Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions (07/23/26) Sprague, Megan; Powell, Sean; Shimer, Sarah; et al.

Kaiser Permanente's National Quality Improvement (QI) Continuing Certification/Maintenance of Certification Program engages physicians in organization-specific improvement projects that both advance patient care and fulfill certification requirements. The program combines national and regional leadership, allowing projects to emerge from both grassroots clinical initiatives and executive-driven organizational priorities, while collecting physician-reported outcomes and reflections for ongoing evaluation. Over 13 years, 7,145 physicians have completed QI projects, with 88% meeting improvement targets. In 2024 alone, 375 physicians participated in 42 projects, and 85% achieved at least one project goal. Case studies demonstrated strong results for both grassroots and executive-led efforts, with achievement rates of 94% and 86%, respectively. Overall, the program shows that aligning physician-led improvement work with organizational goals, while maintaining flexibility and collaboration across leadership levels, can enhance physician engagement, drive meaningful clinical improvements, and be adapted to a variety of healthcare organizations.

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