Addressing Health Systems Quality Gaps: Empowering Health Service Managers Through a Formal Academic Program
1
Division of Health Systems and Public Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):
ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT:
Implementation Science (IS) provides a systematic approach for translating evidence into practice, critical for improving health service delivery, particularly in resource-constrained settings. Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Improvement (QI) are central to health system strengthening; however, many health service managers lack formal training in these disciplines. Consequently, QI initiatives are often fragmented, short-lived, and poorly institutionalised, limiting sustainability and impact (WHO, 2018). To address this gap, Stellenbosch University, in collaboration with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), integrated a structured QI module into its Postgraduate Diploma in Health Care Management to build practical IS and QI capacity among frontline health managers. We evaluated the implementation of the QI module among the 2023–2024 PGDip cohort. Fifteen South African health service managers participated in training covering IS principles, QA frameworks, and QI methodologies, including the Model for Improvement. Each participant identified a real-world health system gap within their workplace and designed a context-specific QI project to address it. Continuous mentorship and coaching were provided throughout project implementation to support application of theory to practice. All fifteen participants successfully developed and implemented QI projects within their respective health system contexts. Projects addressed diverse service delivery gaps and were presented to key institutional stakeholders, including senior health managers, enhancing organisational engagement and accountability. Importantly, participants were also supported to document their projects in a publishable format, promoting knowledge sharing and the potential replication of effective interventions beyond the immediate settings. Embedding a structured QI and IS module within a formal academic Programme significantly strengthens the capacity of health service managers to identify, implement, and sustain system-level improvements. This approach supports institutionalization of continuous quality improvement and contributes meaningfully to health system strengthening. Formal partnerships between academic institutions and implementation partners such as IHI offer a scalable and sustainable model for building QI leadership within health systems, particularly in low- and middle-income country contexts.
Implementation Science (IS) provides a systematic approach for translating evidence into practice, critical for improving health service delivery, particularly in resource-constrained settings. Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Improvement (QI) are central to health system strengthening; however, many health service managers lack formal training in these disciplines. Consequently, QI initiatives are often fragmented, short-lived, and poorly institutionalised, limiting sustainability and impact (WHO, 2018). To address this gap, Stellenbosch University, in collaboration with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), integrated a structured QI module into its Postgraduate Diploma in Health Care Management to build practical IS and QI capacity among frontline health managers. We evaluated the implementation of the QI module among the 2023–2024 PGDip cohort. Fifteen South African health service managers participated in training covering IS principles, QA frameworks, and QI methodologies, including the Model for Improvement. Each participant identified a real-world health system gap within their workplace and designed a context-specific QI project to address it. Continuous mentorship and coaching were provided throughout project implementation to support application of theory to practice. All fifteen participants successfully developed and implemented QI projects within their respective health system contexts. Projects addressed diverse service delivery gaps and were presented to key institutional stakeholders, including senior health managers, enhancing organisational engagement and accountability. Importantly, participants were also supported to document their projects in a publishable format, promoting knowledge sharing and the potential replication of effective interventions beyond the immediate settings. Embedding a structured QI and IS module within a formal academic Programme significantly strengthens the capacity of health service managers to identify, implement, and sustain system-level improvements. This approach supports institutionalization of continuous quality improvement and contributes meaningfully to health system strengthening. Formal partnerships between academic institutions and implementation partners such as IHI offer a scalable and sustainable model for building QI leadership within health systems, particularly in low- and middle-income country contexts.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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