AGQC January 2019 Newsletter
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GLOBAL CLINICAL SERVICES GLOBAL HEALTHCARE SERVICES GLOBAL INITIATIVE AWARD “Improving the Quality of Life... “ AGHPF Volume 12 No.104 January 2019 News & Message from Management Info The beginning of a new year has always been an exciting time at A Global Healthcare Public Foundation (AGHPF). Turning the calendar does not only give us a chance to look ahead but also to look back at the past years. We have maintained our focus on providing high quality services with a proactive approach. Our success recipe is the teamwork, which includes highly trained technical staff, well-informed support staff and most importantly our Board. To help us focus our capacity and improve our service delivery to our customers in an effective way, AGHPF embarked on a 90-day Quality Management System development program that led to our certification to ISO 9001:2015 Standard and trained ISO 9001:2015 auditors. Healthcare continues to change faster than any of us can keep pace with and this shows no sign of slowing down. So as I look into 2019, what am I thinking about…? Developing Healthcare information technology that gives us capabilities to see and understand in real time changes to our quality management system of quality controls, management and reliability of testing results. Transferring knowledge, skills and development that will continue to develop talent in our laboratory scientists wherever they are. This will certainly improve patient experience and strengthen healthcare quality. Peak Performance of our Associates, stakeholders and all interested parties and individuals. To achieve this we must focus on simplification, synergy and scale to thrive in a healthcare space of rapid change. Looking forward we want to continue to earn the respect and confidence of our customers, their families and the communities we serve. Our expansion motive will remain unchanged as we develop and strengthen the three divisions at AGHPF. We have already started with AG Quality Consultants (AGQC) to manage our more robust quality programs. I now invite you to join me in anticipating what we will accomplish Inside This Issue together in this New Year 2019. • Message from Management • International accreditation of Accept my best wishes to you for a prosperous 2019. laboratories • Assessments: • Mentorships Kilian Songwe, PMP. • Reaching for the stars President & Regional through SLMTA Director -Africa INTERNATIONAL ACCREDITATION OF LABORATORIES Worldwide, laboratory accreditation is a priority and Walter Reed Project, Uganda Catholic Medical stakeholders appreciate the benefits that accrue Bureau, Mildmay Uganda, Baylor Uganda, Rakai from it. This international recognition of medical Health Sciences Project, East African Public Health laboratories through accreditation specifically Laboratory Network, RHITES E, RHITES EC, RHITES- ensures; International recognition of the accredited SW, RHITES Acholi and RHITES Lango) has been laboratory as qualified and competent to provide strengthening laboratory Quality Management reliable test results; reduction in waste and thus Systems (QMS) thus leading the laboratories to affordable testing; improved performance of international accreditation. Thus, AGHPF develops laboratory staff thus enhancing staff discipline and technical competences of laboratory personnel sense of professionalism among other benefits. with clear work plans, process-maps, mentorships, learning tools and trainings led by experts in various In 2016, the Ministry of Health through the ISO standards. Central Public Health Laboratories selected 16 well performing laboratories from the SLMTA So far, with technical assistance in form of scheduled programme that were fast-tracked for accreditation audits, trainings and mentorships provided by AGHPF to ISO 15189:2012 by the South African National in partnership with CPHL and other IPs, 4 out of the Accreditation System (SANAS). Ministry of Health 16 laboratories have already achieved accreditation with support from Centers for Disease Control and to ISO 15189:2012 by SANAS. The accredited Prevention (CDC) under PEPFAR and in collaboration Hospital facilities are; Kiryandongo General Hospital, with Implementing Partners (A Global Healthcare Kayunga District Hospital, St. Francis Hospital Public Foundation - AGHPF), Infectious Diseases Nsambya & Mildmay Uganda laboratories. Institute, The AIDS Support Organization, Makerere ACCREDITATION MILESTONES Tier 2 Tier 3 Tier 1 Tier 4 October 2018 Accredited Kiryandongo General Hospital Kayunga General Hospital St. Francis Nsambya Hospital. April 2018 To apply for Assessment To be Assessed February 2019 Accredited Early 2019 Atutur General Hospital Mildmay Uganda Lab Masindi General Hospital Kilembe Mines Hospital 1st November 2018 Lyantonde General Hospital Tororo General Hospital Surveillance Assessment / Entebbe General Hospital Re-accredited What laboratory Personnel had to say about accreditation ‘‘Our laboratory is now being trusted. We did a customer satisfaction survey in October 2018 and our clinicians scored the laboratory 100% which was not in the past. Our patients also have trust in our services,’’ Ms. Kuteesa Solome, Laboratory Quality Manager, Kayunga District Hospital, Kayunga District Hospital. Immediate Left, Ms. Solome Kuteesa with colleagues at Kayunga District Hospital Lab during a recent assessment of the Lab ‘I feel proud working in an accredited laboratory and ‘‘Our laboratory has become a point of reference to many there is self-esteem that comes with it. The laboratory laboratories that want to learn from us; Recently Quality is a shining star and it serves as a consultant for quality Officers, Laboratory Managers from RHITES – Acholi for other departments in the hospital. Accreditation project visited us for a learning tour in December 2018. has improved patient management in terms of quality Client satisfaction with laboratory services has improved results,’’ Mr. Nvule Henry Pecos, Deputy Quality to greater than 90%,’’ Mr. Olak Patrick, Laboratory Assurance, Quality Control Manager, St. Francis Quality Officer, Kiryandongo General Hospital Lab. Hospital Nsambya Laboratory. L-R, Mr. Olak Patrick, Quality Officer Kiryandongo General Hospital L-R, The Laboratory Quality Assurance Officer, Ms. Nakitto Gloria Lab sharing a light moment with AGHPF’s Moses Matovu in the and her Deputy displyaing the lab’s accreditation certificate laboratory ASSESSMENTS AGHPF conducts Mock Assessments across Tier 3 Laboratories: In order to prepare the three tier – 3 laboratories for accreditation assessment by SANAS, AGHPF in partnership with CPHL conducted mock assessments across these facilities to prepare the laboratory for assessment by SANAS. Mr. Baluku Eziron, Laboratory Technician doing routine work for L-R, Mr. Baluku William, Lab Technician with AGHPF’s Maryanne conformamnce to SOPs at Kilembe Mines Hospital Lab Otieno during a recent mock assessment of Kilembe Mines Lab AGHPF Conducts Surveillance Assessment at Mildmay Uganda Laboratory Following Mildmay Uganda Laboratory accreditation to ISO 15189:2012 by SANAS, it is a prerequisite for the laboratory to undergo surveillance audit. In order to prepare the laboratory for surveillance assessment, AGHPF conducted a surveillance audit at the laboratory to ensure the sustainability of the Quality Management System and to prepare the laboratory for assessment by SANAS. AGHPF’s Ms. Maryanne Otieno, Prof. Kilian Songwe and Mr. Silver Mashate conducted the surveillance audit. Right, AGHPF’s Quality Assurance Senior Specialist, Ms. Maryanne Otieno with Brenda Namukwaya , Microbiologist, Mildmay Lab during surveillance audit af the lab MENTORSHIPS Mentorship is an important vehicle to establishing evidence of nonconformity clearance was and strengthening quality management systems submitted and accepted by SANAS. The and helping laboratories achieve accreditation mentorships also focused on developing a work goals. plan for laboratories towards sustaining their Quality Management System implementation. AGHPF through well-structured mentoring supports selected hospital laboratories to achieve Mentorships for Tier 3 Accreditation long-term and sustainable QMS implementation. Laboratories: In order to prepare the tier 3 laboratories (Kilembe General Hospital, Atutur Post Accreditation Assessment Mentorships:: General Hospital and Tororo General Hospital Following the assessment and recommendation Laboratories) for accreditation assessment, of the three Hospital Laboratories (Kiryandongo AGHPF in partnership with key implementing General Hospital, Kayunga District Hospital and partners of these facilities conducted scheduled St. Francis Hospital Nsambya laboratories) for mentorships. AGHPF through its resident mentors accreditation to ISO 15189:2012 by SANAS. at these hospital laboratories has continued AGHPF conducted targeted mentorships at these to offer mentorship support in preparation for facilities to support them in undertaking proper SANAS assessment scheduled for February 2019. root cause analysis and corrective actions for non-conformities identified and subsequently Third left, AGHPF’’s Laboratory Mentor, Ivan Ssekidde taking Atutur Gen. Hosp. Lab team through a mentorship session TRAINING Training is an integral part of AGHPF’s technical support to Uganda’s Ministry of Health/Central Public Health Laboratories. AGHPF conducts periodic and well - structured trainings targeting laboratorians from selected hospital facilities. All these training are geared towards strengthening technical competences