Rabkin M, Achwoka D, Akoth S, Boccanera R, Kimani M, Leting I, Madevu-Matson C, Mutei R, Nyaga L, Onyango C, Ouma C, Rondinelli I, Rumunyu P, Tsiouris F, Wakoli A, Walker L, Dougherty G

J Assoc Nurses AIDS Care. 2020 Jan 24:1-8. doi: 10.1097/JNC.0000000000000158. [Epub ahead of print]

Key Considerations

• The “know-do gap” describes a commonly seen challenge in program implementation—the difference between health worker knowledge and performance. In contexts where policies, guidelines, and trainings have been disseminated but programs are not reaching their goals, quality improvement (QI) methods have the potential to bridge this gap.
• QI collaboratives are organized multi health facility projects in which QI teams at each site use the same targets and indicators, develop and test contextually appropriate interventions using QI methods and tools, and convene periodically to share results, spurring friendly competition, and rapid diffusion of innovation.
• This article uses the QIC methodology to improve utilization of VL test results at 30 health facilities in Western Kenya, illustrating the potential of this approach to rapidly improve performance at scale.