scholarly journals Improving quality of care for pregnancy, perinatal and newborn care at district and sub-district public health facilities in three districts of Haryana, India: An Implementation study

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. e0254781
Author(s):  
Manoja Kumar Das ◽  
Narendra Kumar Arora ◽  
Suresh Kumar Dalpath ◽  
Saket Kumar ◽  
Amneet P. Kumar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Patient Satisfaction ◽  
Quality Of Care ◽  
Newborn Care ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Essential Newborn Care ◽  
Case Record ◽  
District Hospitals ◽  
Maternal And Newborn

Introduction Improving quality of care (QoC) for childbirth and sick newborns is critical for maternal and neonatal mortality reduction. Information on the process and impact of quality improvement at district and sub-district hospitals in India is limited. This implementation research was prioritized by the Haryana State (India) to improve the QoC for maternal and newborn care at the busy hospitals in districts. Methods This study at nine district and sub-district referral hospitals in three districts (Faridabad, Rewari and Jhajjar) during April 2017-March 2019 adopted pre-post, quasi-experimental study design and plan-do-study-act quality improvement method. During the six quarterly plan-do-study-act cycles, the facility and district quality improvement teams led the gap identification, solution planning and implementation with external facilitation. The external facilitators monitored and collected data on indicators related to maternal and newborn service availability, patient satisfaction, case record quality, provider’s knowledge and skills during the cycles. These indicators were compared between baseline (pre-intervention) and endline (post-intervention) cycles for documenting impact. Results The interventions closed 50% of gaps identified, increased the number of deliveries (1562 to 1631 monthly), improved care of pregnant women in labour with hypertension (1.2% to 3.9%, p<0.01) and essential newborn care services at birth (achieved ≥90% at most facilities). Antenatal identification of high-risk pregnancies increased from 4.1% to 8.8% (p<0.01). Hand hygiene practices improved from 35.7% to 58.7% (p<0.01). The case record completeness improved from 66% to 87% (p<0.01). The time spent in antenatal clinics declined by 19–42 minutes (p<0.01). The pooled patient satisfaction scores improved from 82.5% to 95.5% (p<0.01). Key challenges included manpower shortage, staff transfers, leadership change and limited orientation for QoC. Conclusion This multipronged quality improvement strategy improved the maternal and newborn services, case documentation and patient satisfaction at district and sub-district hospitals. The processes and lessons learned shall be useful for replicating and scaling up.

scholarly journals How COVID-19 challenged care for women and their newborns: a qualitative case study of the experience of Belgian midwives during the first wave of the pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elise Huysmans ◽  
Constance Audet ◽  
Therese Delvaux ◽  
Anna Galle ◽  
Aline Semaan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Care ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Newborn Care ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
National Guidelines ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Maternal And Newborn Care ◽  
Maternal And Newborn

In this article, we describe the results of a rapid qualitative study conducted between May 19 and June 25, 2020 on the work experience of midwives during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brussels and Wallonia (Belgium). Using semi-structured interviews conducted with fifteen midwives working in hospitals or practicing privately, we investigated the impact of the first COVID-19 wave on their work experience, the woman-midwife relationship, and midwife-perceived changes in quality of care. Findings include high levels of stress and insecurity related to the lack of resources and personal protective equipment, feelings of distrust from midwives towards the Belgian State and public health authorities, as well as structural and organizational challenges within maternity wards which negatively affected quality of care. Moreover, based on the midwives' experiences, we demonstrate the need to recognise the views of all stakeholders involved in maternal and newborn care provision, and share five essential lessons learned from this study: 1) it is crucial to acknowledge the central role of midwives for maintaining maternal and newborn care amidst the pandemic and beyond; 2) creating unified national guidelines could support ensuring best practice; 3) efforts must be put in place to diminish the climate of mistrust towards health authorities and to repair the relationship between midwives and decision-makers which was damaged during the pandemic; 4) caring for front-line healthcare workers' mental health is critical, and 5) quality of maternal care can be improved, even in the midst of a pandemic, through team effort and creative solutions tailored to the needs and demands of each setting.

CQI: Meeting the Mandate for Quality

1995 ◽  
Vol 112 (5) ◽  
pp. P111-P111
Author(s):  
Carl A. Patow
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Patient Satisfaction ◽  
Quality Of Care ◽  
Continuous Quality Improvement ◽  
Educational Objectives ◽  
Continuous Quality

Educational objectives: To understand the principles of continuous quality improvement and to use these principles to enhance patient satisfaction through increased efficiency and improved quality of care.

scholarly journals National initiatives to promote quality of care and patient safety: achievements to date and challenges ahead

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dalia Dreiher ◽  
Olga Blagorazumnaya ◽  
Ran Balicer ◽  
Jacob Dreiher
Keyword(s):  
Patient Safety ◽  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Patient Satisfaction ◽  
Quality Of Care ◽  
Healthcare System ◽  
Quality Indicators ◽  
Patient Experience ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Care Providers

Abstract Background The quality of healthcare in Israel is considered “high”, and this achievement is due to the structure and organization of the healthcare system. The goal of the present review is to describe the major achievements and challenges of quality improvement in the Israeli healthcare system. Body In recent years, the Ministry of Health has made major strides in increasing the public’s access to comparative data on quality, finances and patient satisfaction. Several mechanisms at multiple levels help promote quality improvement and patient safety. These include legislation, financial incentives, and national programs for quality indicators, patient experience, patient safety, prevention and control of infection and accreditation. Over the years, improvements in quality indicators, infection prevention and patient satisfaction can be demonstrated, but other fields show little change, if at all. Challenges and barriers include reluctance by unions, inconsistent and unreliable flow of information, the fear of overpressure by management and the loss of autonomy by physicians, and doubts regarding “gaming” of data. Accreditation has its own challenges, such as the need to adjust it to local characteristics of the healthcare system, its high cost, and the limited evidence of its impact on quality. Lack of interest by leaders, lack of resources, burnout and compassion fatigue, are listed as challenges for improving patient experience. Conclusion Substantial efforts are being made in Israel to improve quality of care, based on the use of good data to understand what is working and what needs particular attention. Government and health care providers have the tools to continue to improve. However, several mechanisms for improving the quality of care, such as minimizing healthcare disparities, training for quality, and widespread implementation of the “choosing wisely” initiative, should be implemented more intensively and effectively.

scholarly journals Assessing Quality of Newborn Care at District Facilities in Malawi

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kondwani Kawaza ◽  
Mai-Lei Woo Kinshella ◽  
Tamanda Hiwa ◽  
Jenala Njirammadzi ◽  
Mwai Banda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Care ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Newborn Care ◽  
Neonatal Care ◽  
District Level ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Standards Of Care ◽  
District Hospitals ◽  
Care Assessment

Abstract Background: Malawi is celebrated as one of the few countries in sub-Saharan Africa to meet the Millennium Development Goal of reducing under-5 mortality by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015. However, within this age range neonatal mortality rates are the slowest to decline, even though rates of facility births are increasing. Examining the quality of neonatal care at district-level facilities where most deliveries occur is warranted. Objective: The objective of this paper is to evaluate the quality of neonatal care in three district hospitals and one primary health centre in southern Malawi as well as to report the limitations and lessons learned on using the WHO integrated quality of care assessment tool. Methodology: These facility assessments were part of the “Integrating a neonatal healthcare package for Malawi” project, a part of the Innovating for Maternal and Child Health in Africa (IMCHA) initiative. The WHO integrated quality of care assessment tool was used to assess quality of care and availability and quantity of supplies and resources. The modules on infrastructure, neonatal care and labour and delivery were included. Facility assessments were administered in November 2017 and aspects of care were scored on a Likert scale from one to five (a score of 5 indicating compliance with WHO standards of care; one as lowest indicating inadequate care). Results: The continuum of labour, delivery and neonatal care were assessed to identify areas that required improvements to meet standards of care. Critical areas for improvements included infection control (mean score 2.9), equipment, supplies and setup for newborn care in the labor ward (2.3), in the surgical theater (3.3), and nursery (3.4 nursery facilities, 3.0 supplies and equipment), as well as for management of sick newborns (3.2), monitoring and follow-up (3.6). Only one of the 12 domains, laboratory, met the standards of care with only minor improvements needed (4.0). Conclusion: The WHO integrated quality of care assessment tool is a validated tool that can shed light on the complex quality of care challenges faced by district-level health facilities. The results reveal that the quality of care needs improvement, particularly for sick and vulnerable newborns.

scholarly journals Assessing Quality of Newborn Care at District Facilities in Malawi

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kondwani Kawaza ◽  
Mai-Lei Woo Kinshella ◽  
Tamanda Hiwa ◽  
Jenala Njirammadzi ◽  
Mwai Banda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Care ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Newborn Care ◽  
Neonatal Care ◽  
District Level ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Standards Of Care ◽  
District Hospitals ◽  
Care Assessment

Abstract Background: Malawi is celebrated as one of the few countries in sub-Saharan Africa to meet the Millennium Development Goal of reducing under-5 mortality by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015. However, within this age range neonatal mortality rates are the slowest to decline, even though rates of facility births are increasing. Examining the quality of neonatal care at district level facilities where most deliveries occur is warranted. Objective: The objective of this paper is to evaluate the quality of neonatal care in three district hospitals and one primary health centre in southern Malawi as well as to report the limitations and lessons learned on using the WHO integrated quality of care assessment tool. Methodology: These facility assessments were part of the “Integrating a neonatal healthcare package for Malawi” project, a part of the Innovating for Maternal and Child Health in Africa (IMCHA) initiative. The WHO integrated quality of care assessment tool was used to comprehensively assess quality of care in addition to availability and quantity of supplies and resources. Because this study focused on neonatal care, the modules on infrastructure, neonatal care and labour and delivery were included. Facility assessments were administered in November 2017. Results: The continuum of labour, delivery and neonatal care were all assessed and areas that required improvements to meet standards of care were identified. Critical areas for improvements included the facilities for delivery, including operations and newborn care; for equipment and supplies; for neonatal case management, including sick newborns and routine monitoring and follow-up. Only one of the 12 domains, laboratory, met the standards of care with only minor improvements needed. Conclusion: The WHO integrated quality of care assessment tool is a validated tool that can shed light on the complex quality of care challenges faced by district level health facilities. The results reveal that the quality of care needs improvement, particularly for sick and vulnerable newborns.

scholarly journals Quality of Care for Maternal and Newborn Health in Health Facilities in Nepal

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (S1) ◽  
pp. 31-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashish KC ◽  
Dipendra Raman Singh ◽  
Madan Kumar Upadhyaya ◽  
Shyam Sundar Budhathoki ◽  
Abhishek Gurung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Care ◽  
Health Facility ◽  
Newborn Care ◽  
Emergency Obstetric Care ◽  
Obstetric Care ◽  
Health Facilities ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Quality Of Delivery ◽  
Maternal And Newborn

Abstract Introduction Nepal has pledged to substantially reduce maternal and newborn death by 2030. Improving quality of intrapartum health services will be vital to reduce these deaths. This paper examines quality of delivery and newborn services in health facilities of Nepal. Methods Data were sourced from the Nepal Health Facility Survey 2015, which covered a national representative sample of health facilities. The datasets were analysed to assess service readiness, availability and quality of delivery and newborn care in a sample of 992 health facilities. Results Of the 992 facilities in the sample, 623 provided delivery and newborn care services. Of the 623 facilities offering delivery and newborn care services, 13.3% offered comprehensive emergency obstetric care (CEmONC), 19.6% provided basic emergency obstetric care (BEmONC) and 53.9% provided basic delivery and newborn service. The availability of essential equipment for delivery and newborn care was more than 80% in health facilities. Except for the coverage of vitamin K injection, the coverage of immediate newborn care was more than 85% in all health facilities. The coverage of use of chlorhexidine ointment to all newborns was more than 70% in government hospitals and primary health care centers (PHCCs) and only 32.3% in private hospitals. Conclusions These findings show gaps in equipment and drugs, especially in PHCCs and private health facilities. Improving readiness and availability of equipment and drugs in PHCCs and private health facility will help improve the quality of care to further reduce maternal and newborn mortality in Nepal.

scholarly journals The impact of a nurse mentoring program on the quality of labour and delivery care at primary health care facilities in Bihar, India

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
pp. e001767
Author(s):  
Saifuddin Ahmed ◽  
Swati Srivastava ◽  
Nicole Warren ◽  
Kaveri Mayra ◽  
Madhavi Misra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Care ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
Newborn Care ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Task Completion ◽  
Intrapartum Care ◽  
Essential Newborn Care ◽  
Normal Delivery ◽  
The Impact

IntroductionAlthough the number of women who deliver with a skilled birth attendant in India has almost doubled between 2006 and 2016, the country still has the second highest number of maternal deaths and the highest number of neonatal deaths globally. This study examines the impact of a nurse mentoring programme intended to improve the quality of intrapartum care at primary healthcare centre (PHC) facilities in Bihar, India.MethodWe conducted an evaluation study in 319 public PHCs in Bihar, where nurses participated in a mentoring programme. Using a quasi-experimental trial design, we compared the intrapartum quality of care between the mentored (n=179) and non-mentored PHCs (n=80). Based on direct observation of 847 women, we examined percent differences in 39 labour, delivery and postpartum care-related recommended tasks on five domains: vital sign and labour progress monitoring after admission, second and third stages of labour management, postpartum counselling, infection prevention and essential newborn care practices.ResultsA significantly higher proportion of women at mentored PHCs received the recommended clinical care, compared with women at non-mentored PHCs. The overall total score of quality of care, expressed in percent of tasks performed, was 30.2% (95% CI: 28.3 to 32.2) in the control PHCs, suggesting that less than one-third of the expected tasks during labour and delivery were performed by nurses in these facilities; the score was 44.2% (95% CI: 42.1 to 46.4) among the facilities where the nurses were trained within last 3 months. The task completion score was slightly attenuated when observed 1 year after mentoring (score 39.1% [37.7–40.5]).ConclusionMentoring improved intrapartum care by nurses at PHCs in Bihar. However, less than half of the recommended normal delivery intrapartum tasks were completed by the nurse providers. This suggests the need for further improvement in the provision of quality of intrapartum care when risks to maternal and perinatal mortality are highest.

scholarly journals Context Specific Realities and Experiences of Nurses and Midwives in Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care Services in Two District Hospitals in Rwanda

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aurore Nishimwe ◽  
Daphney Nozizwe Conco ◽  
Marc Nyssen ◽  
Latifat Ibisomi
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Care ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Newborn Care ◽  
Obstetric Care ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Care Services ◽  
District Hospitals ◽  
Nurses And Midwives

Abstract Background In low and middle-income countries, nurses and midwives are the frontline healthcare workers in obstetric care. Insights into the experiences of these healthcare workers in managing obstetric care emergencies are critical for improving quality of care. This article presents such insights, from the nurses and midwives working in Rwandan district hospitals, who reflected on their experiences of managing the most common birth-related complications; postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) and newborn asphyxia. This is a qualitative part of a broader research about implementation of an mLearning and mHealth decision support tool (Safe Delivery Application), in basic emergency obstetric and newborn care services in Rwanda. Methods In this exploratory qualitative aspect of the research, the first author facilitated four focus group discussions with 26 nurses and midwives from two district hospitals in Rwanda. Each focus group discussion was made up of two parts. The first part focused on the participants’ reflections on the research results, while the second part explored their experiences of delivering obstetric care services in their respective district hospitals. The research results included: survey results reflecting their knowledge and skills of PPH management and of neonatal resuscitation (NR); and findings from a six-month record review of PPH management and NR outcomes, from the district hospitals under study. Data were analyzed using hybrid thematic analysis. Results Nurses and midwives felt that the presented findings were a true reflection of the reality and offered diverse explanations for the results. The participants’ narratives of lived experiences of providing BEmONC services are presented under two broad themes: (1) self-reflections on their current practices and (2) contextual factors influencing the delivery of BEmONC services. Conclusion The insights of nurses and midwives regarding the management of birth related complications revealed multi-faceted factors that influence the quality of their obstetric care. Even though the study was focused on their management of PPH and NR, the resulting recommendations to improve quality of care could benefit the broader field of maternal and child health particularly in low and middle income countries.

scholarly journals Going operational with health systems governance: supervision and incentives to health workers for increased quality of care in Tanzania

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. ii77-ii92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Igor Francetic ◽  
Fabrizio Tediosi ◽  
Paola Salari ◽  
Don de Savigny
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Patient Satisfaction ◽  
Quality Of Care ◽  
Health Facility ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Financial Incentives ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Healthcare Quality

Abstract Improving the quality of care is increasingly recognized as a priority of health systems in low- and middle-income countries. Given the labour-intensive nature of healthcare interventions, quality of care largely depends upon the number, training and management of health workers involved in service delivery. Policies available to boost the performance of health workers—and thus the quality of healthcare—include regulation, incentives and supervision—all of which are typically included in quality improvement frameworks and policies. This was the case in Tanzania, where we assessed the role of selected quality improvement policies. To do so, we analysed data from a representative sample of Tanzanian government-managed health facilities, part of the 2014/15 Service Provision Assessment component of the Demographic and Health Survey. We constructed two healthcare quality indicators from data on patient visits: (1) compliance with Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) guidelines and (2) patient satisfaction. Using multilevel ordered logistic regression models, we estimated the associations between the outcomes and selected indicators of incentives and supervisory activity at health worker and health facility level. We did not identify any association for the different indicators of top-down supervision at facility and individual level, neither with IMCI compliance nor with patients’ satisfaction. Bottom-up supervision, defined as meetings between community and health facility staff, was significantly associated with higher patient satisfaction. Financial incentives in the form of salary top-ups were positively associated with both IMCI compliance and patient satisfaction. Both housing allowances and government-subsidized housing were positively associated with our proxies of quality of care. Good healthcare quality is crucial for promoting health in Tanzania not only through direct outcomes of the process of care but also through increased care-seeking behaviour in the communities. The results of this study highlight the role of community involvement, better salary conditions and housing arrangements for health workers.

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