The results from three quality improvement initiatives in Latin America, Near East and Francophone Africa will be discussed and contrasted. All three projects were designed to achieve performance improvement in all aspects of reproductive health service delivery at the clinic level and were guided by client and community perceptions of quality. Each model developed: 1) quality criteria for improved service delivery standards (clinical, counseling, management, logistics); 2) self assessment tools for individual providers and management tools for internal clinic problem solving; and 3) demand generation campaigns for client and communities to: i) promote welcoming providers; and improved services; ii) increase client expectations for quality; and iii) create a sustained demand for quality services in the community. The three projects used different approaches to determine achievement of quality standards and awarding quality seals. In Brazil, the PROQUALI project developed a quality accreditation system for 50 decentralized health clinics in the Northeast. In Egypt, the Gold Star project established a certification model for the national family planning program with over 2000 family planning units. In four countries in Francophone Africa (Ivory Coast, Bukina Faso, Cameroon, Togo), the Gold Circle initiative created a recognition program for over 200 clinics. The comparative advantages of each approach will be discussed along with lessons learned for sustaining quality improvements as health reform evolves worldwide.
Learning Objectives: At the end of the presentation, the participants will be familiar with 3 models for quality certification in reproductive health service delivery and understand the comparative advantages based on field results from 6 countries
Keywords: Quality Improvement, Reproductive Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.