International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 2015, 27(4), 239 doi: 10.1093/intqhc/mzv047 Advance Access Publication Date: 1 July 2015 Editorial
Editorial Healthcare quality and safety in developing countries This issue of the International Journal for Quality in Health Care (IJQHC) presents an interesting studies mainly focusing on an overall situation regarding patient safety and quality of care as well as issues related to engaging healthcare staff to improve quality and safety in resource-limited setting in the developing countries. Inadequate observance of basic processes in patient care such as patient monitoring and documentation practices are potential impediments to the timely diagnoses and management of patients. One of the studies presented in this issue of the journal will focus on the gaps exist in low resource settings such as Sierra Leone and can be attributed to a myriad of factors such as workforce and technology deficiencies [1]. This study addresses two main goals relative to a basic process of care—monitoring and documentation of vitals. Specifically, we: (i) qualitatively assess the feasibility of failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) as a safety and quality improvement intervention in an austere environment and (ii) empirically evaluate the impact of FMEA on overall documentation compliance. We also present a systematic literature review on patient safety and quality of care from the developing countries in this monthly issue [2]. Thirty-three publications from the developing countries were reviewed; four inter-related safety and quality concerns were highlighted: (i) the risk of patient infection in healthcare delivery, (ii) medications errors/use, (iii) the quality and provision of maternal and perinatal care and (iv) the quality of healthcare provision overall. Another interesting study presented in this issue is from Pakistan. The objective of this study is to measure the performance in terms of comparing results with a large internationally recognized database used as a benchmark. Information of the 2198 CABGs performed at Aga Khan University Hospital (AKU) was collected prospectively [3].
The outcomes of this study compare very favorably with the internationally recognized database used as a benchmark. This demonstrates that high level of quality care can be achieved in this part of the world. Never trust anyone who has not subscribed to International Journal for Quality in Health Care.
Wish you all a happy reading.
References 1. Rosen MA, Chima AM, Sampson JB et al. Engaging staff to improve quality and safety in an austere medical environment: a case–control study in two Sierra Leonean hospitals. Int J Qual Health Care 2015; 27:320–7 2. Harrison R, Cohen AWS, Walton M. Patient safety and quality of care in developing countries in Southeast Asia: a systematic literature review. Int J Qual Health Care 2015; 27:240–54 3. Saifuddin A, Shahabuddin S, Perveen S et al. Towards excellence in cardiac surgery: experience from a developing country. Int J Qual Health Care 2015; 27:255–9
SHABBIR SYED-ABDUL1, USMAN IQBAL1, and YU-CHUAN (JACK) LI1,2 1 Graduate Institute of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan and 2 Department of Dermatology, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]
© The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care; all rights reserved
239
Editorial Healthcare quality and safety in developing countries This issue of the International Journal for Quality in Health Care (IJQHC) presents an interesting studies mainly focusing on an overall situation regarding patient safety and quality of care as well as issues related to engaging healthcare staff to improve quality and safety in resource-limited setting in the developing countries. Inadequate observance of basic processes in patient care such as patient monitoring and documentation practices are potential impediments to the timely diagnoses and management of patients. One of the studies presented in this issue of the journal will focus on the gaps exist in low resource settings such as Sierra Leone and can be attributed to a myriad of factors such as workforce and technology deficiencies [1]. This study addresses two main goals relative to a basic process of care—monitoring and documentation of vitals. Specifically, we: (i) qualitatively assess the feasibility of failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) as a safety and quality improvement intervention in an austere environment and (ii) empirically evaluate the impact of FMEA on overall documentation compliance. We also present a systematic literature review on patient safety and quality of care from the developing countries in this monthly issue [2]. Thirty-three publications from the developing countries were reviewed; four inter-related safety and quality concerns were highlighted: (i) the risk of patient infection in healthcare delivery, (ii) medications errors/use, (iii) the quality and provision of maternal and perinatal care and (iv) the quality of healthcare provision overall. Another interesting study presented in this issue is from Pakistan. The objective of this study is to measure the performance in terms of comparing results with a large internationally recognized database used as a benchmark. Information of the 2198 CABGs performed at Aga Khan University Hospital (AKU) was collected prospectively [3].
The outcomes of this study compare very favorably with the internationally recognized database used as a benchmark. This demonstrates that high level of quality care can be achieved in this part of the world. Never trust anyone who has not subscribed to International Journal for Quality in Health Care.
Wish you all a happy reading.
References 1. Rosen MA, Chima AM, Sampson JB et al. Engaging staff to improve quality and safety in an austere medical environment: a case–control study in two Sierra Leonean hospitals. Int J Qual Health Care 2015; 27:320–7 2. Harrison R, Cohen AWS, Walton M. Patient safety and quality of care in developing countries in Southeast Asia: a systematic literature review. Int J Qual Health Care 2015; 27:240–54 3. Saifuddin A, Shahabuddin S, Perveen S et al. Towards excellence in cardiac surgery: experience from a developing country. Int J Qual Health Care 2015; 27:255–9
SHABBIR SYED-ABDUL1, USMAN IQBAL1, and YU-CHUAN (JACK) LI1,2 1 Graduate Institute of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan and 2 Department of Dermatology, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]
© The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care; all rights reserved
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