Chennai– ACCESS Health International launched the Improvement Advisor Professional Development Program today, in partnership with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation. The ten month program will create professionally trained advisors to lead quality improvement in healthcare facilities across India.

“We have seen major improvements in access to healthcare in several states in India. It is critical to improve the quality of care, at all levels,” said SofiBergkvist, Executive Director, ACCESS Health International. “This improvement advisor course is an important step in that direction. The program will provide a learning laboratory for how we can improve quality on a large scale, across the country.”

Over a period of four days, the first program workshop introduces participants to the science of healthcare improvement. The workshop engages trainees in interactive sessions, group work sessions, and games.    Each participant will develop an improvement project for their organization. The projects will focus on improving quality of care and services, reducing costs while improving quality, and expanding patient or customer satisfaction.

“Healthcare systems around the world have been working to improve performance, reduce costs, and ensure high quality care using modern improvement methods,” said Dr. Kedar S. Mate, Senior Vice President, Institute for Healthcare Improvement.

“We are pleased to be part of a partnership that focuses on bringing these methods and ideas to India.”    The program will begin with twenty three professionals of institutions, the National Health Systems Resource Center; the Aarogyasri Health Care Trust; the University Research Co.; the National Neonatology Forum; the Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare, Andhra Pradesh;

ACCESS Health International; and several public and private hospitals.    The Improvement Advisor program is based on a curriculum first developed by the Associates in Process Improvement and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.   The Improvement Advisor Professional Development Program is funded by the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation of the United Kingdom.