The model began as HIVQUAL in 1992 as the New York State HIV Quality of Care Program, sponsored by the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute and the HIV/AIDS Bureau of the US Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). HIVQUAL has since been implemented in hundreds of clinical facilities throughout the United States and the globe.

Launched internationally in Thailand in 2003, the HIVQUAL model quickly expanded globally to PEPFAR focus countries in Africa, the Caribbean and South America. The model has been successfully adapted in countries throughout these regions, adjusting for differences in health care systems, national guidelines and local resources.

Since 2010, the program has been renamed as HEALTHQUAL, relfecting its expanded focus on a public health-centered approach to quality management that continues to include, but extends beyond, HIV care. The quality improvement methodology between HIVQUAL and HEALTHQUAL is identical, with HEALTHQUAL characterized by a broader focus on population health development to bolster overall quality of care across national health systems.

HEALTHQUAL International is supported by the Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC), HRSA, the CDC Global AIDS Program (GAP) Office in each country, where the project is integrated into the national AIDS program.