Our Work
Though our partnerships take many forms, they’re united by a commitment to develop innovative, scalable and sustainable solutions to some of the world’s most intractable health challenges.
PIH’s impact goes far beyond providing direct medical care in 11 countries. Our approach to community-based care and health system strengthening has influenced national health policies of governments serving hundreds of millions of people.
Our Theory of Change
PIH’s approach is one of accompaniment. We walk alongside our patients and partners at all levels, whether they are community-based organizations, local health authorities, national governments or multilateral organizations, to learn together and build platforms to deliver the highest quality care. Accompaniment is an open-ended pledge to be there, together, for as long as it takes. We rise to the challenges we encounter with optimism, compassion, and perseverance.
Care
- We build systems to deliver high-quality health care where it previously didn’t exist—ensuring every person’s right and ability to survive and thrive. Our care delivery starts with community health workers (CHWs) working to support individual patients and families in remote and rural communities; these same CHWs link patients to health centers, district hospitals, and tertiary care facilities. The care we aspire to provide responds to the actual burden of disease in a given setting, rather than a limited package of services sometimes considered appropriate in resource-poor settings.
Training
- We invest in ongoing supervision, mentorship, and training for staff at every level to improve patient care and strengthen health systems for the long term. Through our clinical education and fellowship programs, we ensure staff have the support they need to provide patients with dignified and effective care.
Influence
- We advocate for national and global health policies that prioritize rather than marginalize the most vulnerable. We fight widespread bias and dogma with rigorous evidence-based results.
Replication
- We support national governments and other partners by sharing our approach, research, and best practices for broader uptake of equitable health care delivery strategies. Through PIH’s University of Global Health Equity and other platforms, we are preparing the next generation of social medicine practitioners and global health leaders.
PIH’s “Five S’s”
We look at health system strengthening as a mix of five fundamental ingredients: staff, stuff, space, systems, and social support. Removing any one item would result in a weaker health system overall.