Methodology and tools for quality improvement in maternal and newborn health care

Objective: To gain an overviewof approaches,methodologies, and tools used in quality improvement ofmaternal and newborn health in low-income countries. Methods: Electronic search of MEDLINE and organizational databases for literature describing approaches,methodologies, and tools used to improve the quality of maternal and newborn health care in low-income countries. Relevant papers and reports were reviewed and summarized.

Results: Developing a culture of quality is an important requisite for successful quality improvement.

Methodologies to improve quality include the development of standards and guidelines and the performance of mortality, near-miss, and criterion-based audits. Tools for data collection and process description were identified, and examples ofwork to improve quality of care are provided. Conclusion: The documented experience with the identified approaches, methodologies, and tools indicates that none is sufficient by itself to achieve a desirable improvement in quality of care. The choice of methodologies and tools depends on the healthcare system and its available resources. There is a lack of studies that describe the process of quality improvement and a need for research to provide evidence of the effectiveness of the identified methods and tools.