Evaluation of the New York State AIDS Institute’s HIV Continuous
Quality Improvement Project
The HIV Continuous Quality Improvement Project (HIVQUAL) is a Health Resources
and Services Administration (HRSA) sponsored quality improvement program
designed to build capacity and sustainability of care among Title III and
IV guarantees in order to ensure optimal care for individuals living with
HIV/AIDS.
The project was originally developed by the New York State Department of
Health, Aids Bureau and has been implemented at well over 100 sites nationally.
It utilizes an organizational assessment, a software program for collection
of core indicators and a continuous quality improvement (CQI) model consisting
of eight, well-defined steps as its main structural components. Furthermore,
HIVQual CQI consultants work through on-site and telephone coaching to help
agencies improve in clinical core data categories (such as PPD screening,
gynecological care, anti-retroviral therapy and viral load/CD4 counts) by
using a multidisciplinary team approach and quality improvement education.
The long-term objective of HIVQUAL is to ultimately incorporate a permanent
CQI model into a site’s overall organizational structure and thereby
assure sustainability and quality of care.
The HDWG has been funded by HRSA to evaluate the HIVQual program at Title
III sites. The evaluation consists of the following activities:
• CQI consultant surveys and interviews
• Title III site surveys
• Analysis of improvement in HIV core data
• Site visits to identify promising models and approaches
Consultant surveys and interviews have been completed, and the site survey
is currently under development. Site surveys will be completed during the
Spring of 2001 and site visits will be conducted during the Summer and Fall
of 2001.
Key staff for this project:
• Mari-Lynn Drainoni, Ph.D., Principal Investigator
• Chinwe Johnson, M.D., MPH, Project Coordinator
National Evaluation and Program Support Center to conduct a multi-site evaluation of outreach activities designed to engage and retain individuals with HIV in medical care. Funded by Health Resources and Services Administration
A national evaluation of peer education training programs for people living with HIV.
A National Center working to advance the Healthy People 2010 objective that all children with special health care needs have access to adequate health insurance and financing for their care.
A cross-disciplinary training curriculum in HIV and substance abuse, designed for health care providers, support service providers and substance abuse treatment providers.