Tropical Health, Angers, France.
Tropical Health, New Orleans, Louisiana.
Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2024 Feb 6;110(3_Suppl):20-34. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.23-0316. Print 2024 Mar 5.
Quality improvement of malaria services aims to ensure that more patients receive accurate diagnosis, appropriate treatment, and referral. The Outreach Training and Supportive Supervision Plus (OTSS+) approach seeks to improve health facility readiness and provider competency through onsite supportive supervision, troubleshooting, and on-the-job training. As part of a multicomponent evaluation, qualitative research was conducted to understand the value of the OTSS+ approach for malaria quality improvement. Semistructured key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and structured health facility-based interviews were used to gather stakeholder perspectives at subnational, national, and global levels. Data were collected globally and in 11 countries implementing OTSS+; in-depth data collection was done in four: Cameroon, Ghana, Niger, and Zambia. Study sites and participants were selected purposively. Verbatim transcripts were analyzed thematically, following the Framework approach. A total of 262 participants were included in the analysis; 98 (37.4%) were supervisees, 99 (37.8%) were supervisors, and 65 (24.8%) were other stakeholders. The OTSS+ approach was perceived to improve provider knowledge and skills in malaria service delivery and to improve data and supply management indirectly. Improvements were attributed to a combination of factors. Participants valued the relevance, adaptation, and digitization of supervision checklists; the quality and amount of contact with problem-solving supervisors; and the joint identification of problems and solutions, and development of action plans. Opportunities for improvement were digitized checklist refinement, assurance of a sufficient pool of supervisors, prioritization of health facilities, action plan dissemination and follow-up, and data review and use. The OTSS+ approach was perceived to be a useful quality improvement approach for malaria services.
提高疟疾服务质量的目的是确保更多患者得到准确的诊断、适当的治疗和转诊。外展培训和支持性监督加(OTSS+)方法旨在通过现场支持性监督、解决问题和在职培训,提高卫生机构的准备情况和服务提供者的能力。作为多方面评估的一部分,进行了定性研究,以了解 OTSS+方法在疟疾质量改进方面的价值。采用半结构式关键知情人访谈、焦点小组讨论和基于卫生机构的结构化访谈,在国家以下、国家和全球各级收集利益攸关方的观点。数据在全球和 11 个实施 OTSS+的国家收集;在四个国家(喀麦隆、加纳、尼日尔和赞比亚)进行了深入的数据收集。研究地点和参与者是有针对性选择的。逐字记录的转录本按照框架方法进行主题分析。共有 262 名参与者参与了分析;98 名(37.4%)是被监督者,99 名(37.8%)是监督者,65 名(24.8%)是其他利益攸关方。OTSS+方法被认为提高了疟疾服务提供方面的提供者知识和技能,并间接地改善了数据和供应管理。改进归因于多种因素。参与者重视监督检查表的相关性、适应性和数字化;与解决问题的监督者的接触质量和数量;以及共同确定问题和解决方案以及制定行动计划。改进的机会包括数字化检查表的细化、确保有足够数量的监督者、优先考虑卫生机构、行动计划的传播和后续行动、以及数据审查和使用。OTSS+方法被认为是一种有用的疟疾服务质量改进方法。