title: Implementation of the Standards-Based Management and Recognition approach to quality improvement in maternal, newborn, and child health programs in low-resource countries.
abstract: The Standards-Based Management and Recognition (SBM-R; Jhpiego, Baltimore, MD, USA) approach to quality improvement was developed by Jhpiego to respond to common challenges faced by health systems in low-resource settings, including poor pre-service education, lack of resources for conventional supervisory models, and weak health information systems. Since its introduction in Brazil in 1997, SBM-R has been implemented in approximately 30 countries and continues expanding to new places and service delivery areas. The present article: (1) describes key steps in the SBM-R methodology focusing on provider performance assessment using evidence-based standards; and (2) presents examples of improvements in provider performance in maternal, newborn, and child health care following SBM-R implementation derived from routine program data, quasi-experimental evaluations, and in-depth case studies. SBM-R incorporates evidence-based methods that are known to have positive effects on healthcare quality, including audit and feedback, educational outreach visits, and checklist usage; however, further rigorous research is needed to document the population-level impacts of the SBM-R approach.
authors.affiliation: Jhpiego, Baltimore, MD, USA. Electronic address: Edgar.Necochea@jhpiego.org.
authors.forename: Edgar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Necochea
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Vandana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tripathi
authors.affiliation: Jhpiego, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Young-Mi
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Jhpiego, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Nabeel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akram
authors.affiliation: Jhpiego, Conakry, Guinea.
authors.forename: Yolande
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hyjazi
authors.affiliation: Jhpiego, Maputo, Mozambique.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: da Luz Vaz
authors.affiliation: Jhpiego, Abuja, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Otolorin
authors.affiliation: Jhpiego, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Tsigue
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pleah
authors.affiliation: Jhpiego, Lilongwe, Malawi.
authors.forename: Tambudzai
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rashidi
authors.affiliation: Jhpiego, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Dustan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bishanga
mesh_terms: D000067576:Child Health / Q000592:standards*; D003906:Developing Countries; D017408:Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D000068104:Infant Health / Q000592:standards*; D000068097:Maternal Health / Q000592:standards*; D058996:Quality Improvement; D011787:Quality of Health Care
keywords: Health systems strengthening; Maternal, newborn, and child health; Performance assessments; Quality improvement; Standards-Based Management and Recognition