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Metrics and Performance

Other Transversal Programs:

The Global Metrics and Performance Unit develops concepts and tools to promote equity and scale up effective interventions in global pediatric oncology. We aim to accelerate progress toward our shared vision of a cure and high-quality care for all children with cancer.  

 

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The Metrics program draws from various methodologies, including social epidemiology, health services research, quality improvement and implementation science, and design thinking. The approach emphasizes end-user empowerment to build local expertise in metrics and performance, and, as a community of experts, it generates global standards, feasible targets and meaningful benchmarks in global pediatric oncology.

 

The program equips care teams and institutions with the tools to measure inequities, evaluate causes, transform thinking, respond promptly to identified gaps, innovate, and continually improve health care services in their settings.

 

Program Initiatives

 

The scope of our work includes developing concepts and tools, identifying challenges  amenable to quality improvement or the application of implementation science, maintaining a research agenda on the role of nonbiologic factors and supporting St. Jude Global’s regional and transversal programs. Some of our ongoing initiatives are:

  • Pediatric Oncology Facility Integrated Local Evaluation (PrOFILE)PrOFILE is a dynamic 360-degree evaluation of health-services delivery that helps care teams and institutions committed to increasing childhood cancer survival define an improvement strategy. PrOFILE acts as a diagnostic tool, identifying key issues that require attention and improvement. We have developed two versions of PrOFILE, which are similar in structure and delivery but differ in the implementation process' perspective, purpose and elements. For more information about the PrOFILE versions and delivery, click here
  • PrOFILE sibling tools – The “sibling tools” are discipline-specific comprehensive assessments developed using PrOFILE as their backbone. Experts in different disciplines join efforts to build consensus around key indicators to assess capacity and quality of care in their interest area. Thus far, we have collaborated with Global Critical Care, Surgery, Education and Palliative Care programs to develop their respective sibling tools.
  • Global Packages – The St. Jude Global Packages are technically sound practice improvement interventions based on cumulative multisite experience and a measurement strategy. St. Jude Global faculty and staff have initiated these interventions and collaboratively designed them with global partners with the intent of global dissemination. The packages serve as solutions to bridge the gap between theory and implementation. For more information about the six elements of St. Jude Global packages, click here. 
  • St. Jude Global and Institute for Healthcare Improvement (SJG-IHI) Strategic Partnership – The SJG-IHI Strategic Partnership aims to harmonize activities related to practice improvement and strategic planning for a clear global impact. This initiative targets strengthening local and global capacity and capabilities to design and deploy quality improvement interventions across regions and settings. Moreover, it seeks to promote engagement with learning systems that allow our faculty and staff to grow as improvement scientists and position St. Jude as an epicenter of transformative practice improvement. Ultimately, continuously designing and deploying focused, large-scale, high-impact, results-oriented quality improvement initiatives.

 

Our Team

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    Paola Friedrich, MD, MPH

    Associate Member, St. Jude Faculty

    Director, Mexico Region, St. Jude Global

    Paola Friedrich, MD, MPH

    Associate Member, St. Jude Faculty

    Director, Mexico Region, St. Jude Global

    Research Interests

    • Omproving childhood cancer outcomes in low-and middle-income countries through focus on metrics, health systems, and priority-setting
    • Developing resource-level tiered systems in global pediatric oncology, resembling the well-established neonatal intensive care and trauma center levels
    • Determining the role of social determinants of health as drivers of outcome disparities between populations in order to identify and address them
    • Optimizing treatment for children, adolescents and young adults with solid tumors 

    Contact Information

    Paola Friedrich, MD, MPH

    Global Pediatric Medicine

    MS 721, Room L1600.15

    St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

    262 Danny Thomas Place

    Memphis, TN 38105-3678

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    Miriam Gonzalez-Guzman, MD, MSc

    Clinical Research Scientist II

    Miriam Gonzalez-Guzman, MD, MSc

    Clinical Research Scientist II

    Affiliations

    Short Biography

    Miriam Gonzalez-Guzman, MD, MSc, is a pediatrician and native of El Salvador. She is a program coordinator with Metrics and Performance for St. Jude Global. She has a diverse academic record to include a master’s degree in Health Sciences from the University of Memphis.

    At St. Jude, Dr. Gonzalez has been actively involved in improving the survival of children with cancer by designing and implementing infection control and educational quality improvement initiatives at international sites during the past 10 years. Currently, she is responsible for and participates in the planning, management and evaluation of the Global Metrics and Performance Unit projects implemented locally and at St. Jude Global international sites.

    She has been particularly focused on the validation and implementation of the St. Jude Global Pediatric Oncology Facility Integrated Local Evaluation (PrOFILE) tool. Her research interests include the identification of metrics and organizational readiness factors that promote success during the implementation of evidence-based interventions in pediatric cancer centers in developing countries.

    Contact Information

    Miriam Gonzalez-Guzman, MD, MSc

    St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

    262 Danny Thomas Place

    Memphis, TN 38105-3678

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    Alyana Alvarez

    Project Coordinator, Metrics and Performance

    Alyana Alvarez

    Project Coordinator, Metrics and Performance

    Short Biography

    Alyana Alvarez is a Program Coordinator, Metrics and Performance for the department of Global Pediatric Medicine. She was born in the Philippines and moved to Alexandria, VA at the age of three. With continuous visits to the Philippines, Alyana was exposed to the diverse lifestyle and quality of life which grew her passion for global health. Alyana received her Bachelor of Science in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience with a minor in Psychology from Virginia Tech and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Public Health in Epidemiology at George Washington University.

    Throughout undergrad and post-graduation, she held a wide range of positions from research assistant to a children's program coordinator as well as an administrative assistant. This blend of experiences within healthcare, non-profit, and laboratory settings helped cultivate her understanding of the mechanics in public health. Alyana is thrilled to be working at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital knowing its vibrant community and endless opportunities will help strengthen her footprint within the public health realm.

    Contact Information

    Alyana Alvarez

    St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

    262 Danny Thomas Place

    Memphis, TN 38105-3678

Contact 

To learn more about the Metrics and Performance Unit, email globalmetrics@stjude.org.