Impacts of Quality Improvement Strategies on the Performance of Primary Healthcare Organisations; a Case Study of the Accreditation Program in Lebanon.

EasyChair Preprint 7036

Abstract

In its 2008 report, the World Health Organisation called for a reform in Primary Healthcare, especially in leadership which will enforce the delivery of quality services, as per the seven elements of quality in healthcare: accessibility, appropriateness, safety, continuity of care, efficiency and effectiveness, and client-centeredness. In Lebanon, the approach of quality improvement in healthcare is still new, starting in 2000, leaded by the MoPH & Accreditation Canada International. This paper aims to build a “Best Practices” Model to be applied by the leaders of PHCCs to comply with the quality standards and to be systematically integrated. The qualitative approach has been applied, with 15 semi-structured interviews with key-informants in addition to documentation analysis and observation, with a validation of some other methods - such as focus groups with National Surveyors and patients. The “Wimpole Street Principles” has been followed as a conceptual framework through its four domains: Policy, Organisation, Methods and Resources. Results have shown that the Accreditation process, despite the many challenges to be implemented in a country with complex political and socio-economic situation like Lebanon, has increased the overall performance of the primary healthcare system. In conclusion, quality improvement initiatives such as the Accreditation program, have reformed the system and improved its image via the community it serves. Further studies must be done to ensure that this change will be integrated into the organisational DNA and be sustainable...with a continuous improvement cycle of life.

Keyphrases: Accreditation Person-centered Care, Performance-Based Quality Improvement, Primary Healthcare Systems, Sustainable Development Goals

@booklet{EasyChair:7036,
  author    = {Ghada El-Zein},
  title     = {Impacts of Quality Improvement Strategies on the Performance of Primary Healthcare Organisations; a Case Study of the Accreditation Program in Lebanon.},
  howpublished = {EasyChair Preprint 7036},
  year      = {EasyChair, 2021}}