Quality consciousness gains momentum in health sector - Vijaywada

Hospitals are investing to improve standards in quality of service and safety of patients. The staff of hospitals, trying for NABH accreditation, have to be trained in Medical Device Safety Guidelines and management of medication and patient safety.

The health sector which growing rapidly is going through fast evolution. Hospitals which were content with good “success rate” in surgeries and “recovery rate” in ailments are now investing more time, effort and money in raising the standards in the quality of services rendered and the safety of the patients and employees.

The hospitals are looking to organisations like the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) to help them achieve their goal. Three hospitals of the city have already got NABH recognition.

These hospitals had to literally reinvent themselves to get the accreditation. Internal Medicine and Critical Care specialist and MD of Sentini Hospitals Padma Movva said getting the accreditation puts the hospital in a groove for continuous improvement. Starting with the operation theatres, the laboratory equipment, hospital records and training to the paramedical staff was evaluated and improved.

“Every action is documented. If a patient is suffering from fever, the attending nurse has to record every step taken to bring down the temperature,” she explained.

The documentation helped in improving the treatment and reducing errors.

Similarly the doctors and paramedics were required to explain the details of procedures (surgical) before taking the consent of the patient or family members. Separate consent forms were available with details for the different types of procedures, minimal invasive or otherwise, Dr Padma said.

The staff of hospitals, trying for NABH accreditation, have to be trained in Medical Device Safety Guidelines and management of medication and patient safety. The organisations have to become sensitive to ethical and legal issues, develop tools and techniques for continuous quality improvement and introduce clinical audit.

Accredited hospitals need medical tourism to thrive and be feasible. They have to look for sustenance until air connectivity improves to enable international patients to use the facilities here.



Source : The Hindu , 19th Nov 2014