Research & Projects

Yale New Haven Children's Hospital is an accredited American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) Maintenance of Certification (MOC IC) sponsor organization. This means that we can review and submit quality improvement (QI) projects meeting MOC IV criteria to the ABP. For a project to meet ABP MOC IV, it must - ideally - show improvement in a metric over time and have a minimum of 3 data points with a description of interventions (plan-do-study-act cycles) that you performed to improve your metric. Dr. Daniela Hochreiter leads our efforts and is the liaison with the ABP.

If you think your project meets ABP MOC IV criteria, the process for obtaining MOC IV credit is as follows:

1. You have completed or are working on a QI project that meets the ABP criteria as the leader or as a participant. ABP MOC IV criteria are outlined in detail in this Small group QI project application checklist.
2. The project leader submits an application form (think academic abstract format) to me via email (Daniela.hochreiter@yale.edu), which I review and accept or request revisions on.
3. The submitted application includes a list of individuals who participate(d) in the project who can ultimately also receive MOC IV credit for their participation.
   
   Per the ABP, participants should be intellectually engaged in planning and executing the project, participate in implementing the interventions, review data, and actively collaborate with the team in virtual or in-person meetings.
4. Once Dr. Hochreiter has accepted the application, the project leader submits the Leader Agreement form AND MOC IV participant attestation form. Please, have your ABP ID# ready and accurately include on the participant form. This is critical for you to receive MOC IV credit! Individual participants may then also submit their attestation form to me as well — please, note that collated files are appreciated. I then submit the materials to the ABP, and credit is usually granted within a two-week period.

There is no fee associated with credit through the Yale Portfolio, but please remember that there is only one faculty member currently reviewing and assisting with applications so turnaround time for approval may be upwards of one month.

Publishing a QI article successfully requires a clear problem statement, well-defined interventions, robust data analysis, and an emphasis on sustainability and scalability. Understanding the appropriate frameworks— outlined in the SQUIRE 2.0 (Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence) guidelines — can help authors structure their work effectively. Additionally, selecting the right journal are key steps in maximizing the impact of a QI publication. QI projects are often exempt from IRB review. The Yale IRB provides a checklist to determine whether a QI project requires review.

Here is a selection of journals that regularly publish QI work:

• Pediatrics
• BMJ Quality and Safety
• Pediatric Quality and Safety
• Implementation Science
• Medical Care
• Journal of Patient Safety
• Quality Management in Health Care
• The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety
• Health Services Research
• Health Care Management Science
• International Journal for Quality in Health Care
• American Journal of Medical Quality
• Journal for Healthcare Quality
• Hospital Pediatrics
• Journal of Perinatology

Most subspecialty conferences accept quality improvement submissions. In addition there are general pediatric conferences (AAP and PAS) as well as quality focused conferences. Here is a list:

• CHA Transforming Quality: Orlando March-April 2025
• PAS: Honolulu, April 2025
• AAP: Denver, September 2025
• IHI Forum: Anaheim, December 2025

• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
• Request internal funding.