Scaling up and Institutionalization of Quality Management in Health Care Facilities
Overview and Objectives
The German Development Cooperation has supported the Government of Kenya to improve the quality and responsiveness of health services. This has been realized through provision of technical, advisory and financial support to the Ministry of Health in order to improve access, particularly for the poor, to affordable and quality healthcare. Both the financial and technical cooperation operate at different levels, that is, national, county and institutional level.
The objective of the GIZ Health Sector Programme in the current phase is to support relevant stakeholders at all levels to implement strategies for better coverage with high quality primary health care services especially for the poor and members of the informal sector. The GIZ Health Sector programme has structured its implementation in three areas, namely quality management, health financing, and support to devolved structures.
The Quality Management component aims to provide support to national structures of the Ministry of Health including the Directorate of Health Standards Quality Assurance and Regulation and Kenya Accreditation Services on definition of health indicators and development of an accreditation framework for the country. Capacity of Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) as a referral facility shall be built particularly focusing on quality maternal and neonatal health services. The programme shall also engage in developing and strengthening systems at county level and will directly support health facilities to implement quality management initiatives aligned to the Kenya Quality Model for Health (KQMH).
The work under this consultancy shall contribute to improving quality of maternal and neonatal health services in Kenyatta National Hospital and strengthening quality management systems at county level.
Achievements
- Implemented and refined the KQMH system enriched by internationally recognized quality assurance systems within Kenyatta National Hospital. This task was carried out in collaboration with the University of Nairobi and other Kenyan universities with a view to adaptation to county level health services.
- Supported institutionalization of quality management in GIZ focus counties.
- Analyzed the existing measures on quality management in the three selected counties and conduct a stakeholder analysis.
- Identified gaps that require backstopping to achieve comprehensive quality services and provide recommendations on how best to address them.
- Provided advisory services to county health management teams on quality improvement.
- Supported institutionalization of quality management within devolved health structures including (where necessary) developing of county policies on quality management.
- Mentored the County Health Management Teams to promote regular self-assessment and conduct regular external assessments as a means to determining status of quality of health services in target counties and jointly design solutions for addressing gaps in quality of care.
- Improved Quality of health services including maternal and neonatal health services in selected facilities in the target counties.
- Developed tracers for quality of care for all services provided at health facilities in target counties.
- Supported processes that will contribute to certification of 20 health facilities.
- Established collaboration in training and research on quality improvement between Kenyatta National Hospital and a Kenyan university.
- Developed a curriculum for a short course on quality management for health service leaders.
- Conducted and evaluated the training.
- Planned and steered the assignments, and supported the local experts.
