The goal of the Quality Improvement Center (QIC) is to implement a quality improvement program in health care facilities that provide care for people with HIV/AIDS in countries funded under the PEPFAR, in partnership with the Ministries of Health (MOH) and US government in-country teams.

The QIC is to provide a simple, systematic way to monitor and improve HIV/AIDS care over time using a sampling strategy that promotes self-assessment. The Quality Improvement program will contain at least three core components: performance measurement, quality improvement and infrastructure support for quality management. This project will be accomplished through on-site technical assistance, use of quality indicators, and assistance to ambulatory health care facilities with data collection and data analysis on national continuous quality improvement. The QIC will provide software which is compatible with PEPFAR grantees' existing systems to allow for voluntary submission of data. The cooperative agreement will provide individualized technical assistance on the concepts, tools and various approaches to implementing quality management.

This project will provide a defined system for quality improvement, including 1) sampling of patient and other organizational records, 2) planning for baseline measurements, 3) definition of specific areas to be addressed by quality improvement, 4) design of interventions, 5) measurement of the effect of interventions on specified outcomes, 6) analysis of improvement, 7) design of strategies to sustain improvements, and 8) planning for cycles to improve additional outcomes.

The QIC is to provide a comprehensive approach that uses reliable performance data and minimizes variation in the delivery of healthcare services and implement these activities at HIV health care facilities in participating countries. The QIC will involve healthcare teams at such facilities, including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, health administrators and other health care personnel in implementing changes and emphasize effective use of limited resources. A successful program will result in strengthened and sustainable quality improvement infrastructure and improved health outcomes and will support implementation of national guidelines.

The selected QIC will lead quality improvement activities across a network of ambulatory health care facilities. The grantee will assess system capabilities and assist in developing infrastructure that is essential to quality improvement (QI) success. On a health facility level, the QIC will facilitate quality improvement activities by providing training, management support and technical assistance. Further, the QIC will provide the necessary quality improvement technology required for facility, health care worker and patient tracking, as well as the required training and technical assistance needed to support the system.

A key aim of the QIC is to help establish and promote longstanding QI programs that foster development and sustainability of human capacity and services to people with HIV/AIDS. Upon completion of the cooperative agreement, the countries in which the QIC is working will have a core group of local experts able to offer QI technical assistance (TA) to participating health care facilities. It will be necessary for the QIC to adapt existing paper-based and software data collection systems to meet specific facility needs to assess and influence quality of care. The QIC may use training, TA, consultants, communications and information supports, telemedicine/telehealth, and other methods to accomplish these objectives. The QIC will not support direct costs of service commodities, such as drugs or health care personnel. The QIC will work with the MOH and USG in-country to choose appropriate facilities, clinical care practices of focus, and as indicated, work toward the development of an infrastructure for QI activities. The QIC will also implement a work plan which includes training health care workers and providing TA to participating sites. Proposed activities, tools, and software programs should be evidence based and easy to use in a variety of settings. At the conclusion of this cooperative agreement, the health systems, organizations, and a group of health care workers will have increased quality improvement capacity, and, the ability to offer high quality adult ART services by national and international standards.

The selected QIC will lead quality improvement activities across a network of ambulatory health care facilities, and the activities extend to Pediatric services. The grantee will assess system capabilities and assist in developing infrastructure that is essential to quality improvement (QI) success. On a health facility level, the QIC will facilitate quality improvement activities by providing training, management support and technical assistance. Further, the QIC will provide the necessary quality improvement technology required for facility, health care worker and patient tracking, as well as the required training and technical assistance needed to support the system.

A key aim of the QIC is to help establish and promote longstanding QI programs that foster development and sustainability of human capacity and services to people with HIV/AIDS. Upon completion of the cooperative agreement, the countries in which the QIC is working will have a core group of local experts able to offer QI technical assistance (TA) to participating health care facilities. It will be necessary for the QIC to adapt existing paper-based and software data collection systems to meet specific facility needs to assess and influence quality of care. The QIC may use training, TA, consultants, communications and information supports, telemedicine/telehealth, and other methods to accomplish these objectives. The QIC will not support direct costs of service commodities, such as drugs or health care personnel. The QIC will work with the MOH and USG in-country to choose appropriate facilities, clinical care practices of focus, and as indicated, work toward the development of an infrastructure for QI activities. The QIC will also implement a work plan which includes training health care workers and providing TA to participating sites. Proposed activities, tools, and software programs should be evidence based and easy to use in a variety of settings. At the conclusion of this cooperative agreement, the health systems, organizations, and a group of health care workers will have increased quality improvement capacity, and, the ability to offer high quality pediatric ART services by national and international standards.