How to use Quality Improvement to enhance the portfolio for promotion and tenure in Academic Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine

Quality Improvement (QI) is a cornerstone for improving patient care and health care systems. However, QI activities are not always recognized within traditional promotion and tenure (P&T) pathways. As a result, faculty with significant QI expertise and impactful contributions may lack clear mechanisms and pathways for academic recognition, promotion, and career advancement. Identifying a clear QI P&T pathway may incentivize faculty to pursue QI as a career. Standardized approaches that translate QI activities into key conventional academic metrics and are documented across multiple domains for P&T are needed to address these gaps. The purpose of this manuscript is to provide a framework for Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine faculty to align QI work with traditional promotion criteria and encourage institutions to recognize the value and scope of QI in P&T considerations. This framework highlights strategies for documenting QI contributions across academic areas such as clinical care, education, research and service and supports faculty considering the value of pursuing an academic career in QI in Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep medicine.