Responding to global gaps in health care competence, IFC IQ-Healthcare —with the IQ standing for Improving Quality—helps health providers improve patient safety, align practices with global quality standards, and build safe health infrastructure. To date, the IFC IQ-Healthcare program helped more than 130 hospitals and clinics in nearly 20 countries.
Over 6,000 healthcare professionals benefited from IFC open resources: a webinar series and self-paced training on healthcare quality and patient safety.
The Need
Across the developing world, poor quality healthcare is estimated to cause more preventable deaths every year than insufficient access to treatment. Systemic deficits in quality care equate to millions of deaths annually, billions of dollars in misspent resources, and untold lost opportunities. While global health efforts continue to focus on improving access to care, methods to improve quality of care in low- and middle-income countries are urgently needed.
Investor Perspective
- Given the increasingly litigious nature of the health sector, a single incident can result in a large financial claim and ruin a hospital’s reputation.
- The proliferation of social media means that stories of medical failures can “go viral”— with disastrous consequences for business.
- Hospitals with good reputations attract more patients and higher quality staff.
- Investors are increasingly focused on quality during appraisal as it helps them understand the entity’s potential for growth and alignment with international best practice and ethical principles.
- Also, as the health insurance sector matures, in many markets a greater emphasis will be placed on pre-requisite quality standards.
Areas of Work
IFC's IQ-Healthcare Tool focuses on eight core areas, measuring performance across a total of 150 internationally recognized quality assurance standards. There areas include direct health service operations, such as medication management and use, patient safety, and infection control. We also seek to improve operating practices related to ethics and family rights, governance and leadership, facilities management, general safety, and human resources.
Customers and Process
Our services assist a wide range of clients. We focus on assisting private medical facilities to improve specific aspects of their care network. We also partner with the World Bank in country-level quality evaluations to help governments seeking to improve their health care systems. Clients receive onsite visit and comprehensive assessments by IFC staff, and can work with our health care experts to implement recommendations. A re-assessment 12-18 months after the initial evaluation can track changes in performance.
Online Trainings
- Performance Management System
- Identify Patients Correctly
- Improving Effective Communication
- Improve the Safety of High-Alert Medications (HAMs)
- Building a Safe Surgery Culture
- Implementing a Hand Hygiene Program to Prevent the Spread of Infectious Disease
- Implementing a Fall Prevention Program
- Implementing an Isolation Program to Prevent the Spread of Infectious Disease
- Foundations of Healthcare Quality Management
- Incident Management System
WEBINARS
The IFC IQ-Healthcare team organizes regular learning sessions via webinars with health professionals and industry experts to share practical solutions that have been applied in emerging markets.
- June 6, 2024
Protecting Hospital Staff from Infections: Caring for the Carers - April 30, 2024
Infection control in the Operating Theater: Is Cleanliness next to Godliness? - January 19, 2024
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Do I Need Antibiotics at All? THE BASICS OF ANTIBIOTIC STEWARDSHIP PROGRAMS - October 19, 2023
It’s Elementary My Dear Watson! How To Trace Healthcare-Associated Infections - July 13, 2023
Safe Transfusions: Right Blood, Right Patient, Right Time And Place
- May 25, 2023
Quality in Telehealth: How to Make Remote Care Safe - May 3, 2023
Do Quality Investments Improve Financial Health? The Business Case for Quality: Selected Highlights - November 24, 2022
Quality Improvement Plan vs Program – What is the difference - August 13, 2022
Do No Harm: Making Radiology Safe and Effective - August 30, 2022
What’s Behind that Mask? Procuring and Using Personal Protective Equipment Effectively - June 30, 2022
Washing Dirty Laundry? The Risks in Handling Hospital Linen - May 19, 2022
In Search of Excellence: Insights from the IFC Healthcare Benchmarking Pilot - April 28, 2022
Hidden Dangers on a Patient's Plate: How to Improve Food Safety in Hospitals? - March 17, 2022
Data Matters - II: How to Measure clinical outcomes? - February 10, 2022
Data Matters: How to Measure Healthcare Quality - December 14, 2021
Healthy Culture: How to Balance Blame-free with Accountability - November 18, 2021
The Hidden Complexity of Implementing Patient Safety Goals. Part II