Quality Improvement

Our Role

Expanding the provision of private sector reproductive health, family planning (RH/FP) and other health products and services is one of the goals of the Abt Associates led-PSP-One project. However, it is essential to ensure that these products and services are of sufficient quality to achieve desired health outcomes. Therefore, quality assurance and quality improvement are integral parts of PSP-One.

Most quality tools and approaches in the past have found application primarily in the public sector, e.g., by ministries of health; there has been relatively little documentation of the experience to improve quality of care provided by the private sector. Therefore, at the beginning of PSP-One, we developed a strategy and framework to focus our efforts on improving quality in the private sector. The strategic framework is as follows:

1. assessment of the presence of structures and processes to ensure quality for use by different types of providers;
2. provider performance improvement packages including a self-assessment tool and problem solving approach; and
3. development of provider certification programs and tools to assess the readiness of a country to engage in accreditation.

Tools and approaches were developed for each of the key strategic area mentioned above and are described in greater detail under this area and are posted in Related Resources. In addition, we have sponsored some interesting activities related to quality improvement which are:

Champions of Quality Dialogue Series

Featured Dialogues with Dr. Jim Heiby, Dr. Don Berwick, and Dr. A.F. Al-Assaf, 2005

Experts Build Consensus Around Quality Assurance in the Private Sector

On March 3, 2005, more than 100 experts representing USAID, Cooperating Agencies, implementing agencies, and private companies with experience in providing and accrediting health services met to review the experience in improving quality in both the public and private sector and to provide recommendations about strategies for the PSP-One project in shaping their plan for the next five years.

Deep Dive: Improving Quality in the Private Sector
On May 23, 2005, twenty-five participants representing USAID and 11 different Cooperating Agencies (CAs) and organizations met to discuss and determine how to strengthen the quality of health services provided by the private sector.
Read more about the Deep Dive
View case studies on quality improvement presented at this event