Beginning in 1996, in association with AVSC International and the Nepal Fertility Care Center, the Nepal Ministry of Health launched the Quality of Care Management Center (QOCMC) as part of its family planning program. The QOCMC has 11 staff--seven in Kathmandu and four field officers based in regional offices. Field officers make monthly visits to clinics in their region during which they observe practices, demonstrate proper techniques, reinforce appropriate practices, assist staff in correcting problems, pass on new information, return repaired equipment, and discuss other clinic needs. Kathmandu-based supervisors conduct quarterly visits with the field officers. The QOCMC has developed simple and highly effective monitoring tools which have provided rapid, useful feedback; allowed for tracking performance over time; and helped motivate staff. District family planning service centers have made significant improvements in most quality of care indicators, including infection prevention practices, availability of contraceptives, emergency preparedness, informed consent, and availability of equipment. Because providers participate in data collection, they are more interested in the results, more attentive to the quality of data provided, and more likely to work to make improvements. The QOCMC treats district staff as customers and deals with them in a professional, respectful manner--precisely the manner in which district staff are encouraged to deal with their clients. The success of the QOCMC highlights the fact that even in resource-poor settings, when the necessary mix of leadership, high level commitment, and well-managed resources are brought together, quality of care in health service delivery can be achieved. See www.avsc.org
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the learner will be able to: 1. Articulate the concept of quality of care as it applies to reproductive health services. 2. List three reasons why quality of care for service delivery is a critical element of improved reproductive health services. 3. Describe five key elements of the Quality of Care Manage-ment Center’s approach that contributed to it’s success in promoting high-quality service delivery, and which should be considered in other efforts to improve quality of health care services with limited resources.
Keywords: Quality of Care, 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.