PLOS Global Public Health · 5 authors, 3 centres
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This scoping review evaluated accountability and monitoring frameworks used by major global initiatives for reproductive, maternal, neonatal, and child health (RMNCH) care. The study found that while quality indicators and health systems inputs are considered important for accountability, there are significant gaps in the indicators used, particularly for reproductive health and the quality domains of timeliness and efficiency.
It analyzed the types of quality indicators (input, output/process, outcome), their domains (effectiveness, safety, timeliness, etc.), and the services they cover. The analysis revealed that effectiveness and input/output indicators were most common, while efficiency indicators were absent and timeliness indicators were rare. The QED framework contained 158 indicators focused on maternal and newborn health, and three other frameworks contributed 60 non-duplicated indicators. The review concludes that global frameworks provide a foundation but have gaps, such as a lack of reproductive health quality indicators, and countries should develop tailored monitoring systems to address their specific quality concerns.
