Development of Quality Measures in Perinatal Care – Priority for Developing Countries

ABSTRACT

The ‘Every Newborn Action Plan’ envisions to end preventable newborn deaths and stillbirths by 2035. One important objective to realizethis vision is improvement in quality of maternal and neonatal healthcare. Monitoring the performance of the healthcare systems andconducting quality improvement activities need reliable systems for data collection, analysis and interpretation. Measures chosen tomonitor quality are about problems accounting for a significant health burden, for which effective interventions are available, there isevidence of variable or substandard care, and for which improvement can be undertaken by stakeholders. Data can be collected aboutsafety, effectiveness, efficiency, equity, patient-centeredness and timeliness of care. These data can be collected by direct observation,from existing records, and by interview of the involved stakeholders. Healthcare facilities and governments need to identify core sets ofquality of care indicators, regularly measure and track their performance and carry out informed quality assurance and qualityimprovement efforts