Four CHAG Healthcare facilities attain SafeCare Level 4 in their Quality Improvement Journey
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PharmAccess Ghana collaborates with the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) and uses the SafeCare Standards and methodology to benchmark and improve quality of care amongst the facilities in its network. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, remarkable progress has been made to assess and improve quality of care.
Thanks to the collaboration and the efforts of the CHAG facility staff, 96% (311) of the active program CHAG healthcare facilities were assessed and rated with the SafeCare international standards for quality. Moreover, four of its facilities reached SafeCare level 4, the second highest rating. Improving quality of care is a central component to achieving Ghana’s universal health coverage (UHC) 2030 goals.
The Lancet Global Health Commission on High Quality Health Systems published in 2018 that 5 million people die every year because of poor quality healthcare in low and middle-income countries, a significantly larger number than the 3.6 million people who die from not having access to care at all. These statistics tragically imply that more people stand the chance of dying while accessing care because of poor quality than those who do not have access to care.
Ghana has drawn up a roadmap for attaining Universal Health Coverage (UHC) to ensure that all people have timely access to high-quality health services irrespective of their ability to pay at the point of use. The goal of the country’s roadmap for attaining UHC is to increase access to quality essential health care and population-based services for all by 2030.
The SafeCare international standards measure and rate healthcare facilities’ levels of risk and fluctuations in service delivery and outcomes. The rating is assigned ranks from SafeCare Level 1 to Level 5, Level 1 being the lowest (indicative of severe risks and highest fluctuations in the quality of services delivered) and Level 5 being the highest (indicative of a facility that has established continuous monitoring and implementation of standards and guidelines, with a significant reduction in risks and has higher consistency in standardized service delivery).
Four CHAG healthcare facilities have attained the SafeCare Level 4. These are:
• Pentecost Hospital, Madina, Greater Accra Region
• St Francis Xavier Hospital, Assin-Fosu, Central Region
• Holy Family Hospital, Techiman, Bono-East Region
• St Joseph Hospital, Nkwanta, Oti Region
The SafeCare Level 4 interprets as “the healthcare facility is accustomed to operating according to standardized procedures and is monitoring the implementation of procedures and guidelines. This facility has a monitoring eye on high-risk procedures and activities, and the quality of its services is less likely to fluctuate”.
The efforts and commitment exhibited by these facilities toward improving access to quality healthcare are commendable. These facilities are poised to work towards excellence in their trade. PharmAccess, CHAG, and SafeCare seek to bring afore and recognize such strides by which these healthcare establishments are making to push the UHC 2030 agenda in the country. Congratulations to these organizations!
The achievement received recognition in the Ghanian media:
MyJoyOnline:
https://fb.watch/dwGplByAcK/
https://fb.watch/dIrMtk6DHR/
https://www.myjoyonline.com/archbishop-palmer-buckle-lauds-st-francis-xavier-hospital-for-being-rated-safecare-level-4/
https://www.myjoyonline.com/pentecost-hospital-climbs-to-level-4-of-pharmaccess-safecare-assessment/
