Health Systems Strengthening Through Quality Improvement

One of the key objectives of WHO HSS is to strengthen health systems. Quality of care is a core component of HSS, as is the presence of management and supervision. Other priorities include a stronger referral system and strengthened supply chain. Further, work is underway to improve knowledge management. And in the end, quality improvement will improve health systems and improve population health. So far, there has been a lot of discussion about the role of quality improvement in HSS.

The World Health Organization’s framework for evaluating health systems has been widely adopted by many resource-poor countries. However, although the World Health Organization’s framework has gained widespread acceptance, modern approaches to improving quality are still only sparse in developing countries. To explore these questions further, a meeting of healthcare leaders and improvement experts from 15 countries was held in October 2008. The meeting concluded with a proposal for integrating QI methods into strengthening health systems.

A key part of building strong health systems is strengthening the capacity of community health workers. These workers are the link between clinics and the community. They identify vulnerable neighbours, accompany them through the health care process, and address their entire needs. For instance, patients with cancer cannot afford to leave their jobs and go on food stamp programs, while those with tuberculosis cannot afford to take strong medicines on an empty stomach. COVID-19 patients cannot even ride public transportation to a testing site.

Ultimately, the goal of Health Systems Strengthening is to improve the quality of health care systems in order to achieve better health and better lives. Quality can only be improved by understanding how to measure it. Hence, understanding the components of quality measurement and how to measure it will enable you to identify gaps and build models that can be replicated. The course also focuses on the use of quality management, leadership, and financing strategies in health systems.

The Global Research Unit on Health Systems Strengthening in Sub-Saharan Africa (HSSS) has recently been established by the National Institute for Health Research. The project is a four-year programme with a 10-month no-cost extension. It supports UHC and is aligned with the SDG goal of universal health coverage. HSSIs can be implemented in diverse care settings and environments, so it is important to evaluate them to find out what works best for which countries.

There is currently a lack of systematic reviews of health systems strengthening interventions. This is partly because there is a lack of consensus on what is meant by “strengthening” in health systems. The authors define “health systems strengthening” as permanent improvement rather than merely filling gaps and improving short-term outcomes. However, the concept of strengthening is not limited to one type of building block. This review explores how to use health systems strengthening research to improve health outcomes in the long run.

Implementing MESH-QI projects can improve the quality of care and the satisfaction of health workers. Additionally, this type of project includes mentoring and supportive supervision, which can bridge the gap between achievable and actual practice and build staff capacity. However, a MESH-QI project is not a complete solution to the problems associated with the gap between the actual and achievable practices. The benefits of quality improvement programs are significant and can result in improvements in a variety of health sectors.