Template

QI Project Charter Template

A practical, fillable project charter that helps clinical teams define a clear aim, aligned measures, scope, roles, timeline, risks, and sustainment plan. Includes contextual guidance and examples so the charter can be used as the first deliverable for any PDSA or improvement project and attached to governance trackers.

Interactive Tool

QI Project Charter

Use this charter to capture the essential elements of a clinical quality improvement effort. Complete every required field, attach this charter to your governance tracker, and use it as the reference throughout PDSA cycles. Helpful examples are provided in field help text.

This interactive form saves a structured copy of the charter for later review, reporting, and handoff.

A concise name that identifies the problem and scope (e.g., 'Reduce ED triage-to-provider time — Adult ED').
Name and role of the executive sponsor who has accountability for results.
Name and role of the person responsible for day-to-day coordination of the project.
Describe the current problem and include baseline metrics and data source (what, where, when, magnitude). Example: 'Median triage-to-provider time is 65 minutes (ED administrative dataset, Q1 2026), target > acceptable = 30 min.'
State a Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound aim. Example: 'Reduce median triage-to-provider time from 65 to 30 minutes for adult ED patients within 6 months.'
Describe which units, patient populations, processes and times are included. Be specific to avoid scope creep.
State clearly what is excluded so stakeholders share expectations (e.g., pediatric ED, ambulatory triage).
List names or roles and responsibility (e.g., ED medical director — clinical lead; Nursing manager — operational lead; Analytics — data owner). Identify who must review decisions.
Define each measure, data source, calculation method, collection frequency, and owner. Primary example: 'Median triage-to-provider time (minutes) — ED timestamp fields — daily median — analytic team owner.' Balancing example: 'Left without being seen rate (%) — ED admin data — weekly.'
For every measure listed, record current baseline and the target value and date (e.g., baseline 65 min; target 30 min by 2026-12-31).
Describe why the proposed changes should work and list testable change ideas (small, testable, specific). Example hypothesis: 'Standardized triage checklist will reduce processing time by ensuring consistent data collection.' Change ideas: quick registration, dedicated triage nurse, standardized checklist, provider-in-triage pilot.
High-level plan with dates for charter approval, baseline analysis, PDSA cycles, review checkpoints, and implementation/handoff. Example: baseline analysis (weeks 1–2), test cycle 1 (weeks 3–6), review (week 7).
Identify top risks that could prevent success and specific mitigation actions (e.g., if analytics data lag > contingency: manual sampling; if staffing limits pilot — prioritize hours).
Who needs updates, how often, and by which channels. Include governance reporting expectations (e.g., weekly huddle updates, monthly leadership brief).
Explain how successful changes will be handed to operations, who owns sustained performance, and what measures will be monitored. Include training, standard work, and review cadence.
List required FTE, analyst time, training, IT effort, equipment, and any budget needed. Be realistic about availability.
List governance bodies and approval checkpoints (e.g., QI committee approval date, safety review).
Paste links to the governance tracker, baseline reports, run charts, or relevant SOPs. (Attach files in your project repository if available.)
Track versioning of the charter (e.g., v1.0 — 2026-08-01).
Select 'Yes' once the sponsor has reviewed and accepted the charter.
You can explore this tool now. Sign in or create an account to save your responses and return to them later.
Sign In to Save Create an Account
Make this tool part of your work

Save a personal copy, bring it to your team, or tailor the questions and workflow to fit what you are hungry to improve.

Member customization and team collaboration are coming soon.
Discuss Ask the Librarian

Discussion

Comments and conversation will live here.