Friday 29 March
11:00 – 12:15  

Part A: Leveraging quality improvement to strengthen primary care systems in the face of NCDs: Case studies from Mexico, Ecuador, and Brazil

Using quality improvement methods and collaborative work, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) has supported private and public sectors in the implementation of prototype projects to improve clinical outcomes for diabetes in primary care settings in Brazil, Mexico and Ecuador. Early results are promising and present an opportunity to inform the development of a comprehensive strategy for the integration of quality improvement into primary care systems to respond to the NCD epidemic.

After this session, participants will be able to:

1. Understand the role of quality improvement methods in strengthening primary care systems to effectively deliver care for NCDs
2. Appreciate the need to integrate primary health care-based NCD care into existing services and programs
Learn from the early results of ongoing work in developing countries
3.Identify the key success factors to the implementation of an innovative approach for NCD prevention and management

Jafet Arrieta, Project Director, IHI; USA

Part B: Performance of elderly care by Primary Health Care teams in Brazil

The Brazilian health system is facing a challenge presented by a growing elderly population, and in order to achieve safe and high quality care it is important to improve the professional skills of workers across the system. The Universal Health System (SUS) was created in 1988 and now after 30 years there is an opportunity to evaluate the care delivered by nurses, doctor and community health workers in order to optimise outcomes in primary healthcare.

After this session, participants will be able to:

1. Understand the Brazilian healthcare system
2. Understand the work done by nurses, doctor and community health workers in primary healthcare teams
3. Understand the main challenges in guaranteeing safe and high quality care

Elaine Thumé, Professor at Federal University of Pelotas; Brazil