Improving Quality of Care

In a world with Universal Health Coverage (UHC) successful health care would depend on the quantity of care and equally on the quality of care. Therefore KIT Royal Tropical Institutes has made quality of care key to its international Global Health strategy. We stress both the user’s perspective on quality of care as well as evidence-based approaches in clinical and public health services.

Quality of Care Matters for Universal Health Coverage

Embodied in the concept of UHC is the principle that all people should have the right and possibility to access a range of high quality services, including treatment, prevention, rehabilitation, health promotion and palliative care. These services may bypass the boundaries of health care facilities and involve other sectors.

Quality of such services is usually described from one of two perspectives:

  • That of the client, which is fundamental for clients to effectively use services, to create trust and adherence to advice and treatment
  • Or of technical and clinical quality, which incorporates elements of competence and professionalism, patient safety, etc.

KIT uses various tools to measure and improve patients’ experiences and perspectives of quality of care. KIT has extensive experience with the various dimensions of the provider-client interface.

Our Approach

Our approach to monitoring has shifted from assessing if conditions to provide quality of care are right–to assessing if the quality of care from the services has improved.

In terms of technical quality, KIT works on strategic purchasing and performance/results based financing strategies to improve quality aspects of service delivery. In addition, KIT seeks to improve the deployment and retention of human resources for health that provide acceptable and quality health services as another way of improving quality of care.

Our Experts

Photo of Anke van der Kwaak

Anke van der Kwaak

Team leader Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

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