – Learn about the domains of healthcare quality and quality improvement frameworks, and how to use QI frameworks and key driver diagrams with practices.
Access additional resources and a table of contents for Quality Improvement (QI) in Primary Care.
Model for Improvement and PDSA Cycles – Learn strategies to introduce a practice to the Model for Improvement, including conducting small tests of change with Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles.
Access additional resources and a table of contents for Model for Improvement and PDSA Cycles.
Process Mapping – Learn how to create a process map and swimlane diagram, facilitate a process mapping session for a practice, and help a practice design process improvements.
Access additional resources and a table of contents for Process Mapping.
The 5 Whys and Fishbone Diagramming – Learn how to use the 5 Whys and fishbone diagramming to identify factors affecting performance and help practices use these tools to generate improvement ideas.
Access additional resources and a table of contents for The 5 Whys and Fishbone Diagramming.
Practice Assessments and Surveys – Learn how to administer a practice assessment, create surveys, and use survey results to generate improvement ideas and measure progress.
Access additional resources and a table of contents for Practice Assessments and Surveys.
Standardized Quality Measures – Learn how to determine which measures a practice is reporting on, find measure specifications, calculate and benchmark performance, conduct a fall-out analysis, and create a Pareto chart.
Access additional resources and a table of contents for Standardized Quality Measures.
Conducting a "Last 10 Patients" Chart Audit – Learn how to conduct a “last 10 patients” chart audit, summarize findings to present to a practice, and use results to help a practice generate change ideas.
Access additional resources and a table of contents for Conducting a "Last 10 Patients" Chart Audit.
Presenting Performance Data – Learn how to display performance data, present data to a practice, and respond to common concerns about performance data.
Access additional resources and a table of contents for Presenting Performance Data.
Helping Practices Scale up Improvements – Learn how to support change throughout a practice by designing training and educational emails, creating job aids, delivering one-on-one coaching, using audit and feedback to monitor progress, and crafting key messages to motivate change and respond to common objections.
Access additional resources and a table of contents for Helping Practices Scale up Improvements.
Joy in Work – Learn why joy in work is important in primary care, recognize opportunities for improvement, and suggest practice strategies for increasing joy in work.
Access additional resources and a table of contents for Joy in Work.
These modules were prepared for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality under Contract No HHSP233201500013i Task Order 75P00120F37007 with Abt Associates, Inc. Lyndee Knox, LA Net, and Cindy Brach, Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, are the authors of the modules. Illumina Interactive, Inc. collaborated with AHRQ to design and develop the elearning modules. Acknowledgement: the content for these modules drew on AHRQ’s previous practice facilitation training materials, the Practice Facilitation Handbook and the AHRQ Primary Care Practice Facilitation Curriculum.
