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| Quality Improvement Officer | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Country | Afghanistan | Province | Herat, |
| Categories | Health Care, | Type | Full Time |
| Post Date | 2021-04-20 | Close Date | 2021-05-03 |
| Vacancy No | R814 | Gender | male female |
| No Of Jobs | 2 | Contract Duration | One year (Extendable) |
| Education | REQUIRED MINIMUM EDUCATION: Graduate from registered medical universities. Graduate from a register | Experience | At least Five years of experience in the design |
| Organization | Opportunities for you | Salary | As per NTA Salary Scale |
About Company
About (MSH) Management Sciences for Health (AFIAT): MSH is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, religion, creed, citizenship, national origin, age, veteran status, or disability unrelated to job requirements. MSH will take affirmative action to ensure that qualified applicants are employed and that employees are treated without regard to their race, age, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran and disability status. In compliance with U.S. Department of Labor Executive Order 11246, Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, and Section 4212 of the Vietnam Era Readjustment Assistance Act, MSH has developed and maintains an affirmative action program and plan.
Job Description
BACKGROUND:
The five-year USAID Assistance for Families and Indigent Afghans to Thrive (AFIAT) program seeks to improve health outcomes—particularly for women of childbearing age and preschool children—in rural and peri-urban parts of Afghanistan. An important objective of the program is
to improve the quality of primary and secondary health services in targeted rural areas. Access to quality primary health care remains a pressing concern in Afghanistan. Both real and perceived problems with the quality of services have contributed to low utilization of health care even though many services are now broadly available. In 2013, Afghanistan introduced a National Strategy for Improving Quality in Health Care, which highlights priorities and interventions to improve the quality of care for the years ahead; in 2018, a more targeted framework was designed for the private health sector.
The need to ensure that private facilities meet minimum standards to protect public health and safety is particularly critical. SafeCare (SC) is an ISQUA accredited standards-based approach for measuring, improving, and recognizing the quality of healthcare services in Low and Middle-Income Countries. It will be implemented in Afghanistan through the technical assistance of PharmAccess under the AFIAT program. PharmAccess is an innovator and catalyst for practical changes that can be scaled up and improve how healthcare markets function. This is key to advancing the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular the targets relating to the realization of Universal Health Coverage.
Safe Care is a set of internationally recognized quality standards and a step-by-step improvement path. This unique standards-based and International Society for Quality in Healthcare (ISQua) accredited incremental approach empowers healthcare providers to move upwards in clinical and business performance. To date, almost 6,000 SafeCare quality assessments have been performed globally. Based on these standards, SafeCare also provides the tools, instruments, and methodology that can be used by partners, governments, and healthcare providers to improve the services they provide for people. Since its successful launch in 2010 and having reached 3000 healthcare facilities in PharmAccess core countries Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, and Ghana, PharmAccess is now ready to bring this standards-based approach and supporting digital technology to the rest of the African continent and Asia (including Afghanistan and India).
POSITION DESCRIPTION:
The Quality Improvement Officer will support implementing the SC Quality Improvement approach across selected private health facilities in the AFIAT targeted provinces including Kabul, Balkh, Kandahar, Nangarhar, Herat, and other provinces while the project is expanded.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Technical Activities (90%)
- In collaboration with the provincial public health offices (PPHO) and Private Hospitals Association (PHA) technical officers, conduct a rapid quality baseline assessment of the targeted provinces' private health facilities.
- Implement the SC Quality Improvement program using the context-specific SC tools and methodology.
- After implementing the SC assessment baseline, identify facility-specific quality improvement needs; work on a root cause analysis with facility staff, and develop an improvement plan.
- Regularly monitor progress towards objectives highlighted in the improvement plan.
- Conduct follow up mentoring and coaching visits to healthcare providers.
- Develop a monthly action plan with targeted facilities for improvement of clinical, non-clinical, HR and managerial weaknesses observed in the targeted private health facilities
- Disseminate and ensure appropriate implementation of SC -QI standards and procedures
- Integrate the QI concept into health planning and implementation activities in collaboration with AFIAT Sr Advisors for QI and Accreditation, AFiAT Senior Provincial Manager, PPHO and NGO technical officers.
- Work in collaboration with other provincial partners and the MOPH around total quality improvement system in the private health sector.
- Provide inputs for monthly and quarterly reports with timely submission.
- In coordination with AFIAT Community Health Officer, ensure that the community representative is present during the health centres' supervisory visits.
Other (10%)
- Prepare success stories from project implementation.
- Participate in technical working groups as required in the region/provinces.
- Additional related responsibilities as needed.
- Share best implementation practices with other AFIAT Private Quality Improvement Officers working in other AFIAT-supported provinces.
Job Requirement
REQUIRED MINIMUM EDUCATION:
- Graduate from registered medical universities.
- Graduate from a registered Midwifery Education Institution with having an undergraduate diploma.
- Master's degree in Public Health or relevant area is desirable.
- At least Five years of experience of working with Basic Package of Health Services (BPHS) and Essential Package of Health Services (EPHS) health facilities in rural or urban areas is preferable.
REQUIRED MINIMUM EXPERIENCE:
- At least Five years of experience in the design, implementation, and evaluation of QI programs, particularly with the private health sector
- Previous training or mentoring experience is desirable.
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:
- Experience and Knowledge of the Afghan healthcare system's limitations to deliver quality health services through the private health sector for which PSQI officer is recruited: RMNH&FP, child health and immunization, TB, nutrition, pharmaceutical management, and community-based health programs.
- Expertise knowledge in the thematic area for which the PSQI officer is recruited (MOPH policies, guidelines, standard operating protocols, best practices, high-impact interventions) and Knowledge of integration of care.
- Acquired mentoring skills and ability as master trainers in the concerned areas are preferred and mandatory for PSQI officers.
- Have a strong willingness to mentor health providers in private sector to improve performance and get results.
- Familiarity with QI methodologies and willingness to introduce, pilot, evaluate and scale up the SC tool at other HFs Strong analytical and computer skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, web-based research).
- Ability to use Excel spreadsheet and extract selected data; excels in data use.
- Demonstrated experience working with a range of counterparts at the regional and provincial levels
Specific Knowledge and skills
- Preference will be given to candidates who have knowledge and skills about QI approaches already implemented in Afghanistan such as Accreditation, Minimum Required Standards (MRS) , Harmonized Quality Improvement Program (HQIP), Quality Assurance (QA), Leadership Development Program (LDP) ..etc. in public and private sectors
COMPETENCIES:
- Good written and oral communication skills both in local languages and English.
- Excellent interpersonal skills: demonstrated ability to interact professionally with culturally diverse staff Mentoring experience is a plus.
- Open minded, self- motivated personality with a can-do mentality.
- Demonstrable entrepreneurial and business mind-set is preferred
Submission Guideline
Interested candidates should go apply through the below link and submit an application form for positions they are suitably qualified for.
Please click the employment opportunities tab and select Afghanistan from the list of countries. A list of positions will appear, please select those you wish to apply for. Candidates who do not apply through the above-mentioned link will not be considered for the shortlist. Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.
Management Sciences for Health is an equal opportunity employer offering employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, citizenship, physical or mental handicap.
Note: The deadline for applications is for two weeks. However, interviews of suitable candidates may begin as applications are received. Please apply early.