Thursday, May 22, 2008

[EQ] Guidance on developing quality and safety strategies with a health system approach

Guidance on developing quality and safety strategies with a health system approach


WHO Regional Office for Europe - Copenhagen, Denmark 2008

 

Available online as PDF file [63p.] at: http://www.euro.who.int/Document/E91317.pdf

 

“…Quality and safety have been recognized as key issues in establishing and delivering accessible, effective and responsive health systems. The regionally shaped guidance document covers the development of national quality and safety strategies suited to local circumstances (from formulation to continual review and renewal in successive phases)..

 

The five chapters :

1) explain how a quality strategy can contribute to meeting challenges faced by health services/ health systems;

2) set a common background for quality principles and perspectives (patient, professional, management quality);

3) consider five types of national strategies showing choices about legislation, measurement, action programmes and improvement policies.;

4) provide practical steps on how to develop a strategy for different situations, and

5) show how a quality and safety strategy strengthens health systems..

 

The brief glossary, the quality assessment tool and the framework for using dedicated research in decision making provided in the appendices, aim to assist in the process…”

 

Content:

Executive Summary

Why does a country need a quality and safety strategy?

What is quality and safety and how is it best developed?

Who are the key stakeholders in a health care system that a quality strategy should address and what are the key components

What is the best way to formulate and implement a strategy?

How does a quality and safety strategy strengthen a country’s health system and contribute to health

1. Why does a country need a quality and safety strategy?

1.1 Introduction

1.2 The challenge and the way forward

1.3 Why does a country need a quality policy and strategy

2. What is quality and safety and how is it best developed?

2.1 General principles of quality improvement – old and new

2.2 Perspectives and definitions of quality and safety

2.3 Three perspectives on quality and safety

2.4 Approaches to improving quality

3. Who are the key stakeholders a national strategy should address and what are the key elements of a quality and safety strategy?

3.1 National quality and safety strategies aimed at health care professionals

3.2 National quality and safety strategies aimed at health care organizations

3.3 National Quality and safety strategies aimed at medical products and technologies

3.4 National Quality and safety strategies aimed at patients

3.5 National Quality and safety strategies aimed at financers

4. What is the best way to formulate and implement a strategy?

4.1 What are the principles which guide strategy development?

4.2 Deciding priorities

4.3 Priorities and phases in quality development

4.4 When to renew or redirect a strategy

4.5 Successful strategy development

5. Conclusion

A quality and safety strategy strengthens a country’s health system

6. Appendices

6.1 Appendix 1: Glossary of health service and system quality definitions

6.2 Appendix 2: Quality Strategy Assessment Tool

6.3 Appendix 3: Using quality and safety research in decision making – a framework

7. Bibliography and additional references

 

 

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This message from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO/WHO, is part of an effort to disseminate
information Related to: Equity; Health inequality; Socioeconomic inequality in health; Socioeconomic
health differentials; Gender; Violence; Poverty; Health Economics; Health Legislation; Ethnicity; Ethics;
Information Technology - Virtual libraries; Research & Science issues.  [DD/ IKM Area]

“Materials provided in this electronic list are provided "as is". Unless expressly stated otherwise, the findings
and interpretations included in the Materials are those of the authors and not necessarily of The Pan American
Health Organization PAHO/WHO or its country members”.

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[EQ] Heat-health action plans

Heat–health action plans

 

Edited by: Franziska Matthies, Graham Bickler, Neus Cardeñosa Marín, Simon Hales

World Health Organization May 2008 - The Regional Office for Europe

 

Available online as PDF file [58p.] at: http://www.euro.who.int/Document/E91347.pdf

 

“…..Climate change is leading to variations in weather patterns and an apparent increase in extreme weather events, including heat-waves. Recent heat-waves in Europe have led to a rise in related mortality but the adverse health effects of hot weather and heat-waves are largely preventable.

 

Prevention requires a portfolio of actions at different levels, including meteorological early warning systems, timely public and medical advice, improvements to housing and urban planning and ensuring that health care and social systems are ready to act. These actions can be integrated into a defined heat–health action plan.

 

This guidance results from the EuroHEAT project on improving public health responses to extreme weather/heat-waves, co-funded by the European Commission. It explains the importance of the development of heat–health action plans, their characteristics and core elements, with examples from several European countries that have begun their implementation and evaluation….”

 

Content:

Executive summary

1. Introduction

1.1. Climate change, heat-waves and public health responses

1.2. How to use this guide

2. Heat and health

2.1. Short-term relationships between temperatures and health outcomes

2.2. Vulnerable population groups

2.3. Interaction between heat and air pollution

3. Heat–health action plans

3.1. General principles applicable to heat–health action plans

3.2. Core elements of heat–health action plans

3.3. Summary

References

Further reading

Web links to selected European heat–health action plans


Annex: Public health response to heat-waves: a set of information sheets

http://www.euro.who.int/Document/Gch/Annex_heatwaves_info.pdf


1. Recommendations for the public during heat-waves

2. Vulnerable population groups

3. Recommendations for general practitioners

4. Some recommendations for retirement and care home managers

5. Adverse effects of drugs during hot weather

6. Considerations for medical professionals regarding drinking recommendations during hot weather and heat-waves

7. Key principles of heat risk communication

8. Mild and moderate heat illnesses and their management

9. Management of life-threatening heatstroke

10. Reducing indoor temperatures during hot weather

 

 

*      *      *     *

This message from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO/WHO, is part of an effort to disseminate
information Related to: Equity; Health inequality; Socioeconomic inequality in health; Socioeconomic
health differentials; Gender; Violence; Poverty; Health Economics; Health Legislation; Ethnicity; Ethics;
Information Technology - Virtual libraries; Research & Science issues.  [DD/ IKM Area]

“Materials provided in this electronic list are provided "as is". Unless expressly stated otherwise, the findings
and interpretations included in the Materials are those of the authors and not necessarily of The Pan American
Health Organization PAHO/WHO or its country members”.

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EQUITY List - Archives - Join/remove: http://listserv.paho.org/Archives/equidad.html

 

 

 

    IMPORTANT: This transmission is for use by the intended recipient and it may contain privileged, proprietary or confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient or a person responsible for delivering this transmission to the intended recipient, you may not disclose, copy or distribute this transmission or take any action in reliance on it. If you received this transmission in error, please notify us immediately by email to infosec@paho.org, and please dispose of and delete this transmission. Thank you.  

[EQ] The Story of Race

The Story of Race

 

A Project of the American Anthropological Association

Funded by the Ford Foundation & National Science Foundation

 

            Website: http://www.understandingrace.org/home.html

 

The exhibition RACE: Are we so different? brings together the everyday experience of living with race, its history as an idea, the role of science in that history, and the findings of contemporary science that are challenging its foundations

 

The RACE exhibition explores three primary themes:

- The science of human variation and where current scientific understanding is inconsistent with popular notions of race.

- The history of the idea of race, with an emphasis on the role of science in shaping the concept of race.

- The contemporary experience of race and racism in the United States, the often-invisible ways race and racism have infiltrated laws, customs, & institutions.

 

The educational goal of the RACE project is to help individuals of all ages better understand the origins and manifestations of race and racism in everyday life by investigating race and human variation through the framework of science.

 

Bibliography PDF [42p.] at: http://www.understandingrace.org/resources/pdf/annotated_bibliography.pdf

Content:
Organizational Statements

Anthropology

Biology

Census

Education

Ethics

Genetics and Genomics

Health

History

Identity

Language

Racism

Global Perspectives

 

Papers

The public education program on Understanding Race and Human Variation builds on sound scholarship in the sciences and humanities. The project encourages an integrative and comprehensive approach to the study of race and human variation. The project contributes to the development of scholars and scholarship and sponsors conferences, sessions at annual meetings, and publications. The papers produced as a result of these efforts are published to promote public understanding and advance ongoing and future scholarship in this important area of inquiry.

Papers listed alphabetically by author

Papers listed by project activity

 

 

*      *      *     *

This message from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO/WHO, is part of an effort to disseminate
information Related to: Equity; Health inequality; Socioeconomic inequality in health; Socioeconomic
health differentials; Gender; Violence; Poverty; Health Economics; Health Legislation; Ethnicity; Ethics;
Information Technology - Virtual libraries; Research & Science issues.  [DD/ IKM Area]

“Materials provided in this electronic list are provided "as is". Unless expressly stated otherwise, the findings
and interpretations included in the Materials are those of the authors and not necessarily of The Pan American
Health Organization PAHO/WHO or its country members”.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PAHO/WHO Website: http://www.paho.org/

EQUITY List - Archives - Join/remove: http://listserv.paho.org/Archives/equidad.html

 

 

 

 

 

.

    IMPORTANT: This transmission is for use by the intended recipient and it may contain privileged, proprietary or confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient or a person responsible for delivering this transmission to the intended recipient, you may not disclose, copy or distribute this transmission or take any action in reliance on it. If you received this transmission in error, please notify us immediately by email to infosec@paho.org, and please dispose of and delete this transmission. Thank you.