Quality Assurance

QAP implemented the first randomized control trial to measure the impact of accreditation in a developing country setting and reports its findings in this Operations Research Results report. The central issue to the report addresses the extent to which accreditation, known to favorably impact measurable indicators relating to the quality of care, actually improves patient outcomes. While exploring this issue, the report also sheds light on the importance of careful planning and communication in implementing complex research and would serve as a guide to others in undertaking similar efforts.

This brief report describes four different accreditation programs in South Africa: one is nationwide and addresses hospitals; the second accredits privately financed healthcare programs; the third is a provincial program accrediting all public healthcare facilities, and the fourth assesses clinics providing adolescent reproductive health. This operations research study interviewed stakeholders of the South Africa healthcare system to elicit their views of the best possible options for South Africa and of the strengths and weaknesses of the four existing programs. [author’s description]

This monograph provides a brief overview of several aspects of quality assurance, including its cost-effectiveness and its feasibility in less developed countries. The monograph describes the dimensions of quality, the four principles of quality assurance, the QA process, and key activities in the development of a QA program.