From the HIVQUAL International Update

HIVQUAL-Thailand Celebrates Quality Improvement:

3rd National HIVQUAL-T Forum

The 3rd annual national HIVQUAL-T Forum was held over two-days, August 8-9, 2011 in Bangkok, Thailand to share lessons learned in building a sustainable framework for quality management and to continue to strengthen collaboration among the national networks of HIV providers represented at the meeting.

HIVQUAL-Thailand has achieved remarkable programmatic progress since its launch in 2003, with an adult HIV improvement program implemented in 700 hospitals across 76 provinces, and a pediatric program at 200 hospitals across 30 provinces.

The forum was attended by 1,086 participants, and was host to 21 panel sessions, 9 workshops, and 24 poster presentations. Booths were operated by regional and governmental/non-governmental organizations addressing topics including: development of QI services, collaboration with local government, QI planning for mentoring networks, and treatment & care for HIV+ adolescents, among others.

Through strong leadership and successful engagement, the national HIVQUAL-T team is working toward programmatic expansion to all government hospitals, while reinforcing the strong culture of quality improvement demonstrated over the last 8 years of implementation. 

Click here to visit the HIVQUAL-T website.

Program Update: Pediatric HIVQUAL-T
 

Launched in Thailand in 2005 at 5 pilot sites, pediatric HIVQUAL-T is currently expanding to 20 regional/provincial hospitals and 28 community hospitals.



In July 2009, to support national quality improvement activities, Thailand held its first pediatric ARV adherence promotion workshop in Bangkok (pictured above). Sponsored by the Bureau of HIV, AIDS, STI and the Thailand MOPH-US CDC, the 1-day workshop (right) attracted more than one hundred doctors, pharmacists, nurses, and health officers from 17 regional and provincial hospitals, 42 community hospitals, and 12 public health offices.

With an emphasis on promoting ARV adherence strategies from different implementing sites, and engaging pharmacists in pediatric ARV adherence promotion, the workshop also included training on guidelines, techniques, and methods for pediatric ARV adherence assessment and monitoring. Break-out sessions allowed participants to examine these topics in greater detail, and share tools and activities for future implementation.

Workshop presentations were video recorded, and currently available on the HIVQUAL-T website (www.cqihiv.com). This resource is accessible to any facility in Thailand interested in learning about pediatric ARV adherence promotion techniques.

As a result of this conference and national quality improvement priorities, several hospitals have proposed innovative QI activities connected to ARV adherence, including: Reviewing adherence indicator results in weekly HIV staff meetings; Developing an adherence records form for the clinic; Developing adherence measurement tools; Routine analysis of outcomes of ARV adherence; Attending pediatric ARV adherence training, sharing best practices, and participating in lectures and workshops on how to promote ARV adherence and how to develop adherence tools.

The impact of this workshop will be measured by examining ARV treatment and adherence indicators in the pediatric HIVQUAL-T program for FY2009 and FY2010.

HIVQUAL-T Pediatric Program Plans for National Level Expansion and Scale-Up

Pediatric HIVQUAL-T began in 2006 with 5 pilot sites at tertiary care hospitals in Thailand.  Support was provided by CDC-GAP, and in 2007 the program was expanded to 12 sites, with additional key involvement and support from the Thai Ministry of Public Health (MOPH).

For full story, click here.