Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 17, 2026
12:08
Improving IV Insulin Administration in a Community Hospital
Published on: June 11, 2012
A nationwide quality improvement project to accelerate Ghana's progress toward Millennium Development Goal Four:
Nana A Y Twum-Danso1, George B Akanlu, Enoch Osafo
1Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
Summary
Ghana implemented a national quality improvement (QI) intervention to reduce maternal and child mortality. The program successfully scaled up, empowering local stakeholders and providers with QI methods.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Healthcare Systems Improvement
- Maternal and Child Health
Background:
- Low- and middle-income countries face significant maternal and child mortality due to a gap between evidence-based guidelines and healthcare practices.
- Large-scale programs have shown limited effectiveness in reducing these mortality rates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and implement a national quality improvement (QI) intervention in Ghana to accelerate progress towards Millennium Development Goal Four.
- To promote systems thinking, local innovation, and sustainable practices in maternal and child healthcare.
Main Methods:
- A phased, rapid, national scale-up QI intervention was designed and implemented.
- Intervention promoted systems thinking, stakeholder participation, local idea generation, and iterative learning from data.
- Developed 'change packages' of tested process improvements for the continuum of care (pregnancy to age 5).
Main Results:
- Achieved broad adoption of QI by local stakeholders, enhancing system performance.
- Widespread capacitation of leaders, managers, and frontline providers in QI methods.
- Successfully scaled up the intervention to approximately 25% of Ghana's districts within 3 years.
Conclusions:
- The QI intervention demonstrated success in local adoption, capacity building, and national scale-up.
- Challenges included variable leadership commitment, logistical delays, weak data systems, and high staff turnover necessitating repeated training.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Methods Of Healthcare Delivery System
At the different levels of the healthcare system, we see varying methods of healthcare used. These methods include managed care systems, case management, and primary healthcare.
Managed Care System:
The managed care system is designed to control the cost while maintaining the quality of care. The patient's care from admission to discharge is planned by the primary care provider or the case manager, also known as the gatekeeper. In a managed care system, the number of care providers is limited...
Managed Care System:
The managed care system is designed to control the cost while maintaining the quality of care. The patient's care from admission to discharge is planned by the primary care provider or the case manager, also known as the gatekeeper. In a managed care system, the number of care providers is limited...
01:28International Nursing Organizations II
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations based in Geneva. The WHO has many initiatives that center around health. Primarily, they lead global efforts to expand universal health coverage using science-based policies and programs. They are also responsible for shaping health research agendas and developing norms and standards.
The WHO provides expert team support, including funding, vaccines, testing, and treatment tools at the country level to fight...
The WHO provides expert team support, including funding, vaccines, testing, and treatment tools at the country level to fight...
01:30Primary Healthcare Services
Primary care promotes wellness and prevents disease. This care includes health promotion, education, protection (such as immunizations), early disease screening, and environmental considerations. Settings providing this type of healthcare include physician offices, public health clinics, school nursing, and community health nursing.
In 1978, international leaders convened in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan, for what would be a pivotal event in global health. The Alma-Ata Declaration was the first to call...
In 1978, international leaders convened in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan, for what would be a pivotal event in global health. The Alma-Ata Declaration was the first to call...
01:30Health Information Technology and Healthcare Information System
Health Information Technology (HIT)
Health Information Technology, commonly called HIT, integrates advanced information systems and technology in healthcare settings. Its primary functions include:
Health Information Technology, commonly called HIT, integrates advanced information systems and technology in healthcare settings. Its primary functions include:
01:43Sustainable Development
As the human population continues to grow and use resources, we must be mindful of our planet’s natural limits. Sustainable development provides a pathway to maintain and improve human life now while also ensuring that future generations will have the resources that they need. The long-term success of sustainability efforts rests on understanding the interplay between human actions and ecological systems.
01:26Principles of Disease Surveillance
Disease surveillance is the systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of health data essential to the planning, implementation, and evaluation of public health practice. This process integrates data dissemination to entities responsible for preventing and controlling disease, injury, and disability. Surveillance systems provide crucial information for action, helping public health authorities make informed decisions to manage and prevent outbreaks, ensure public safety, optimize...