Sheila Leatherman1, Linda Tawfik1, Dilshad Jaff1, Grace Jaworski1, Matthew Neilson2, Mondher Letaief3, Shamsuzzoha Babar Syed2. 1. University of North Carolina, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7400, USA. 2. Department of Integrated Health Services, World Health Organization, Geneva 1211, Switzerland. 3. World Health Organization, Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, Cairo 11371, Egypt.
Abstract
Quality issue: Improving quality of care has become a global health priority to improve health outcomes and strengthen health systems, particularly in the context of achieving universal health coverage. Initial assessment: The delivery of quality essential health services in settings of extreme adversity, such as fragile, conflict-affected, vulnerable or disaster contexts, has been identified as a high priority globally to address the massive level of need. Choice of solution: This paper provides an action framework to systematically address the quality of health services for state and non-state actors working in such settings. The framework is designed to be practical, comprehensible and simple in adoption and implementation. It describes challenges, a set of medical needs and population priorities, a menu of quality-related interventions, and a hierarchy of health system levels defining the roles and responsibilities of key actors. Conclusion: Optimizing the use of limited resources in delivering the best quality possible in 'the hardest of the hard settings' is imperative.
Quality issue: Improving quality of care has become a global health priority to improve health outcomes and strengthen health systems, particularly in the context of achieving universal health coverage. Initial assessment: The delivery of quality essential health services in settings of extreme adversity, such as fragile, conflict-affected, vulnerable or disaster contexts, has been identified as a high priority globally to address the massive level of need. Choice of solution: This paper provides an action framework to systematically address the quality of health services for state and non-state actors working in such settings. The framework is designed to be practical, comprehensible and simple in adoption and implementation. It describes challenges, a set of medical needs and population priorities, a menu of quality-related interventions, and a hierarchy of health system levels defining the roles and responsibilities of key actors. Conclusion: Optimizing the use of limited resources in delivering the best quality possible in 'the hardest of the hard settings' is imperative.