COMPREHENSIVE MANAGEMENT AND HEALTH EQUITY: STRATEGIES FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT IN THE QUALITY OF HEALTHCARE

Abstract

Introduction. Healthcare quality constitutes a multidimensional challenge that significantly affects the efficiency, equity, and sustainability of healthcare systems in Latin America, particularly within contexts characterized by structural limitations, institutional fragmentation, and unequal access to healthcare services.

Objective. This study aimed to analyze the determining factors and strategies that underpin the continuous improvement of healthcare quality in Latin America.

Method. A systematic review was conducted involving 28 scientific articles published between 2019 and 2024. The analysis identified six essential analytical axes related to healthcare quality improvement: institutional management and health leadership, infrastructure and resources for efficient services, continuous training of human talent, user satisfaction and perception of quality, technologies and health information systems, and ethical, sociocultural, and rights-based perspectives.

Results. Findings revealed that healthcare quality depends on the synergistic interaction among organizational, technological, and human dimensions framed by principles of ethics and equity. Furthermore, evidence demonstrated that strengthening institutional leadership, investing in hospital infrastructure, digitizing clinical-administrative processes, and promoting continuous professional training constitute strategic pillars for improving healthcare efficiency and ensuring person-centered care. The review also identified persistent structural inequalities, limited technological integration, and sociocultural barriers that continue to affect equitable access to quality healthcare services across Latin American contexts.

Conclusion. Comprehensive management and health equity should be conceived as interdependent components of a sustainable healthcare quality model. Strengthening institutional capacities, technological innovation, and humanized healthcare approaches is essential to address structural challenges and promote inclusive, resilient, and equitable healthcare systems in Latin America.