Save the Children
What is PDQ?
Partnership Defined Quality is a methodology to improve the quality and accessibility of services with community involvement in defining, implementing, and monitoring the quality improvement process. Partnership Defined Quality (PDQ) links quality assessment and improvement with community mobilization.
Why use PDQ?
- Enhances quality improvement processes by looking for answers outside the health system
- Focuses on health issues that most affect the community
- Engages both clients and non-clients
- Empowers the community
- Gains commitment for community resources
- Enhances equitable use of services
Beyond Quality Improvement, PDQ:
- Helps eliminate social and cultural barriers to better health
- Strengthens community's capacity to improve health
- Creates a mechanism for rapid mobilization around health priorities
Partnership Defined Quality (PDQ) Facilitation Guide
This training supplement created by Save the Children enables facilitators to conduct a PDQ training designed to equip participants with all the skills necessary to adapt and implement PDQ in their programs. Participants will gain an understanding of when and how PDQ can be used to strengthen quality and access. Download PDF version of guide:
Supporting Materials
This training supplement is designed to be used in conjunction with the PDQ tool book: Partnership Defined Quality: A tool book for community and health provider collaboration for quality improvement. A complete copy of the tool book is available:







