Developing quality health systems in Mongolia

The quality approach, utilizing continuous improvement processes, is widely recognized as a vehicle for better outcomes in health care. In Mongolia, quality health systems have historically been poorly developed. Within the context of overall health reform, Mongolia has been emphasizing the development of quality systems to improve management, efficiency and clinical outcomes and processes. Mongolia has established a framework for quality assurance with the central Ministry of Health taking a lead role in developing and promulgating materials and organizing training. The focus has been on creating a governing system for quality in the health system with processes instituted at the hospital level and upwards in the health structure. In addition, the Mongolian framework has developed a range of indicators to guide the quality process. The commitment to quality is an integral part of comprehensive reform of the health sector in Mongolia and the principles of the quality approach – continuous improvement, customer focus, involvement of stakeholders, and among others – are currently being implemented across the health sector.